There were a total of 50 racers each day for the two-day event. There were riders at every skill level and age. We had six brand new racers! Each day of racing consisted of 15 separate heats that would run twice each day. We also had a flyboard exhibition with music pumping each day during our mid-day break to keep the crowds of spectators entertained non-stop all weekend long.
At any given time during the event there were at least a couple of hundred spectators but it is estimated that throughout the weekend there were over 1000 spectators that had made an appearance to check out the action. Our facebook page had nearly 20,000 hits over the week surrounding the event. The spectators and locals constantly made comments of support and excitement for the event. This was the first time any motorized vehicle had ever been allowed on this lake so we were not sure exactly how it would be received locally. We were also blessed with fantastic sunny weather all weekend long.
This event venue is nearly perfect in every way for a closed course race. The location is a very nice county owned park with great amenities such as great parking, nice covered areas, a paved walking path that goes around the entire perimeter of the lake, plenty of room for vendors, racers and spectators, close proximity to downtown and the freeway.
Blake Corning did an amazing job setting up the race site and making sure that all of our sponsors had their banners and other advertisements placed strategically throughout the event site. The event site even looked amazing at night with many of our custom built sponsor signs lit up with LED lights! We had seasoned veteran race director Ian Benson in the tower running the races and John Bonkowski on the lake all weekend running the course marshal/safety boat. I can’t say enough about how awesome this spot is for a race. You really have to be there to appreciate this location. We can’t wait to come back!
The Water X team is already under way to solidify our next race permit. We have already made contact with the governing body for another race at this same site. The discussion of another event at this location has had very positive response. We should have the official permits to do race number two very soon. Our plan for race number 2 is tentatively set for the first weekend in August (August 6 & 7th 2016). The reason that we have chosen this weekend in August is because this is the weekend before the 2016 Grayland Open.
The 2016 Grayland Open Freeride Competition www.grayland-open.com is scheduled for August 11-14th 2016. This event brings most of the top freeriders in the world and is just 40 minutes away from the Grays Harbor Watercross event location. Our hope is that many of the Freeride guys that come out to the Grayland Open will come out early and attend the race at Elma to maybe do a little freestyle and just stick around to compete at the Grayland Open.
If you are interested in continuing as a sponsor or joining up as a sponsor for our next race, Please get in touch with Monte Hughes, our Water X sponsor coordinator at [email protected]
Water X – Grays Harbor Watercross Event – Saturday, April 16, 2016 – Results
Pro AM Stock: 1. 723 Curtis Pittman, 2. 555 Tyler Riibe, 3. 4 Klete Kinser, 4. 222 Craig Thorsteinson; Pro AM GP: 1. 716 Dan Masters, 2. 152 Ian Benson, 3. 723 Curtis Pittman, 4. 22 Craig Thorsteinson, 5. 219 Mike Morin; Juniors 13 – 15: 1. 33 Carson Hughes, 2. 150 Gabe Hooper, 3. 255 Trinity Klecker, 4. 717 Ethan Fiske; Junior 10 – 12: 1. 722 Tyler McKay-Sowa, 2. 42 Finn Kirkpatrick, 3. 77 Cole McIntyre; X2: 1. 477 Maxson Carter, 2. 8 Taylor Mishalanie, 3. 525 Austin Fowler, 4. 614 Dave Wight; Women: 1. 255 Alaina Fiske, 2. 910 Julie Holmquist, 3. 734 Kimberly McKay; Beginner: 1. 255 Trinity Klecker, 2. 717 Lance Klecker, 3. 20 Nathan Clements, 4. 86 Matthew Melton; Stock: 1. 818 Taylor Mishalanie, 2. 20 Kyle Hawes, 3. 255 Alaina Fiske, 4. 477 Maxson Carter, 5. 28 Ryan Mifflin, 6. 77 Michael McIntyre, 7. 42 Cadan Kirkpatrick, 8. 910 Julie Holmquist; Novice Limited: 1. 33 Carson Hughes, 2. 28 Ryan Mifflin, 3. 721 Lauren Jones, 4. 20 Kyle Hawes, 5. 818 Tyler Mishalanie, 6. 150 Gabe Hooper, 7. 440 Seth McNeil, 8. 21 Jayson Zialcita; Amateur: 1. 723 Curtis Pittman, 2. 33 Carson Hughes, 3. 150 Gabe Hooper, 4. 555 Tyler Riibe, 5. 721 Loren Jones, 6. 152 Ian Benson, 7. 69 Cody Oberlander; Vintage 750: 1. 20 Nathan Clements, 2. 86 Matthew Melton, 3. 34 Rob Jordan; Vintage 550: 1. 851 Scott Sherbert, 2. 11 Jordan Smith, 3. 440 Seth McNeil, 4. 42 Cadan Kirkpatrick, 5. 360H Austin Farr, 6. 7538 Dan Lindgren; Veteran: 1. 716 Dan Masters, 2. 22 Craig Thorsteinson, 3. 219 Mike Morin, 4. 440 Seth McNeil, 5. X Dan Lindgren, 6. XXX Scott Sherbert; Runabout: 1. 976 Jordan Cramer, 2. 420 Mike Borden, 3. 72 Greg Moyer, 4. 14 Mike Podrybau, 5. 556 Bill Cox, 6. 566 Dawn Cox, 7. 77 Ryan Cramer; Freestyle: 1. Dan Lindgren
Water X – Grays Harbor Watercross Event – Sunday, April 17, 2016 – Results
Pro AM Stock: 1. 723 Curtis Pittman, 2. 555 Tyler Riibe, 3. 222 Craig Thorsteinson, 4. 4 Klete Kinser; Pro AM GP: 1. 723 Curtis Pittman, 2. 716 Dan Masters, 3. 152 Ian Benson, 4. 22 Craig Thorsteinson; Juniors 13 – 15: 1. 33 Carson Hughes, 2. 150 Gabe Hooper, 3. 255 Trinity Klecker, 4. 717 Ethan Fiske; Junior 10 – 12: 1. 77 Cole McIntyre, 2. 42 Finn Kirkpatrick, 3. 722 Tyler McKay-Sowa; X2: 1. 477 Maxson Carter, 2. 55 Tanner Fijolek, 3. 8 Taylor Mishalanie, 4. 18 Ethan Pedersen, 5. 525 Austin Fowler; Women: 1. 255 Alaina Fiske, 2. 910 Julie Holmquist, 3. 734 Kimberly McKay; Beginner: 1. 255 Trinity Klecker, 2. 717 Ethan Fiske, 3. 1 Turis Corning, 4. 20 Nathan Clements, 5. 11 Chris Hoover, 6. 910 Lance Klecker; Novice Stock: 1. 20 Kyle Hawes, 2. 477 Maxson Carter, 3. 818 Taylor Mishalanie, 4. 255 Alaina Fiske, 5. 28 Ryan Mifflin, 6. 277 Mark Hintze, 7. 77 Michael McIntyre; Novice Limited: 1. 33 Carson Hughes, 2. 150 Gabe Hooper, 3. 28 Ryan Mifflin, 4. 440 Seth McNeil, 5. 818 Tyler Mishalanie, 6. 20 Kyle Hawes, 7. 721 Lauren Jones, 8. 21 Jayson Zialcita; Amateur: 1. 150 Gabe Hooper, 2. 723 Curtis Pittman, 3. 33 Carson Hughes, 4. 721 Loren Jones, 5. 555 Tyler Riibe; Vintage 750: 1. 20 Nathan Clements, 2. 34 Rob Jordan, Vintage 550: 1. 11 Jordan Smith, 2. 440 Seth McNeil, 3. 360H Austin Farr, 4. 42 Cadan Kirkpatrick; Veteran: 1. 22 Craig Thorsteinson, 2. X Dan Lindgren, 3. 716 Dan Masters, 4. 440 Seth McNeil, 5. 34 Rob Jordan; Runabout: 1. 420 Mike Borden, 2. 556 Bill Cox, 3. 72 Greg Moyer, 4. 566 Dawn Cox; Freestyle: 1. Dan Lindgren
All photos by Patricia Fiske Photography
