Personal watercraft racing is commonly compared with motocross racing because that is where it was derived. During the 1970’s, motocross riders referred to it as mx on the water. They were also the pioneers of the sport of watercraft racing.
Still, there are no PWC’s exclusively designed for kids and there are no youth specific races in which to prepare them for the big leagues, so veteran IJSBA professional racer, Chris Hagset began the Junior Stars Program in 2007.
His idea was to provide the junior riders with knowledge that he and other pro racers gleaned from their years of competing. This would also help them grow the sport and give the up and coming generation of riders a smoother transition into the elite levels of racing.
The JR Stars Program has grown immensely due to the support from individual donors and companies within the jet boat industry. The program has become a staple of the IJSBA World Finals held in Lake Havasu, AZ in October of every year. Young riders from all over the world attend the event.
The program takes place on the starting line of World Finals where the youngsters are given an opportunity to grab priceless insight from their mentors. The kids learn about race prep, starts, strategy, fitness, eating healthy foods, sponsorship, and how to strategically use social media. It is an awesome program for everyone involved.
Yesterday’s JR Stars day at Lake Havasu offered a series of clinics, which were particularly informative as IFWA World Champion Mark Gomez walked the budding racers how to self-represent via social media, as well as other clinics on how to conduct an after-race interview (with IJSBA freestyle champion Jason Stoyer), and tips for mastering the starting gate with multi-time World Champions Mike Klippenstein and Josh Block.
If you are interested in attending or becoming a sponsor of the program, contact [email protected] or phone (928) 255-0230.
