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Norwegian Stian Scjhjetlein and Pre-Season Training

By
Ocean Priselac
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Aquabike reported this story about professional jet skier, Stian Schjetlein, who is 25 and making a big name for himself all over the world while working hard to stay in top form. According to one his quotes, he is a fanatic when it comes to training, “For my off season and pre-season training I have been doing all kinds of stuff. I have been doing a lot of downhill alpine and telemark skiing, rock climbing, playing squash, basketball and tennis, as well as doing several other sports,” he said. “In addition to the huge variety of sports and activities I have been following a strict program from Olympiatoppen including strength, mobility and motor skills training.”

The Olympiatoppen is part of the Norwegian and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of sports. Schjetlein was a awarded a scholarship with Olympiatoppen and he was only the fifth motorsports athlete to receive the award. He views it as a huge honor and is very proud of his achievement. The organizations’ goal is to help the best become better and that is exactly what Schjetlein is striving for.

He began this season with a six day, twenty-six session boot camp in Spain with the rest of the Norwegian Motorsports Federation (NMF). Schjetlein continued his training with SAS Racing’s yearly pre-season camp on Lake Havasu during the month of February and has quite a big year planned. He has entered competitions all over the world and is also the head coach for Team Norway Junior Aquabike. The team consists of ten young riders ranging from ages 13-14 who train every week and also during the off season. He helps develop them into top aquabike riders.

As far as his 2017 season goes, look for him in a wildly colored Jettribe wetsuit and some new graphics on his ski. Schjetlein will continue to ride a ProForce Kawasaki ZXI 1100, however this pwc will be upgraded with new parts from Blowsion and Christopher Girello from Go Fast will be onboard as the new mechanic. He is the man who built the original engines when Schjetlein first began riding the Pro Force Kawasaki’s. Expect big things from the Norwegian this season!

Gallery: Bud Light Jet Jam Tour – Lake Havasu, AZ

By
Kevin Shaw
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The Watercraft Journal was pleased to welcome Robert Sands, Race Director for the 2017 Bud Light Jet Jam Tour, who provided us this first-person recap of the inaugural race of the season:

Saturday Morning came fast as we started a little behind schedule, but once we started the races they ran flawlessly with only one short delay (a bouy losing the battle against a runabout). After the National Anthem was sung beautifully by Breanne Eisner from Southern California, we were ready to go racing!

The Junior Stars 13-15 Stock were up first and they opened the series with a great race for all the spectators that gathered at Lake Havasu Rotary Park. Theo Beaumer took the overall win for the day, followed by Tallon Chambers and Reese Maricich. Another first was for the new Kawasaki SX-R 1500 stand up! They sure looked great out there on the race course during the Pro-Am Ski classes and have a good future in watercraft racing! Rounding the top three were Mike Klippenstein, Kurt Samuels and AJ Luinstra.

The largest class for the day was Amateur Ski Lites. Again, Theo Beaumer with the top honors followed by Guy Vinatieri and Preston Matzdorff. Vintage Class and Vintage X2 is always a treat to watch as that is where it all began over 30 years ago! Junior Ski 10-12 Stock was the highlight for me as these Junior Stars are our future and wow, can they race! First-time racer Julien Beaumer finsihed first with Revin Harris close behind in second and Haden Skellett taking the third spot on the podium!

Other classes that Jet Jam offers is Pro-Am Veteran Ski GP, Master Ski Stock, Novice Ski Stock, Amateur Ski GP, Pro-am Women Ski Mod Limited, Novice R/A Stock, Runabout NA, and Pro-Am R/A Stock, Runabout Rec Lites, Runabout GP, Amateur R/A 800 Limited, Sport Spec, Novice Ski Mod Limited, Pro-Am Ski Lites and Amateur Freestyle!

Racer’s asked for laps and Jet Jam delivered! From 6-to-12 laps per moto, 2 motos per day depending on the class and level of racer, on a large technical course with split courses. Good sweeping turns for passing for some exciting racing!

Sunday was a cool brisk morning. The riders’ meeting was done and practice for the second day of Bud Light Jet Jam Tour was on. The whistle blew for the start of yet another day of family, friends and fun Racing. Once again the Junior Ski 13-15 Stock was first up and taking the win for the day with a first, and first was Tallon Chambers, with Brady Courson in second and Reese Maricich third. Junior Ski 10-12 Stock once again was the race to watch with these kids dicing back and forth and keeping everyone on their toes! Revin Harris made it to the checker flag first followed by Jake Pearce and Haden Skellett.

Sunday the Pro-Am Women Ski Mod Limited was a great race as well with Carla Hunt with a 2-1 and Bibi Carmouche 1-2 and Shannon Brooks right behind in third. Master Ski GP was fast and Mitch Durica with top honors followed by Steve Fitzen and Brain Edwards. On both days during the break between motos we had Kelsey Albert and Keith Jacques give us an old school/new school freestyle show that was a treat! So after four motos and two days of racing we had Brock Austin finishing first with Mike Klippenstien in second, Ian Roberts third and Pete Zernick fourth in the cash payout!

With all that said, Race #9 was a very interesting as young 13-year-old Tallon Chambers was in his first race against other classes a lot older than him as we combined the classes (with parents’ approval), we had 11 Limited Stand ups all fired up! After the start and they ran around the split course start Tallon Chambers comes out first with the holeshot! He ended besting the entire field of 11 riders and lapping a few along the way! That’s the kind of racing we all love to see!

All photography provided by Bob Metheney; original, unedited versions can be purchased at www.jetskiracephotos.com.

Win Big At The 2017 Blowsion Northeast John Dady Memorial PWC Rally

By
Andrew Kermin
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That is right, here is your chance to win four jet skis and support a great cause. Read on for the lowdown and scoop on what you need to do to enter. Come on out for a good cause!

The annual Jetfest 2017 will be renamed the “2017 Blowsion Northeast John Dady Memorial PWC Rally.” The rally will be hosted by the Adirondack Jetski Club (AJC) an American Watercraft Association (AWA) official charter club. The event is in honor of the unexpected passing of John Dady. John was the owner and creator of Blowsion. His contributions to the industry will never go unrecognized as he has done so much for the watercraft community. Please come to support John’s beneficiaries and also the chance to win four unknown personal watercraft. (More information on this later to come)

To order your tickets for a chance to win one of these four skis and to support a great cause check out www.adkjetskiclub.org to purchase individual numbered memorial decals for $20.00. Online ticket sales will take place January 1, 2017 through June 1, 2017. You can also purchase the memorial decals on site the day of the rally as well. Winners need not be present to win but will be responsible for shipping cost.

The rally will take place in Mayfield, NY on the waters of the Great Sacandaga Lake June 17, 2017. All forms of skis are welcome, from stand ups to musclecraft cruisers. Run what you brung. Even if you don’t have a ski, it is broke, or your build isn’t complete yet, this is no reason to not join in on the fun. Come hang out on the Northampton Beach Campground where you will find vendors, food, entertainment, and of course awesome tricked out skis. This is a chance to ride with friends and family, where new friendship can be formed as well.

For more information on this event you can visit www.adkjtskiclub.org or check out the John Dady Memorial PWC Rally page on Facebook. Stay tuned here at the Watercraft Journal for more information on these four unveiled skis that will be raffled off.

2017 Racing Kicks Off With The Gary Hart Memorial This Weekend

By
Blake Ellestad
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The 2017 west coast race season kicks off this weekend in Lake Havasu, Arizona with the Gary Hart Memorial. This will be a great event as RPM Racing will be the event coordinator and they have proven that they can give the fans what they want to see. This will be the start to an extremely busy but exciting year of racing.

The events start Friday, April 7th with rider check in and registration. This will be open from 12-6 so make sure to swing by early to get their in time. Saturday is the big day because at 6:45am there will be a safety inspection of your equipment and your craft. There will also be time if you were not able to register. This will go until 8am as there will be a mandatory riders meeting that every rider MUST attend in order to race.

Concluding the meeting, there will be 45 minutes of closed course racing practice to warm up and dial in any last minute adjustments. The qualifying rounds will start at 9:30am and will go to 1pm. Then the freestyle portion of this event starts right after. But will only be for about half an hour. Then the final rounds for racing will begin and will go to 5pm. Sundays events will be the same in the morning but will hold races from 8:45am-2pm.  Following there will be a flyboard and freestyle competition then the racing awards ceremony.

These events take hours and hours of planning and do cost a lot of money so a huge shoutout goes to all of the companies who have stepped up and sponsored this event. The sponsors are Jettrim, JetLift, Hydro-Turf, Jet Renu, Hot Products, ProWatercraft Racing, Skat-Trak, Bomber Eyewear, C57 Racing Products, Oakley, Kawasaki, IPD Graphics, Works H2O Designs, JC Racing, 3D Design Concepts, ProRider Magazine

Entry Form: 2017 Jettribe Lake Havasu Open Entry Form This will be a great weekend that will be jam packed from dawn till dusk. If you are unable to make the event, there will be a livestream here www.surfrat.tv. For more information about camping, directions and anything else, check out the full schedule and information listed on the IJSBA website.

Video: Un-launchable Launch Ramp

By
Blake Ellestad
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There are many things that go into a personal watercraft: parts, special components, and electronics. While we get frustrated when our watercraft won’t start, one of the many overlooked things that goes into riding is launching your craft. We see pictures and hear of stories of the infamous novice riders who take up multiple lanes at the launch in hopes that they can get their craft into the water. The constant up and down while others are waiting to launch can be a little frustrating. We admit that it can be hard as it is something most people do not regularly do.

Some launch ramps are maintained and nicely paved while other ones are in poor conditions. No matter where you launch, it can still be difficult. In this video below you will see four guys attempt to launch their Yamaha WaveRunner in what appears to be a non launchable boat launch. But after a little thinking they came up with the grand idea of letting the trailer down to the water with a rope attach from the trailer hitch to the trailer. While the video does not show the trailer being pulled back up to the tow vehicle, we can only imagine how that went.

It is truly amazing to see what people in our sport come up with, it allows for others to start brainstorming and come up with their own ideas. While we do not recommend this as a great way to launch and load your watercraft, if you don’t have any other option, this could very well work.

Don’t Miss This Weekend’s 2017 Tigercraft WaveDaze Freeride

By
Blake Ellestad
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Many of you have probably heard or seen the news about the 2017 WaveDaze Freeride going on this weekend, April 7th-9th. This freeride will be at beautiful Virginia Beach and will showcase some of the best free riders know in this sport. Tigercraft has stepped it up this year and is the Title Sponsor. While this freerides main focus is the riders and how they ride, there is a jam packed schedule for the three day event.

Specials thanks goes out to Peabody’s Nightclub, South Jersey Freeriders and JetManiac as they will kick the event off Thursday, April 6th with a huge party. Good, drinks, free shuttle and a ‘80s cover band The Deloreans. This will be a great start to a eventful weekend.

Now comes the riding portion of the weekend. Hopefully everyone gets enough rest as they will be able to start practice at 9am. There will be a six-block-long freeriding zone that will allow for all riders to ride the challenging Virginia Beach surf.

Riders will wan a the practice they can get as there is more than $3,000 in prize money and guarantee on your money back for those who qualify through tenth place. Saturday will be the best day as there will be the Wicked Tricks competition that will leave the fans shocked and the riders wanted to up the competition. Be sure you have enough memory on your camera as there will be a ton of tricks you will want to capture.

Sunday will be a non-competition day that will have the freeride zone open and be a great day to have fun. Many of the riders will be sore and tired but there will still be some crazy tricks being pulled. Benefits from this years event will go directly to Spike’s K-9 Fund. This fund helps dogs that are working to provide them will the health and care they need during their service and after. The dog that will benefit from this years proceeds will be at the event with his owner and will showcase a K-9 bullet-proof vest.

Leaked Images & Info Confirms 83MPH Belassi B3R Renamed “Burrasca” (Video)

By
Kevin Shaw
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We weren’t terribly surprised when Belassi failed to meet the advertised “full media reveal” of its watercraft lineup yesterday, April 4th. Instead, the Dealer Meeting that was held in Belassi’s Linz, Austria headquarters welcomed representatives from across Europe to tour the facility, be present for a full presentation and personally look over the brand’s soon-to-be-released super-runabout. And although guests were sworn to secrecy regarding the information shared, several individuals have chosen to forgo any non-disclosure agreements and leak out more info and snapshots of the new machine than Belassi would have liked.

What has been leaked is nothing short of impressive. The new runabout – rechristened “Burrasca” (meaning “storm at sea” or more appropriately, “squall” in Italian) from its previous “B3R” moniker – makes extensive use of high end materials, most notably boasting high quality carbon fiber parts made by the same factory employed by Lamborghini for the same purposes. The brake/reverse bucket, rear passenger grab rail, forward and rear fairings, and several items reveal carbon fiber being used throughout – both inside and outside. This only lends itself further to the company’s ambition of making a supercar-inspired PWC.

The cockpit is equally as tantalizing, with a surprisingly narrow saddle, pinched heavily at the knees and only flairing out before the very deeply-scalloped driver’s seat. Despite the size (the Burrasca is said to be slightly longer than the Sea-Doo RXP-X’s 130.6-inches), the bench very clearly is intended for a maximum of two riders. The high definition, all-digital dashboard display is believed to feature GPS navigation, as well as superior engine and real-time performance tracking. In addition to a digitally-controlled brake and reverse system, the Burrasca was said to also include electronic trim tabs only adding to its race-readiness.

Beneath the seat is a turbocharged 1.6-liter 3-cylinder four-stroke powerplant pressing out an impressive 333-horsepower. Although unchanged since its first reveal while under the “B3R” nameplate, the turbo and the plumbing arrangement has undergone several revisions after hours of extensive testing by prototype pilot, Hungarian György Kasza. The exhaust is notably plumbed through a quartet of polished exhaust tips, which may or may not survive into full production. Those in attendance at the dealer demonstration were entreated to a display of the Burrasca’s abilities. The ski’s narrow seat and deep footwells provided the rider an optimal position and superior control of the craft.

Yet, beyond the machine’s ability to remain solidly planted in waves or chop, was the blistering top speed. From the factory, Belassi is adamant to offer the public a 72-knot, or 83mph capable craft directly from the factory. And even at those speeds, reports are that the Burrasca remains firmly planted and free of cavitation no matter the speed. Free of USCG (United States Coast Guard) regulations, Belassi is able to offer a completely untethered machine. Whether a speed-capped Burrasca will ever see the light of day in America remains a totally different subject.

Nevertheless, it is understood that Belassi will conduct a worldwide launch now in late April, with an expectation of production units arriving on showroom floors in early May. Obviously, something of this magnitude is certain to turn quite a few heads, both on and off of the race course (We’ve been told that Kasza himself will be racing a Burrasca in Pro Stock Runabout classes, reserving his turbocharged Sea-Doo for the Open and GP classes), and it will be exciting to see what becomes of this machine. Both the UIM and IJSBA has approved the model as per Belassi. Priced at €35,000 Euro (or $37,325), it is unabashedly priced for supercar status as well.

Additional images taken from the Nautica Promarina Facebook page.

Video: Cycle Springs Powersports Offers Yamaha FX JL Audio SlamPak Sound System

By
Kevin Shaw
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It’s been a few years coming, but Yamaha enthusiasts were bouncing off of the walls to learn that the JL Audio SlamPak – designed specifically for Yamaha FX WaveRunners – system delivers a powerful audio option never before seen on a WaveRunner before. The sound delivered by this system “is sure to transform your WaveRunner into a serious music machine,” and simply adding more fun and enjoyment to your riding experience.

Available through Cycle Springs Powersports, the JL Audio SlamPac System for Yamaha FX WaveRunners was designed with only Yamaha FX WaveRunners in mind, so the system will fit as if it came from the factory so equipped. The kit includes a pair of waterproof VeX speaker pods housing two high-performance 6.5″ marine-grade coaxial speakers delivering loud, clean audio. Neatly tucked away, is a custom-formed Stealthbox subwoofer system, and a compact, 500 watt, 4-channel amplifier to power the entire system.

And because having your new Yamaha JL Audio SlamPak package installed at Cycle Springs Powersports, you’re guaranteed a beautifully flawless installation and the promise that it will be done right. Check out the video below for more information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N-ov9KH29g&feature=share

Register to Enter The European Freestyle Championship

By
Ocean Priselac
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According to this announcement, registration is open for Round 1 of the 2017 P1 Racing Fuels European Freestyle Championships! This is even is sanctioned by the IJSBA and the Freestyle Personal Watercraft Association is stoked to let everyone know.

Competitors can find registration forms here on the European PWC Freestyle site, where more information pertaining to the event and other European PWC contests may be found.
Round 1 will take place in So’Fun Village (Villeneuve La Guyard), France on Saturday May 20, 2017. The event is in its 6th season of the freestyle only tour in Europe. The organizers have even added a new class for this year; Beginner Freestyle Open, which was a highly successful class in the USA last year.

They hope the Beginner Class encourages new riders to enter and become part of competitive freestyle skiing. The competitors in this particular class are allowed to compete on OEM or aftermarket hulls and the stipulations are that the riders cannot have previously had any podium finishes nor competed in World Finals.

The 2017 competition class are as listed below:

  • Freestyle Beginner Open
  • Freestyle 800
  • Freestyle 900
  • Freestyle 1200
  • Best Trick Freestyle Beginner Open
  • Best Trick 800
  • Best Trick 900
  • Best Trick 1200

The event is sponsored by P1 Racing Fuels, Hydro-Turf, Jet Lift, Eric Malone Enterprises, Skat-Trak, Thrust Innovations, Hot Products, Rickter RRP, DASA, Full Spectrum, and ProRider Watercraft Magazine. The organizers hope to see you in France!

Gallery: Get Up, Stand Up On The Jetsurf Board

By
Pavlina Williams
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We were lucky to spend some time with Gary Day who let us know about his experience owning a Jetsurf:

If the saying is true, he who dies with the most toys wins, then I’m ready to claim the prize as I have discovered the ultimate toy, the Jetsurf. Sure, spellcheck might not recognize the word yet, but it’s just a matter of time before we have all heard its name. And as a water sport junkie, I thought that at my ripe old age of 45, I had seen it all, rode it all, and got the t-shirt to boot! But then along came the Jetsurf. The Jetsurf feels like a combination of a jet ski and a snowboard. And with a 90cc engine, the Jetsurf can catapult your surfing/lake riding experience to new heights!

I purchased the Race model with the 90cc engine in February of 2017 from Jetsurf Factory in Miami, Florida, and have taken it out for hardcore ski sessions on about 12 different occasions; one of the benefits of living in the Sunshine State of Florida is being able to ski in February!

I took it out on a few local lakes where the conditions were glassy, which made it ideal for getting up on the board. It made for an easier ride, and allowed for better carving. Throttle control is by far the most important element to getting up and riding with grace. Within a couple days of riding, I had gotten into my own rhythm of standing and throttling to make the launch a smooth process. I highly recommend wearing a life vest with the buckles on the side so you don’t scratch up your shinny new toy. The biggest difference I found was that on a jetsurf you use so much more of your body to lean into a turn which makes it feel like snowboarding. Yet after roughly two days on the water, it felt natural to me.

In my experience, if you had to start off in the middle of the lake, you have to get up on the board from a surfing position. However, the area between the foot bindings is a bit slick so I added Hydro-Turf traction mat, which definitely helps for when you’re in choppy conditions. The hand throttle was made of hard plastic and so I wrapped bright orange Hydro-Turf around it as well, which softened it up and also made it stand out when it’s floating off the side of the board.

 

Within days, my thrill-seeking nature had me trying to jump boat wakes on the lake. The horsepower is enough to launch you a good distance off the water. This of course, begged the question: how would this puppy handle on the rough waves of the ocean? So off I went! I have taken the Jetsurf to Daytona Beach twice. The first day was slightly choppy conditions making the initial standing and launching a bit more difficult. The second day was ideal. Smooth and glassy with 4-to-6 foot waves. This was by far my best experience thus far on the Jetsurf.

Unlike surfing where you are limited to the wave you rode, the Jetsurf allows you to push your way down a wave and cruise back around to catch the next wave, all without stopping. The only thing I may add or change to the Jetsurf is a quicker ignition (the current ignition starts in five seconds after you insert magnetic plug) for when you’re down and waves are coming at you quick. Jetsurfing in the surf is NOT for beginners. You definitely need to get a good feel for the machine before attempting the pinnacle of rides at the beach.

One of the best aspects of the Jetsurf is its portability. It is heads above the most portable watercraft I have ever owned. I used to think my hitch hauler was convenient for my standup jetski, but the Jetsurf has it beat. It comes in a backpack. The board slides right into my Jeep. And with my standup, I have to bring a beach dolly/cart, an item I can now happily leave at home as I Jetsurf the beach waves. The Jetsurf also comes with its own stand; a tripod of sorts, that is lightweight and folds up for very easy storage when not in use.

As for fuel, you don’t use even half of what is used with a jet ski. The Jetsurf only has a ¾-gallon tank. The only downside I see is that the oil needed for the Jetsurf is the fully synthetic 2-cycle type, which is close to triple the cost of the oil I use in my jet ski. A small price to pay for the savings you get on fuel.

I have 25 years of experience riding jet skis, surfing, snowboarding, you name it! I love doing radical and daring tricks on my standup ski. However, if you get a Jetsurf, I can tell you this: you will be the envy of all watercraft enthusiasts! Every single day I have taken my Jetsurf on a lake, someone always stops me to ask what this cool thing is that I’m riding. I became the local attraction both days I went to the beach, causing crowds to stand around watching this strange new vehicle they saw whizzing around in the surf culminating in Beach Patrol spending an hour intriguingly asking me about my uniquely different toy!

I think the Jetsurf is a great combination of all the toys I love, it is a thrill to ride, and it is so easy to transport and maintain. In my opinion, the Jetsurf is ideal for any jet skier who also enjoys either surfing or snowboarding. And at just $10,000, many enthusiast can afford to add this to their toy collection! If you’re a watercraft thrill seeker like me, I would highly recommend picking one up at Jetsurf Factory!

All photography courtesy of PaviPix

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