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Iantosca Jumps Ship From Sea-Doo to Dean’s Team Yamaha in 2021

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Disputes over money continues to be the leading cause for divorce in the United States, and one of the most surprising splits to hit the world of professional PWC racing happened just over a month ago. Longtime Sea-Doo X-Team racer, product developer and brand ambassador, Erminio Iantosca has hung up his yellow jersey for 2021. Rather, the iconic Pro Runabout racer has crossed the aisle to Yamaha.

The split is unexpected given Iantosca’s involvement in developing the new 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 and even earning the ski it’s first win in last year’s Pro Watercross World Championships. “It really came down to budgeting,” Iantosca told The Watercraft Journal. “Sea-Doo is having great success with its ambassador program and wanted to focus their effort there – and I wanted to put all my effort into racing.”

Major shifts like these can be a political landmine in the intimate world of racing, and Iantosca knew what he was up against. “I spoke with Yamaha and was lucky to have them make me part of the team,” he continued. “I signed a deal with RIVA Racing to run their parts. [Then I spoke to] Dean Charrier and Dean’s Team. They have helped me so much in such little time with setting up my skis, tunes, props etc.”

“I can’t wait to start racing a full season again,” Iantosca smiled. “I’ll be racing P1 AquaX on a 2021 Yamaha FX SVHO and Pro Watercross on a 2021 GP1800R SVHO.” Transitioning from the RXP-X 300 to both a FX and GP is taking up quite a bit of Iantosca’s training time. “I can’t wait to see what I can do aboard my factory Yamahas!”

Each seat has been rewrapped in Jettrim covers and mats, BP Concepts vinyl graphics and co-sponsored with JetX Powersports products. Equally, Jettribe will be providing the pro with wetsuits and PFDs.

Video: Hydro-Turf Rider Mark Gomez’s Journey To Pismo Freeride

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Hydro-Turf Freerider Mark Gomez has been stepping up his vlog game lately.  After a successful trip to the Daytona Freeride early this year, Gomez’s latest journey takes us along with him to Pismo Beach, California for the Pismo Spring Freeride.

No day starts without a good ole’ cup of freshly brewed coffee…or if you’re World Champion Rider Mark Gomez, an ‘MG’ emblem cup of espresso-based coffee, pressure brewed using freshly ground sponsor beans inside a state-of-the-art espresso maker.  Hey Mark, what’s the retail on one of those?

Scrambling things together, Mark picks up a freshly rebuilt engine after the Daytona ride and installs it in his ski.  Then after staging and packing everything up, he and the team are off to Pismo.

After doing some free ride sessions and jetsurf riding, the crew is able to relax and even do a little goofing off that evening.  Hanging out and jumping over campfires with dirtbikes, what could be better!

Let’s just hope that they weren’t doing any illegal camping judging by the hefty fines posted in the background.  Another successful trip in the books for Gomez.

RIVA Parts in Stock at JetX Powersports

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JetX Powersports is stoked to announce their early spring order of RIVA Racing parts. They can meet your performance parts needs without the wait. You can buy all of your parts from JetX and they can take care of you.

The guys have over 25 years of experience in the watercraft industry and if you’re in Ontario, definitely hit them up for service. The technicians are highly trained and some of the best in the business. They have the means to modify stock PWC into powerful racing machines that win world titles.

Now let’s go through the current RIVA Racing parts list that we grabbed from a Facebook post. The JetX crew received some fantastic goods.

This order was stuffed with power filters, catch cans, rear exhaust, free flow exhaust, sponsons, intake grates, steering systems, injectors, supercharger wheels, waterboxes, fuel pressure regulators, and retainers. The best part is that there are more RIVA Racing parts on the way! Make your ski go fast by having JetX Racing outfit it with some high-performance parts from RIVA Racing.

The JetX modifications department is the leading and most trusted place to take your watercraft for turning up the speed. Contact them to learn about their go-fast packages or a custom build. JetX Powersports is located in Woodbridge, ON and can be reached by phone at: 647.280.7850.

Kawasaki to Retire “Toxic” Green; Announces New “Team Fuchsia” Rebranding

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In an effort to soften what recent tweets have called Kawasaki’s “toxic obsession” with industry-leading horsepower outputs and class-winning performance, Kawasaki Motor Corp. USA has announced a series of branding and product changes over the year, carrying into the 2022 product line and the overall company aesthetic.

These changes come as a response to a marginally viral #cancelteamgreen campaign on Reddit, which was later picked up on Twitter by a handful of self-identified “anti-aggression activists” and “inclusivity advocates.” These tweets complained that Kawasaki’s iconic green color was “too aggressive,” registered on a “hate index”; and even referenced 1930’s Germany.

Per Kawasaki, the famous Lime Green paint was first “developed in 1968, and at the 1969 Daytona 200 the following year, all the A7RS and A1RAS factory race machines were cloaked in Lime Green. Until then, Kawasaki racers had usually been painted red […]. [The] subsequent success of the Lime Green racers led Kawasaki to adopt the color as their official racing image color.”

“We are much more than a color or even our long history of winning races,” stated Kawasaki’s Director of Diversity Awareness Merkin Muffly. “Albeit atypical to respond so energetically to less than a dozen tweets, we felt strongly that a cohesive rebranding of Kawasaki would lead to greater appeal to non-powersports enthusiasts and persons with little interest in powersports, which could be a very viable market.”

Under this direction, Kawasaki will drop its iconic green hue that has lasted for 53 years, and introduce its new “more inclusive” Team Fuchsia. Muffly explained to The Watercraft Journal, “Our team of Social Media Marketing specialists polled students at 6 community college campuses along Southern California’s Pacific Coast to decide upon Kawasaki’s new less-offensive Team Fuchsia color.”

“Our research revealed that persons unaffiliated with powersports found fuchsia to be a far more inviting and welcoming color,” Muffly continued. “Dynamic, aggressive colors can trigger individuals with certain emotive sensitivities which, as we know, is equal to physical violence. And we simply cannot condone physically attacking innocent people with hostile colors.”

Although too late to halt production of current 2021 models and too cost-prohibitive to replace the decals and plastics of those units already shipped, Kawasaki will be printing a series of fuchsia-colored decals to be applied to units currently in dealer showrooms apologizing for the brand’s “green privilege” with a commitment to “do better in the near future.”

“Today, we at Kawasaki feel that bold, assertive colors have no place in powersports,” Muffly concluded. “We’re looking towards a more equitable future of competition that is less confrontational and more compassionate – and Team Fuchsia is the first step in this mission.” For more information on Team Fuchsia and where to buy your new Team Fuchsia gear and apparel click here.

Yamaha’s Recommended Destinations For 2021

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With the world in recovery mode, 2021 will be a year that everyone wants to get back out, meet with friends and family, and explore new destinations.

Yamaha has you covered with their list of recommended destinations to visit with your WaveRunner.  The list is split up into regions of the United States including the South, Northeast, Midwest, and West.

Within each region, you can find a series of lakes, rivers, and reservoirs that offer their own unique features, scenery, or activities.

In the Western region, you will find vast differences in options and scenery ranging from pinewood shorelines and crystal clear lakes of Washington down to a desert oasis in Utah and Arizona.

The Midwest and South offer countless lakes and reservoirs to ride on your WaveRunner.  Many areas offer camping or cabin rentals to make it an extended stay.

As things start to thaw out in the Northeast, you can find a host of picturesque retreats and rocky coastline lakes to explore.  So get out, find new opportunities, and explore new places this year which is easy to do aboard a Yamaha WaveRunner.

Get Your 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 at Cycle Springs Powersports

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Cycle Springs of Clearwater, FL is offering the brand new 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 in Midnight Purple with their killer BRP Premium Audio System for $16,899. These machines come race ready with the Rotax 1630 ACE engine. You can go from 0-50 mph in under 3-seconds while blasting your music through the dual speakers. The BRP sound system is fully submersible, so you’ll have no worries about water damage while you’re out there ripping.

The iBR feature on the 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 is third generation and it has been recognized by the USCG for improving boat safety. The iBR feature allows you to stop sooner and gives the rider the ability to maneuver worry-free at slow speeds because both hands can stay on the handlebars. You can even put the PWC in reverse so you can easily back out of any tight spots. Add on some of Sea-Doo’s LinQ accessories to complete your ride.

Cycle Springs offers their Lifetime Engine Warranty, extended warranties, 50% off service plans, and employee pricing on all gear and accessories on the day of the sale. Everyone gets financed and they’ll take your trade-in. Secure your 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 today by calling Cycle Springs Powersports at 727-771-1211. They will be glad to answer any questions.

Pre-Season Sale at Broward Motorsports Has 2021 Sea-Doos in Stock

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It’s that time of year again when Broward Motorsports cleans house to make room for more new products. They are offering several models of Sea-Doo’s and they are priced to sell!

You can pick up the 2021 Sea-Doo Fish Pro with iDF and sound system for $16,399 at $259 a month with $2,000 down at 5.9APR for five years. The Fish Pro is the perfect machine for the avid fisherman and Broward Motorsports is offering it a great price.

The 2021 Sea-Doo GTR 230 and 2021 Sea-Doo GTR 230 (with sound) are both in stock and available. The GTR 230 is priced at $12,599 and if you want it with a sound system, it’ll bump up to $13,399.

The Beach Blue Metallic/Lava Grey 2021 Sea-Doo GTX 170 (with BRP Premium Audio System) is available for $14,399. The GTX models offer the largest swim platforms in the industry, so you can lounge or even have a picnic on your ride.

A 2021 Sea-Doo GTX 300 can be purchased for $15,799 and with zero down and 5.9 APR; payments are $389 a month. The GTX 300 is available in both Eclipse Black and Orange Crush or Millennium Yellow.

Grab a midnight purple 2021 Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 for $16,099 and blow all of your friends out of the water. This machine is supercharged with a 300-hp Rotax 1630 ACE engine and can be yours with $2,500 down and $347 a month.

Broward Motorsports also has the 2021 Sea-Doo Wake Pro 230 on clearance. This one is Malibu Blue and Neon Yellow. It is priced at $15,799 and comes standard with a 100W Bluetooth Audio System, so you can rock out while you tow out.

Here is some of the fine print: All offers may be subject to manufacture guidelines, conditions, and termination dates. Sale prices do not include taxes, document fees, or dealer markup. Check out the Broward Motorsports site for pre-qualification and to value your trade. You can even schedule a test ride.

BRP Announces $300M Investment in Electric Across All Product Lines

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With the political environment swinging so radically in recent years, it’s incumbent upon manufacturers to prepare for the coming requirements imposed by regimes. The Watercraft Journal discussed this topic in detail during an episode of its podcast as well as a shorter “Quick Topic” video segment (both being hyperlinked respectively). Industry leader and innovator, Sea-Doo just announced an impressive investment by BRP of $300 million “over the next five years to electrify its existing product lines by the end of 2026.”

Although the announcement doesn’t specify which items will premier first, BRP states that its first all-electric product is expected to reach markets within two years’ time, followed by a quick roll-out across all of BRP’s product lines. Currently, BRP is developing a “Rotax modular electric powerpack technology in-house which will be leveraged across all product lines.”

“BRP is creating an Electric Vehicle Development Centre in Canada, which will focus on the “energy side”: the charger and the battery pack, as well as the complete integration into the vehicle, and a second pole of development in Austria, which will focus on the “torque side”: the inverter and the high performance electric motor.
BRP is actively recruiting to expand its EV team of experts.”

Read the entire release:
BRP announced its five-year plan where it will offer electric models in each of its product lines by the end of 2026. To achieve this, BRP plans to invest $300M over five years in product development, specialized equipment, infrastructure, production tooling and facilities.

“We have always said electrification was not a question of ‘if’ but a question of ‘when’. Today, we’re very excited to unveil more details of our plan to deliver market-shaping products that will enhance the consumer experience by offering new electric options,” said José Boisjoli, President and CEO. “We are leveraging our engineering know-how and innovation capabilities to define the best strategy for developing electric-powered products,” he added.

After developing and evaluating several concepts, BRP has made the bold decision to develop its Rotax modular electric powerpack technology which will be leveraged across all product lines enhancing the consumer experience by offering new electric options. To achieve this, BRP is expanding its Rotax electric power unit development infrastructure in Gunskirchen, Austria, and is also creating the BRP Electric Vehicle Development Centre, located in its hometown of Valcourt, Quebec, Canada. This facility will feature state-of-the-art equipment, including several sophisticated test benches and dynamometers, plus an ultramodern robotized manufacturing cell for electric batteries.

“We are thrilled to create our EV expertise centre, taking steps into the world of electrification,’’ said Bernard Guy, Senior Vice-President, Global Product Strategy. “Experts on our EV team will feel the agility of a startup environment but will benefit from BRP’s financial resources and state-of-the-art equipment to design our in-house technology,” he added.

BRP’s electric path
In early 2019, BRP acquired assets of Alta Motors, an electric motorcycle manufacturer, and commercialized the Rotax Sonic E-Kart, which is currently in operation at the Rotax MAX Dome in Linz, Austria. A few months later, it showcased e-concepts at Club BRP 2019 to give a glimpse of what the future could hold for both its current product lines and for other potential segments. BRP has produced several battery-electric, hybrid-electric and even fuel cell-electric vehicles over the years. Today’s announcement brings BRP’s electric journey further into focus, with a clear vision and firm plans to roll out its electric products.

Expanding BRP’s electric vehicle development team
The R&D team is expanding quickly, and BRP is recruiting for several positions as it moves to the next phase of its electric propulsion technology development. With involvement from Quebec, Austria, Finland and the United States, BRP’s top talent worldwide, including hundreds of engineers and specialized technicians, will work together to develop and produce electric vehicles at BRP.

For more information on employment opportunities with BRP EV R&D centers, please visit careers.brp.com/electric.

Video: Awake RAVIK 3 is the Newest Electric Jet-Powered Surfboard

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We received a new product announcement from Swedish tech innovator, Awake. It falls in with our latest run of electric PWC stories. This time, we’re reporting on an electric surfboard. Awake brings to us their latest piece of equipment, their third-generation electric surfboard. The Awake RAVIK 3, is the next wave of development of the company’s previous models. This company never stops innovating, which is a good thing because the electric surfboard models just keep getting better.

The RAVIK 3 has a revised hull design, bringing top end performance. It comes with a second-generation wireless hand controller, redesigned brushless motor, and a more aggressive impeller. It is stable and will allow you to do hard carves without digging a rail. The patent pending modular system ensures Awake’s signature performance, sophisticated automotive safety systems, and ease of use.

CEO Daniel Aronsson had this to say about their line of electric surfboards:“With Awake RAVIK ONE and its jaw-dropping acceleration and top speed, we took the first steps in fast-forwarding the future of action water sports back in 2018. The awesome race characteristics of our second model, the Awake RAVIK Introduced a completely new segment to the electric surfboard market, where the conventional limits of electric sports were erased when my colleague and co-founder Philip Werner landed the first backflip on a wireless surfboard.”

“By combining the learnings and market feedback from both Awake RAVIK ONE and Awake RAVIK S, we created the Awake RAVIK 3- perfect for the demanding action water sports enthusiast who is looking for a versatile electric surfboard with stable high-speed cruising capabilities, combined with agile race characteristics. It is simply a board to grow with and will challenge you in your pace.”

The Awake RAVIK 3 is available for order on the AWAKE website. The boards are priced at $15,400 USD and delivery begins in April. Check them out!

2021 Hydro-Turf Jet Jam is On…Right NOW!

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Like most events in 2020, the Hydro-Turf Jet Jam was shelved due COVID-19. We are happy to announce the return of the Hydro-Turf Jet Jam Racing Tour. It begins with the South Series rounds 1-2 running March 27-28th at the Nautical Inn in Lake Havasu City, AZ. Pre-registration closes March 23rd at midnight. Pre-race registration, inspections, and practice take place from 12-5pm Friday, March 26, 7-10am Saturday, March 27, and Sunday, March 28.

Competition is from 10am-5pm Saturday, March 27 and from 10am-4pm Sunday, March 28. We’re excited for the Jet Jam to kick off this year! You can also pre-register for rounds 3 and 4, which will take place April 10-11. Entries must be in by April 16th. Rounds 4-5 take place May 15-16. All South Series rounds will be held at the Nautical Inn Resort in Lake Havasu City, AZ.

The North Series begins June 5th and will take place at Lake Success in Porterville, CA. Rounds 3 and 4 will be held at Camp Far West in Wheatland,CA and they run June 19th-June 20th. Rounds 5 and 6 are happening July 31-August 1 at Mossdale Quarry Lakes in Lathrop, CA.

Riders will return to Lake Havasu City for the 2021 AWSA Championship on September 17th. The race runs from September 17-19th at The Nautical Inn. Check out the Hyrdro-Turf Jet Jam Racing Tour site for all the pertinent details. We aren’t sure about COVID-19 guidelines. We do know that a membership with AWSA is required to race, per the usual rules.

Hydro-Turf and over 20 other sponsors are helping to put on this series. Go out and show them some love. It has been a long year and good vibes will go a long way. These races will be extra exciting this year, considering all of the adrenaline that has been stuffed! It’s time to let it all go! Also, hit up Hydro-Turf for some fresh traction!