Malibu M230 to Tow Foil Divisions at 2026 Performance Gravel Tour

Malibu Boats announced Feb. 18, 2026 that its M230 will serve as the official and exclusive towboat for the Performance Ski & Surf Gravel Tour’s 2026 season, with the M230 assigned to tow wakeboard, wakesurf, wakeskate and foil divisions at Lake David in Groveland, Florida. The company described the M230 assignment as meeting riders’ demand for performance and consistency across the Gravel Tour lineup.

Chris Loomis, Director of Dealer Development at Malibu Boats, framed the move as support for community-level competition, saying: “Grassroots tournaments are the foundation of wake sports. The Gravel Tour represents progression, family involvement and authentic competition. We’re proud to have the M230 towing riders this season.” Malibu’s Feb. 18 announcement identifies the company as the Gravel Tour’s exclusive towboat sponsor for 2026.

The M230 announcement builds on Malibu’s broader competitive strategy laid out in a Sept. 15, 2025 global partnership with the International Waterski & Wakeboard Federation, a six-year agreement beginning Jan. 1, 2026. That earlier program named the Response TXi and the M230 as flagship models to support premier competition. Rachael Green, senior vice president of engineering and production (also identified in some excerpts as senior vice president, operations & engineering), said in the Sept. 15 announcement: “Malibu was founded by athletes who wanted something better. This partnership honors that legacy and pushes it into the future.” IWWF President José Antonio Pérez Priego added that Malibu’s partnership “reflects their deep commitment to the global growth of waterskiing and wake sports. As one of the most recognized brands in the industry, Malibu’s innovation, performance, and worldwide distribution align perfectly with the IWWF’s vision to elevate our sport on the world stage.”

Malibu’s product statements list the M230 as built on the M-Line hull and equipped with Surf Gate and Power Wedge III, delivering scalable wakes and waves tailored to progressive wakeboarding and wakesurfing. The Sept. 15 materials also highlight the Response TXi’s T-Cut Diamond Hull, precise handling, minimal wakes and a record-setting pedigree that has “pulled more world records in waterskiing than any other boat.” Malibu names pro riders who choose the M230, including Massi Piffaretti (ITA), Bec Gange (AUS), Stacia Bank (USA) and Luca Kidd (GBR).

The Gravel Tour traces to 1999, founded by Herb O’Brien and Bill Porter, and the Feb. 18 announcement describes the series as “one of the most established grassroots wake sports tournament series in the world,” built to help competitors of all ages progress and build community on the water. Performance Ski & Surf’s 2026 stop “towed by Malibu Boats” is slated for Lake David in Groveland, Florida, and the release directs riders to register through the Gravel Tour’s official site and to follow sponsors on Instagram at @MalibuBoats, @LiquidPlanetMarine and @PerformanceSkiAndSurf.

Malibu Boats, Inc., listed on Nasdaq as MBUU and headquartered in Loudon, Tennessee, continues rolling out competition programs in 2026 while also supporting scheduled IWWF events; the Response TXi is slated as the official tow boat for the IWWF World Under 17 Waterski Championships March 30–April 5, 2026 at Lago Ahumada Esquí Náutico in Córdoba, Argentina.