As the days get a little longer and throttle fingers start twitching, the International Jet Sports Boating Association is shaking off winter and dropping a steady stream of updates aimed at the 2026 season and beyond.
In the span of a few days, IJSBA has released news touching three very different corners of the sport: participant liability and insurance, long-term rule development, and early details surrounding the 2026 World Finals in Lake Havasu City. Taken together, it feels like the organization signaling that it’s time to get serious — race season isn’t that far off.
A Clear Line on Risk and Insurance
First up was a detailed announcement regarding additional insurance and assumption of risk for competition members.
If you found your eyes glazing over halfway through, you’re not alone — but here’s the practical takeaway:
IJSBA reiterated that sanctioned competition is inherently high-risk, that membership is required to compete, and that competitors agree to assume those risks as a condition of participation. The organization makes clear that it does not provide insurance coverage for riders and that competitors must hold both IJSBA and independent event promoters harmless for losses incurred during competition.
The notable shift isn’t a rule change — it’s the explicit invitation for riders to proactively contact IJSBA at least two weeks prior to an event if they wish to negotiate terms or explore procuring individual insurance coverage.
In plain language: the door is open for discussions, but the responsibility remains squarely on the competitor. In an era where motorsports insurance and liability are under increasing scrutiny across the board, the clarification reads less like a surprise and more like a formal tightening of language.
It’s not glamorous news. But it’s foundational — and it’s part of the reality of high-speed, water-based competition.
A Nine-Director Rules Evolution Project
On a much more forward-looking note, IJSBA also announced a joint initiative with WGP-1 World Series organizers and IJSBA Europe to create a nine-director Rules Director Project.
The goal? Shape the evolution of the IJSBA Competition Rule Book beginning with the 2027 season.
The proposed structure includes nine subject matter experts from The Americas, Europe, and Asia/Gulf/Oceania, acting as liaisons between the broader racing community and the IJSBA Board of Directors. The organization is actively recruiting highly qualified individuals with technical expertise in personal watercraft, engines, and motorsports engineering, along with a Vice-Chairman to help coordinate the effort.
For racers and builders, this is the headline: rule development is being formalized into a more structured, globally collaborative process.
That suggests two things:
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Long-term technical planning is becoming a bigger focus.
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There may be meaningful rule evolution coming for 2027 and beyond.
If you’ve ever had strong opinions about class structure, technical allowances, or enforcement processes — this is the lane where those conversations are intended to live.
45 Years in Havasu and an 80s Throwback
And then there’s the part that gets the blood moving again.
IJSBA released the working logo for the 2026 World Finals, marking the 45th consecutive year the event has been held in Lake Havasu City — an almost unheard-of run for any major motorsports event in a single location.
The 2026 edition, scheduled for October 3–11, will once again serve as a stop on the WGP-1 World Series calendar, further reinforcing the growing overlap between the two organizations’ global footprints.
Beyond the racing, IJSBA is also expanding the PWC Fest and Poker Run concept introduced last year at Crazy Horse Campground. For 2026, the celebration leans fully into the sport’s roots with an 80s throwback theme — fitting, given that the World Finals traces back to the early boom years of stand-up watercraft.
Expect performance workshops, another poker run, special meetings, a new fishing component, and a heavy dose of nostalgia. Invitations are reportedly going out to 1980s-era brands and partners to help amplify the anniversary atmosphere.
Winter may still technically have a grip on most of us.
But the calendar says race season will be here before we know it — and IJSBA is clearly done hibernating.
IJSBA Announces Open Negotiation For Additional Insurance And Assumption Of Risk
The International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) sets forth specific standards and requirements for all competition membership holders to participate in events sanctioned by IJSBA. Membership is a support affiliation with an organization which has the goal of encouraging Personal Watercraft Events with an emphasis on competitions. These competitions are usually high speed in nature carrying very high degrees of risk. All motorsports events are very dangerous. Water based motorsport competitions, including Personal Watercraft and all forms of boats are extremely dangerous due to the nature of a lack of real braking mechanisms on the water. Persons join IJSBA to aid IJSBA the active role of furthering these exact type of events as a common goal. An IJSBA Competition Membership is a requirement to participate in an IJSBA Sanctioned Event and Competition Membership holders agree to abide by the terms set forth in the IJSBA Rule Book and the IJSBA provided agreement to participate at each sanctioned event. Event promoters are independent entities from IJSBA who put on events exclusively for persons who have joined IJSBA to further IJSBA’s goals.
All competitors, as consideration for being allowed to participate in an event, and also as a condition precedent to receive permission for participating in any event, must evaluate the circumstances at each event and expressly agree to assume any and all risks for participating in the very event that the participant has chosen to encourage by joining IJSBA as a Competition Member. Other requirements including completely holding IJSBA and the event organizer harmless for any losses and completely abandoning any rights to seek redress for any losses incurred by the very event that the participant encouraged. IJSBA provides the competitor no insurance of any kind which could cover the participant for any losses. Participants have been injured and even killed at Personal Watercraft Competitions and these are very real risks for participating. If a potential participant would like to approach IJSBA to negotiate these terms or to try and procure individual insurance that could provide coverage for some losses incurred at an event then those persons should contact IJSBA by emailing [email protected]. Such contact should take place at least two weeks prior to the event in order to determine the costs that would be attributed to a change in the mandatory participation agreements or to procure insurance.
IJSBA Releases Working Logo For The 2026 SBT World Finals
