[Heads up – The Watercraft Journal’s complete recap from this past weekend’s Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 will be published shortly. Sorry for the spoiler! – Ed.]
Yamaha WaveRunners had a heck of a year in 2017 and it appears that 2018 is going to be no different. Despite truly unfavorable weather conditions, Canadian Mike Klippenstein (and race partner Marcus Jorgensen) took the coveted title aboard a Yamaha GP1800. Yeah, you read that right; the race was won not even on a FX SVHO, but the lightweight powerhouse that swept so many closed course races last year. And also note, it’s the first victory for Yamaha at the Mark Hahn since race-founder Mike Follmer’s win in 2005 aboard a GP1300R.
Here’s Yamaha’s complete press release:
February 27, 2018 — Lake Havasu City, Arizona – Battling rough and cold conditions, Yamaha racers Mike Klippenstein and Marcus Jorgensen, aboard their Yamaha GP1800, took home the number one overall spot at the 14th annual IJSBA Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Mile National Endurance Race, the world’s longest personal watercraft endurance race held annually in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
In addition to the overall win in Open class, Yamaha riders Chris Fischetti and Tony Beck won the manufacturer’s stock class aboard their Yamaha GP1800.
“Never has a new model won so many major titles in its first year of introduction as we’ve seen the GP1800 accomplish this year,” said Yamaha Race Director Scott Watkins. “From World Titles, to its Top 3 dominance on the National Tour and victory at the Long Beach open ocean race, the GP has won every major closed course and long distance race event it’s competed in. This speaks volumes about this model’s strength right out of the box and it’s only going to get more interesting as our teams have a chance to build upon the amazing stock platform.”
The Mark Hahn Memorial race, which drew a record number of teams from around the globe as well as the top PWC racers, demands that racers manage everything from fuel stops, rider changes, rough water conditions and attrition to complete the grueling 300-mile course.
The “Team” format features two riders for runabout (sit down) boat teams and up to three riders for a stand-up craft. Solo riders are also welcome to “Ironman” the race on either style of boat, a real test of endurance and stamina reserved for only the true endurance sea lots.
“We won this event in 2005 on a two stroke Yamaha GP1300R with teammate Billy Womack,” said event promoter Mike Follmer. “I am proud to now welcome Mike Klippenstein and Marcus Jorgensen to the Yamaha Winners club. They put forth an outstanding team effort in conjunction with R&D and the entire Klippenstein team on their GP1800.”
The race is held in the memory of endurance racer Mark Hahn who was instrumental in supporting and growing the sport of personal watercraft endurance racing around the country.
The Watercraft Journal: Anthony, for those of our readers who might not be acquainted with you, can you please tell us a little bit about yourself.
Anthony Radetic: Nothing really special about who I am, just a former army helicopter pilot that was injured a little bit too soon in my career. I have always been an adrenaline seeker and a competitive guy. So being a soldier and a pilot was the best job in the world, never a dull moment to say the least. In 2004, while stationed in Ft. Rucker, I was injured and left paralyzed; making it very difficult to continue flying and serving my country in a wheelchair. Due to this abrupt life changing experience, I was forced to find a different form of profession to fill that void. I had to empower myself to find a new normal way of life that would make sense to me and my family.
That was my solution (my fix) and I chased it, trying to find that special connection in a sport that filled my need for adrenaline. After several years of participating on a pro level in several adaptive sports, I found the perfect fit for me. Personal watercraft racing, a sport full of excitement and heart pumping adrenaline. This sport definitely presented itself as a challenge and being a disabled athlete with a spinal cord injury made it even harder. I felt certain that put me on the bottom of the list being the forever underdog. Luckily I’ve had some phenomenal people on my side that believe in me and motivate my drive even more. This was the fuel that helped push myself and my team through many obstacles and eventually earning a spot as a pro rider on the Sea-Doo X-Team competing side by side with the top dogs in watercraft racing.
WCJ: Nothing special, huh? Not too many riders out there can say they can also pilot a helicopter. Could you tell us about some of those other sports you were doing and what led you to try watercraft racing?
AR: After my injury, it took me a while before I stopped feeling sorry for myself. I found great comfort in cycling, handcycling to be exact. This adaptive sport really allowed me to push myself. It was a good way to take out most of my day to day frustration and just ride for hours building up my cardio. I think this was and still is the greatest therapy, just one on one time with myself. An abundance of time to figure out, organize, and plan my life. It didn’t take me long to start hunting for marathons and at one point I was doing one marathon a month. But deep inside me there was still a hole, I felt like I was missing something crucial and it didn’t take me long to figure out it was the adrenaline rush that really gets me going.
In the military jumping out of planes was a easy remedy for that, so finding an adaptive sport that would do that was a little of a challenge. Eventually I was introduced to snow skiing on a mono ski at one of the military sport camps. Immediately I fell in love with the sport, and eventually made the US Development ski team and moved out to Aspen to train full time. This was a very tough life style, I had to sacrifice a lot of time away from home and being away from my family wasn’t conducive at all. So I continued my hunt for the perfect sport.
My wife knew my love for motorcycles was still haunting me and that I always wanted to get back on the saddle, on a regular bike without a side cart or a tricycle. So she had this great idea to try riding a PWC. I loved the idea and immediately reached out to one of my doctors to seek approval. To my surprise the doctor wouldn’t give me his blessing and told me it was extremely dangerous and unsafe considering my condition at the time. Obviously I ignored his recommendations and almost immediately went out and purchased a PWC off of Craigslist. This was it, the sport that gave me the true freedom and independence I was seeking with the added adrenaline dose. I truly felt normal, as if the water was the great equalizer to my injury.
At first glance no one could even tell that I’m disabled while riding, and that was a huge plus in my mind. Not long after I was approached by Shawn Alladio to participate in a Never Quit Challenge ride, a personal watercraft endurance ride from Key West-to-New York City. This is what started it all I was introduced to some of the great people in our industry like Mark Gerner, Ronny Mac, and Michelle Petro. I was truly bit by the watercraft racing bug and never looked back after that.
WCJ: As an “adaptive athlete,” what kind of limitation do you have while riding the jetski? Is it setup any different?
AR: Sure I have limitations, most of the great riders stand up while riding and really manipulate the ski with their feet, I still haven’t figured out how to do this. When racing closed course it’s very important to be able to switch sides to properly load the ski to enter and exit a corner. This is where I struggle and solely rely on my arms to pull and hold me in place since my injury level also affects my core control.
Absolutely my ski is setup very different from most riders, first I use a seat that was custom made just for me by SeatInserts and BlackTip JetSports. Second the handling of the ski has been balanced and adjust by Jesus Garcia from RIVA Racing in a way where the slightest body movement the ski reacts to my riding style. This has taken a long time to achieve but now that we have it dialed in, it’s absolutely amazing and a game changer.
WCJ: With all that stress on your arms and core you must have a pretty interesting and intense workout routine. Would you mind giving us some insight into what takes place when you’re training and if you have any prerace rituals.
AR: There is no secret to it; I do put in a lot of work each day. With good reason, I need to work twice as hard to be even close to the rest of the pack. My typical week consist of 6 days of cardio workout with my handcycle. Spending about 1.5 to 3 hours just cycling, after that I follow up with a SOFLETE training program that was tailored just for me and my unique situation for 3-to-4 times a week. The crew at SOFLETE builds and tailors each workout session for our nation’s finest warriors and athletes, absolutely phenomenal workout programs. To wrap up, on my off days, I normally visit my rehab and massage therapists to recover and address any issues I might have.
My pre-race and post-race ritual consists of SOFLETE nutrition and my massage therapist, Blythin Leggett, taping me up for the competition. She usually comes to all the races and she is an absolute life saver with RockTape. Most of the racers know her and know how valuable of a member she is to the RAD team.
WCJ: You’ve overcome quite a bit since your accident, is there any advice you would give a reader that could be facing the same obstacles or a life changing injury?
AR: I think you have to see the big picture always. It’s not about the obstacles or the life changing injury; it’s about every day hard work and about thriving on a challenge. It’s about embracing the pain that you’ll experience at the end of a race or a marathon and not being afraid. I think people think too hard and get afraid of a certain challenges that hold them back from things that might truly empower them or make them happy.
WCJ: What do you have planned for the 2018 season?
AR: 2018 is going to be a action packed year for me. Starting off with the annual Mark Hahn 300 race in Lake Havasu where I’m defending my Iron Man title. [This interview was conducted 2 weeks ago – Ed.] After that we settle in for five rounds of the bone crushing P1 AquaX Pro class in the US and the intense six rounds of the UIM Aquabike GP1 class in Italy, China, and UAE. Finishing off the year with the traditional IJSBA world finals in Arizona and premiere Kings Cup in Thailand.
WCJ: On behalf of The Watercraft Journal and the readers I’d like to say thank you for your service and for giving us some insight on what it’s like to be an adaptive athlete. I can see that you have had quite the team helping you get to where you are, is there anyone you would like to thank?
AR: There are so many people that I owe a huge amount of gratitude for getting me where I am. But the ones that have been by my side and made it their own personal mission to watch my 6 is definitely my awesome RAD team. Which consists of volunteer’s from SOF Bionic Warriors, Operation Second Chance, and Road Warriors. My outstanding sponsors that continue to believe in me, allow me to represent them and their values. Sea-Doo, SOFLETE, rip it, Watercraft Superstore, BlackTip, JetLift, Jet Renu, RockTape, RIVA Racing, Fly Racing, Jet Pilot, Abaco, Fixate design, Más Awesomer, Works H2O, and AquaNew.
It has always been an absolute humbling experience to be involved with this phenomenal group of people and a life changing journey. My motivation and strength is my wife and kids; they are my world and I hope that one day I can make them all proud of what I have achieved.
China: Immense, beautiful, natural wonders, and full of opportunities. These are some of the words that describe this huge landscape. Now these descriptions can be broadened within the watercraft community to include personal watercraft racing.
Thanks to IJSBA and Xblueme, IJSBA China has been announced as a new China-based sanctioned watercraft racing event. Xblueme Racing is a manufacturing and racing entity out of the Shenzhen area of the Guangdong Province which is near Hong Kong.
This area as well as the vast areas of China with its ocean, lakes, and rivers offer big opportunities for watercraft racing events. In fact, we have seen more and more China-based personal watercraft racing events in the recent years.
Now we can expect to see even more growth with the newly announced IJSBA China. Since 2016, Xblueme has set up an IJSBA International Open event. In fact, it has been working with IJSBA, throughout 2017, in developing an extensive new organization that will bring the very best in personal watercraft racing to everywhere in China.
An announcement is expected to soon be made for a new World Cup event this November, which will revolutionize the sport even further. Stay tuned for further announcements and news regarding this new racing body. For now, we welcome Xblueme Racing, and IJSBA China to the international racing community.
Playa El Palmar, located in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo is well known for it’s popular surf destinations. Trocones, Saladita, and Ixtapa host many of the beaches where prime surfing breaks are located. Great waves are usually on hand and the area is plenty of fun with its many attractions in addition to surfing. Throw in a massive freestyle jet skiing event and your adventure is complete.
If this area of Mexico wasn’t already known as a high performance jet ski mecca, it is now. We have the first Monster Energy Freeride Series Ixtapa Zihuatanejo 2017 to thank for bringing freestyle skiing to the forefront of Ixtapa. The event was held November 17-19 and was wildly successful. Waves showed up for 30 of the best riders in the world and some incredible high performance freestyle riding was on display for all to see. The camaraderie between riders was amazing with positive vibes all around.
Everyone, including spectators, was so excited and seemed to have the best time of their lives. The event was radical and the locals were stoked to have this elaborate show in town. Abraham Hoschstrasser was probably the most stoked because he won the event.
The final results of the Monster Energy Freeride Series Ixtapa Zihuatanejo are located here. Check out this edit and you’ll see what all the excitement is about! The adrenaline rush is real! Dates and details for the 2018 event are in the works! We can’t wait.
Now is a good time to save some money on parts to soup up your Sea-Doo Spark for racing season. Perhaps you just want to add a little juice to your recreational ride in order to reach the fishing hole a little quicker or jump some boat wake. Spring fever has overtaken some of us and we’re itching to motor into warmer waters. Then again, maybe you’ve put off replacing that old beat up impeller and like the idea of a larger blade for increased speed. Greenhulk has just what you need; the new Solas Concord. It will work on a stock ski or one that’s only slightly modified.
If you’re in the market for an upgraded steering system for your Sea-Doo Spark racing machine; Greenhulk has a killer system from RIVA Racing. The RIVA Racing Sea-Doo Spark Bundle will completely replace an original plastic steering system. The bundle is compatible with standard MX style bars and grips and includes everything you need to step up your set up. Spark plugs, seals, and many other assorted maintenance items are available at discount prices. You don’t have to break the bank in order to score a deal on several high end accessories.
Whatever the reason you want or need performance parts; head over to the Green Hulk website and get hooked up on select Sea-Doo Spark Performance equipment. They only offer the best when it comes to aftermarket goods. Greenhulk PWC Performance Store is offering 10% off select RIVA Racing and R&D components. The store is also granting 10% off all Worx parts and Solas Impellers. Use discount code “greenhulk”. Spend more than $150 in the USA and they’ll knock off the cost of shipping.
Check this out! RPM Racing Enterprises presents 2018 IJSBA sanctioned closed course racing. Ross Wallach shared the announcement on the Region 1 Racing Page.
The next scheduled event is the Jettribe Best of the West Series 2018. Rounds one and two take place May 5th and 6th at The Blue Water Resort and Casino, located in Parker, AZ. These rounds include the Western States Nationals and the 3rd Annual Gary Hart Memorial Race.
July 13th and 14th will be held in Lake Elsinore,CA at Laguna State Park. This event is the Lake Elsinore Open of Water X.
Rounds 5 and 6 go down in Sail Cove, Lake Perris, CA. This is big because it’s the Season Finals of The Jettribe Best of the West. All the competitors want to be the best of the west!
One thing to note is that all events are 2018 IJSBA World Finals Qualifiers. According to the IJSBA rulebook, all competitors must compete in two IJSBA sanctioned events during the season. If a competitor fails to compete in the two sanctioned events, they aren’t eligible to race in the World Finals.
What if I were to tell you that Yamaha Motor Corp. USA was planning to reveal a brand-new 4-stroke WaveBlaster in time for 2023? Most of you would be pretty excited, right? And yes, it would be a true one-seater, lightweight, torquey little wave jumper that was easy to work on – y’know, exactly how you remember the old ones (1993-1996). You’d be pretty excited, right? Good. Now here’s the bad news: they’re not… officially. But that’s not to say they won’t. Here’s how we know:
Remember back mid-last year when the blokes at Yamaha WaveRunners Australia built a handful of one-off, customized Yamaha EX’s? No? Well, you should because they were bitchin’ and we did a story on their WaveBlaster-themed EX that you should read. The ‘Blaster-themed EX wasn’t more than a few cosmetic cues on a standard Azure Blue Metallic EX Deluxe (with RiDE), but it did get the conversation going with enthusiasts and Yamaha executives. And a discourse is what was needed.
“The idea behind the concept was to create a statement piece linking our historical past with the iconic 1993 WaveBlaster, with our all-new EX series,” explained Yamaha Motor Australia’s, Mark Harman. “Yamaha’s personal watercraft have seen incremental evolutions accommodating the demand for features, equipment, stability, versatility and storage. This subsequently meant that the watercraft have grown in size to accommodate the shift towards rider demand.
“For 2017, Yamaha has put the ‘personal’ back in ‘personal watercraft’ with the introduction of the EX series. This new rec-lite series of WaveRunners are fun, playful and exciting. The EX pays homage to where it all started and shares key characteristics of the WaveBlaster of the 1990’s, whilst maintaining the versatility of rider demand with capacity for three riders, tow-sports, generous on-board storage and four-stroke efficiency from the award-winning TR-1 Marine Engine.”
Voices were adamant that the current EX was too big to be faithful to the ‘Blaster, as its 599-pound dry weight dwarfed the OG ‘Blaster’s 320-poundage. Equally, the EX was longer (10’3″ vs. 8′), wider (3’7″ vs. 2’11”) and taller (3’9″ vs. 3’) than its predecessor. So how could it possibly compare? The argument that the EX’s current output of 102-horsepower from TR-1 EX was in equal measurement to the prior ‘Blaster’s paltry 63-horsepower from the 701cc two-stroke, but that didn’t assuage enthusiasts. Only a true 1-seater would suffice.
This lead us to bridging the question to Yamaha WaveRunner’s Product Manager, Scott Watkins during The Watercraft Journal’s exclusive tour of the YMMC (Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation Of America) assembly plant. “We’ve talked about it, sure.” Watkins admitted. “But it’s gotta make sense for us to invest in building it.” Setting up the molds for a production run alone is literally a multi-million dollar endeavor, not to mention all that is required in development, testing, manufacturing and advertising.
Although unwilling to go “on record” with a hard number for minimum sales, other Yamaha employees have thrown around anywhere between 2,400-to-3,000 units annually for 3-to-5 years as a minimum investment in order to consider building any one unit. This figure is a contributing factor as to why we haven’t seen a 4-stroke SuperJet yet (although we know the prototype is near finalized and is slated for a 2020 release). Were a newly-minted ‘Blaster to materialize it wouldn’t be for 5 years or so.
Why so long? For a few reasons: Yamaha (as well as Sea-Doo for that matter) has a 7-8 year lifespan for all hull designs. The EX just appeared last year, and although beginning to reveal its laden potency (particularly when equipped with a RIVA Stage 1 kit, as we have tested before), the EX hull is not designed to have two feet of length cut from its center. Rather, it is very likely that a second-generation EX will be the guinea pig that permits for a full-sized, 3-seater and a reduced-length 1-seater. The 102-horsepower TR-1 EX will certainly remain as it is also slated for double-duty in the forthcoming 1-liter ’20 SuperJet.
And while it is all but guaranteed that any new ‘Blaster will overshadow its ancestor in nearly all imaginable dimensions and price (so don’t expect it to be identical to 1993), it will also be the only true one-seater in the marketplace – something which even Sea-Doo’s Spark has yet to offer (despite vociferous demand). Believe it or not, Yamaha wants to know if there’s the public demand that so many say that there is, so if you want Yamaha to build one, comment on this article below! Let them know.
There was quite a bit to celebrate at the most recent Miami International Boat Show; and personal watercraft was front and center for much of it. Yamaha Watercraft received two 2017 Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Awards from the NMMA. Based upon the overall satisfaction of customers of boat and engine manufacturers, Yamaha not only met but exceeded expectations, by either meeting or surpassing 90-percent in customer satisfaction surveys throughout the year.
Here’s the original press release:
Miami, FL – February 16, 2018 – Yamaha Watercraft was the recipient of two 2017 Marine Industry Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Awards for excellence in customer satisfaction, presented at the annual Industry Breakfast at the 2018 Miami International Boat Show. The Marine Industry CSI Awards honor boat and engine manufacturers who actively measure customer satisfaction and pursue continuous improvement to better serve their customers.
Award recipients achieved an independently-measured standard of excellence of 90 percent or higher in customer satisfaction over the past program year, based on information provided by customers purchasing a new boat or engine during the period between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017. Participating manufacturers must survey all new boat buyers during this period.
“Fostering a culture of excellence in customer satisfaction not only builds exceptional brand loyalty, but creates an outstanding boating experience, ensuring that today’s boater remains the boater of tomorrow, and promotes industry growth by developing boaters into lifestyle advocates,” notes Robert Newsome, vice president of engineering standards and membership for NMMA.
“This is a tremendous honor for Yamaha WaveRunners and Boats, but the recognition lies with our dealers, who work closely with our customers, day in and day out in their dealerships, to provide an amazing and memorable experience around our products,” said Yamaha Watercraft General Manager Bryan Seti. “We accept these awards on their behalf, and congratulate them on a phenomenal year.”
Stand-up racing requires a level of athleticism not typically found in the average PWC enthusiast. And to apply that skill to racing takes a whole new level of athlete. Then to place that race in the midst of rolling surf, and you’ve got yourself possibly the most challenging aquatic sport imaginable. Surf racing is nothing new, but it’s gone out of the public sphere over the past decade or so. Many cities make permits for such events absurdly costly, environmentalists howl at the visuals, and frankly, lesser athletes bemoan the arduous conditions; but the facts are still facts: surf racing is the most challenging environment in the PWC sport.
…And guess what? It’s coming back to Southern California! RPM Racing Enterprises’ own Ross Wallach has pulled off a miracle and announced recently that surf racing is coming to Orange County this coming April 14th and 15th in the first-annual Huntington Beach Moto Surf and TC Freeride Exhibition, or California State Surf Championship! Even with most of the details forthcoming, racers from across the nation are rearranging their travel schedule to include this one-time event that isn’t even part of Ross’ Region 1 “Best of The West” racing series!
This stand-alone event will entreat audiences to true surf racing and a freeride session featuring some of Southern California’s most talented riders. Vendors have already been vying for booth space and the expected turnout is believed to be significant. Add to that Huntington Beach is California’s very own “Surf City” and the previous home to the annual G-Shock Surfing Championships as well as countless other surfing contests, and racers are certain to have their hands full in the big rollers breaking in the shadow of the famous Huntington Beach Pier. More details are soon to be revealed at RPM Racing Enterprises’ website.
It’s pretty hard to argue with the math here. For the 8th time, BRP has taken home National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Innovation Award at the Miami International Boat Show. For 2018, Sea-Doo received the honor for its all-new GTX Limited 230 and 300 – and it’s easy to see why.
The new ST3-based GTX Limited is everything a long-hauling, adventuresome PWC enthusiast could possibly want (and so, so much more). The Watercraft Journal was one of the world’s first publications to ride and review the new GTX Limited and we’re thoroughly impressed. We look forward to enjoying more seat-time with the NMMA Innovation Award-winner in the coming weeks and months.
Here’s the entire press release:
Miami, FL, February 20, 2018 – BRP (TSX:DOO) won its record-setting eighth National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) Innovation Award at the 2018 Miami International Boat Show for its Sea-Doo GTX Limited. The award honors manufacturers who bring new and innovative products to the boating industry. The luxury flagship GTX Limited model redefines the premium personal watercraft with extended capabilities that enhance the rider experience.
“The Sea-Doo GTX Limited was the most innovative product we saw at Miami International Boat Show this year,” said judges committee Co-Chair Zuzana Prochazka. “The combination of easy access storage, rider ergonomics, and LinQ accessories make it the ultimate adventure watercraft.”
“Sea-Doo has a rich history of innovation in design, engineering and technology, which started 50 years ago when we introduced the world’s first personal watercraft,” said Marc R. Lacroix, Global Marketing Director for Sea-Doo and Ski-Doo at BRP. “We are honored to be recognized for our 8th NMMA Innovation Award. It is a testament to our unwavering commitment to producing industry-leading innovation that allow our customers to escape the everyday.”
The revolutionary new platform on the Sea-Doo GTX Limited delivers a premium on-board experience. Ground-breaking innovation is found throughout, including three industry firsts: a cargo compartment designed for easy access from a seated position, a waterproof Bluetooth audio system, and a reconfigurable rear seat. The GTX Limited also has industry-leading stability and control for the best experience both at speed and at rest.
For more information on the award-winning Sea-Doo GTX Limited and all of the models in the 2018 lineup, visit www.sea-doo.com and follow Sea-Doo on social media via facebook.com/seadoo and @BRPSeaDoo on Twitter and Instagram.
