It was a weekend of upsets for those following the 19th annual Karujet Offshore Championships held once again off of the island nation of Guadalupe in the southern Caribbean Sea. A grueling marathon of six races over brutal open seas and battering ocean chop stretched over a week’s time, the Karujet is the ultimate (and longest continual) offshore event that presses racers and their equipment to the utmost. The championship has remained almost exclusively the property of local racers who cut their teeth in unforgiving conditions, with the occasional outsider snatching the title now and again.
Likewise, so has the tradition remained for the choice of craft. Since its introduction in 2007 and throughout its continual iterations until today’s Ultra 310X, Kawasaki’s Ultra has remained the watercraft of choice to sluice through the seafoam and breaking surf. Yet, all traditions were thrown out during this year’s Karujet; not only were the winning racers, Teddy Pons in GP1 Pro Runabout, and Cyril Lemoine in GP3 Runabout both from France, but their choice of craft – both riding Yamaha WaveRunner FX models – effectively overthrew years of conventional wisdom.
For Pons, this marks his second Karujet championship. He bested a full field of both international and local seasoned offshore racers starting the final day with a solid six minute lead over the field. Although Pons came in 4th place in both of the final day’s stages, his consistency pushed Pons into the top spot over Yann Ponama and Pascal Gounouman. Lemoine’s ascent to the top of GP3 class was seamless, as he extended his already sizeable lead made no mistakes in his quest for the GP3 Karujet title extending his overall lead to an incredible 44 minutes Vincent Thomas and Didier Merles Des Iles coming in second and third, respectively.
Americans Chris MacClugage and Eric Francis came to battle as well, with Macc winning the first day’s racing in GP3 class but fell short of the podium the rest of the week. The news came as an upset to many who banked on the rough sea state to hand the advantage over to Kawasaki, but the multi-faceted hull design and reliability of the FX models raced (Pons’ a supercharged SVHO and a naturally-aspirated FX HO for Lemoine) proved the craft’s potency as a versatile and sturdy machine even in the roughest test of man and machine in this sport.
OZPWC reports that Glenn and Lorraine Keating finally received approval to leave Sydney Harbour so Jetski Fishing is throwing a big farewell party for the Keatings. Jetski Fishing is a leading provider of all things fishing when it comes to equipping your ski with all the necessary fishing gear.
The company hosts numerous events throughout the season and the sendoff party for the Keatings is the first of many. The gathering is not only a going away party for the Keating’s, it is also a fundraiser for Cancer Council Australia.
The event takes place April 1, 2016. Jetski Fishing asks people to join them at 6pm for a BBQ that is taking place at Woy Woy Boat Ramp. The BBQ is being held in true Australian style which means that Bacon and Egg Rolls will be served. Bring yourself and a donation. Jetski Fishing asks that you RSVP through HERE or on the their Facebook page.
The pair is leaving Sydney Harbour on their jet skis to raise money for the Cancer Council with the drive and intention of setting a new world record for circumnavigating Australia by personal watercraft. The couple named their adventure; “Terra Australis-Grit by the Sea.” Anyone with an interest in the Keatings’ travels can follow along on their website where they will keep us updated with photos and blogs in regards to their huge undertaking. It should be quite an adventure and well worth following.
This past March 9th to 13th in 2016, the Motorboat China Open was held in Dameisha, Shenzhen, China. Organized by the Chinese Motorboat Association (CMA), Culture and Sports Administration of Yantian District, Shenzhen Municipality, Shenzhen Xblueme Sports and Culture Development Co., Ltd., and Nanning Jetski Sport Culture Co., Ltd., in association with the Tianhaifeng Water Sports Club and Dameisha International Water Sports Center, this was the first of its kind, with organizers expecting more than 200 top riders from over 30 countries worldwide to participate in the event.
Held at Da Mei Sha Hai Bin Gong Yuan, one of the most popular beaches in China, the tourist destination is located about one and a half hours by car from the Shenzhen Airport. Marked by an impressively huge humanoid monument, Da Mei Sha Hai Bin Gong Yuan is located just across the road from the official host hotel making it an excellent location for the race. Nearby there is also an outlet shopping center, which has been very instrumental in growing the town in recent years. Although efforts were made to welcome a larger gathering of racers, only 12 classes hosted several dozen racers from across the globe.
Thankfully, many world-leading names were present to show their support for the event like Chris MacClugage, Phil Pope, Christian D’Agostin, Gyorgy Kasza, Brock Austin, Rick Sherker, Brandon Lawlor, and even IJSBA President Scott Frazier. Unfortunately, despite the star power present, bad weather plagued the race week. Rain and wind, and cold temperatures were interspersed with gusts of wind from time to time, event knocking the tents over. All of this played havoc with the starting position, as big swells broke on the beach.
Because of the rough seas and bad weather, the race did not proceed on schedule as officials needed to change the starting method three times: first, racers had to wait while idling, then change to starting with the signal from the official, to finally needing to stand beside their skis as usual, and await the signal of the flag. For the runabouts, a rolling start was divided into three rows, four in the first column, four in the second column – an irregular system for sure, of nine lined up in the third column.
The consistent changes, unfamiliar starting methods and inexperience of the course marshals made absolutely progress slow with each delayed start. Because of this, the delay of progression and bad weather, the number of laps of each the heat was reduced. Racers noted that the closed course was very large, with a back and the home straight so long that many worried that their engines would blow. Likewise, the limited fuel tank capacity of the GP class required a reduction down to seven laps.
In addition to the closed course and freestyle jet ski heats in the event, rubber dinghy competitions and flyboard competition was carried out, with a demonstration of the jet surf as well. In addition to the China Yamaha distributor, local camper and fast-growing drone industry company, DJI companies being on display in the paddock, hundreds of tourists came by bus to visit in light of the bad weather. The Chinese tourists were not deterred by the bad weather, watching the tournament from beneath umbrellas.
In fact, the novelty of the event brought local amateur photographers eager to capture the scene. Sadly, had weather permitted the event would have allowed for longer races, faster starts and better riding conditions. Many racers voiced dissatisfaction with the progress, but seeing that this was the first time that such an event had occurred in China, it was to be expected. And given the population of China, there is a possibility that the top riders will appear in the future. Organizers are looking to target Thailand’s King’s Cup, as both popular and government interest grows. The association is planning to continue holding more events, so it is expected to be improved little by little. Keep an eye out for the China in the future.
Racing can be ridiculously expensive, particularly if you’re doing it as a hobby and can’t dedicate the hours necessary to procure sufficient sponsorship to cover the costs of building a craft, purchasing riding gear, traveling from race to race, and of course, entry fees. And if you think being the racer is expensive, try hosting a race! There’s permits, staffing, renting the venue and of course, the prizes for the racers who compete. Racing ain’t cheap from any angle, so that’s why we completely understand what the guys at Team Lugs Racing are doing:
Recently announced on the Team Lugs Facebook page, the Midwest PWC racing team is hosting a “Race Raffle” to raise funds for cash prizes for the Nebraska Championship series. But the big “get” is that the winner of this raffle will walk home with a brand new ’16 Sea-Doo Spark outfitted with an impressive list of go-fast goodies including a Pro-Series Sponson kit from RIVA Racing, a new premium seat cover from Hydro-Turf and a cool E-85 performance tune from V-Tech Tuned. To learn how you can score this Spark, read the full press release:
The Nebraska Championship Fremont Lakes, NE 9-10th July 2016 the premier Midwest personal watercraft racing series for more information about the race go to www.nautiwaterracing.com
In order to promote the Nebraska Championship races and raise funds for its cash prizes, Team Lugs Racing is conducting a Race Raffle. “Like” Team Lugs Facebook Pagefor raffle and race updates.
The raffle is for a 2016 Sea-doo Spark Personal Watercraft. This is not your normal factory Sea-doo. Thank you to our sponsors for their generous donations in performance parts. It’s no surprise Nebraskans like their corn, VTECHTUNED.COM has provided us with a E-85 performance tune increasing both performance (+60 hp) and acceleration. To help handle the increased performance Riva Racing donated a pro-series sponson kit. To finish off the Spark, Hydro-turf helped out with a brand new premium seat cover.
Entry in to the raffle is available only to persons over the age of 19. You may be asked at any stage to provide Team Lugs with proof of age and /or identity.
The Spark is on display at Leisure Life Sports located at 9004 s.145th, Omaha, NE 68138. We will also bring the Spark to both of the Kansas Nautiwater racing events for display and on-site ticket sales.
The price for a ticket is $20. We will offer a couple of multiple ticket discounts. Buy 3 tickets for $50 which saves you $10 or buy 5 tickets and get one free. Tickets are only sold online thru this website or in person by Team Lugs personnel. All in person tickets will be entered into Raffle Creator database. If you don’t feel comfortable entering your information online then contact Team Lugs for cash purchases. Profits from this raffle will be donated to a charity chosen by Team Lugs for the purpose of community betterment.
The drawing and winner announcement will be held on July 9th at 1pm at The Nebraska Championship announcer podium. The winner will also be announced on Team Lugs Facebook Page. The winner does not have to be present to win but must arrange their own transport if they resided outside of the Omaha area. The Winner is responsible for the payment of all tax, title fees, license fees, insurance requirements and other charges as may be required under any law, ordinance, statute, regulation or otherwise. The decision is final with respect to all matters relating to awarding of the prize and shall not be subject to review or appeal by any entrant or by any third party. TEAM LUGS reserves the right, at any time, to cancel, modify or suspend the Raffle if, in its sole judgment, the Raffle is not capable of being conducted as specified.
Do you remember your first time? The sleepless night before, the nerves as you got dressed, the butterflies in your stomach as you get in the car, the sweaty palms as you paid your money, and the excitement as you put your helmet on? This is what 20 of our local riders went through on the weekend lining up for their first race. It was so good to see so many new faces at last weekend’s QPWC Tropical Heat Tour event at Redcliffe in Queensland.
It was a big turnout for the first club round of the year. A record attendance of 63 entries turned up on Sunday to go into battle. With the weather looking a bit ominous, I was surprised at how many people actually showed up. But the weather cleared just long enough for us to get some good races in.
So the weekend’s event format ranged from Beginners Runabout and Vintage Ski to combined Stand Up (a mix of Stock and Open), Spark and Stock/Open Runabout. Starting with Vintage Ski, these beautifully turned out old 550s are hard to get your eyes off. With their awesome paint jobs and fluorescent ride gear, it takes me back to a day when Kawasaki was king.
Tim Ryan has been involved in jet skiing since back then and turns out some awesome retro 550’s. The skis are like new, which is hard to do with parts so hard to come by. Not only does he build the skis but he also races them. And when he’s not racing 550s, Tim’s on his SuperJet freeriding on the Gold Coast or helping Marshall free ride events.
It takes a lot of people to get events off the ground in Australia; the powers that be make it rather difficult. Everything from permits for the carparks to permits for the beach, even marine life has to be taken into account (as well as other beach goers). Not to forget all the sponsors that have to be organized and represented – without them none of these events could happen would happen. So many people spend their free time, not just at the event but preparation for the event. So make sure next time you’re down there, let them know you appreciate it.
Now getting back to the racing. The day started off with the ski classes, a mixture of Stock and Lites. With rough conditions on the Bay it was a bumpy ol’ ride. Guy Greenland took the lead on the second lap and it was a game of stamina for the six laps of the course. On his Stock Ski he did well to hold off the other Lites to finish first.
With a massive effort, he jumped from his SuperJet straight onto his FZR, which was being held at the start, lined up against Mitch Wyat from Yamaha and Frank Waite from JSW Racing. The boys had a great race in tough conditions, but Yamahas came out on top for the first round with Guy taking back-to-back motos. A close second from Wayt, who had mechanical issues all day, and third went to Waite his 300hp Sea-Doo.
A great field of Sparks (the biggest Spark Class to date with ten entries) attended the event showing this class has a great future. Matt Daley looked the part with his beautifully turned out WSM Spark. Plenty of action was out out the water in the chop, with the lightweight skis bouncing around like the old ‘Blaster days.
Always a crowd-pleaser is the Open Runabout class. Those things are awesome. The sound, speed and spectacle keeps the crowd on their feet. One boat to watch was the #23 RXT-X of Brendan Boyd, “the Hulk” with consistent fastest lap times, he would be hard to beat. Also Matt Brunt seemed to have his ski sorted out after a unlucky last season. Hopefully, he can make it a regular thing this year, as he took out third place overall for the weekend. Just in front was Brendan Boyd. But the man of the day was Brett Douglas with a spot on the podium in each race gave him enough points to take out the day.
It was great to see a record 19 first-time racers show up for the Beginner Class, being split into two heats and to let the boys get some confidence on the course. I had a chat with Tim O’Neill, the event organizer to get his thoughts on the weekend: “The focus for the QPWC is on attracting entry level riders so the Beginners were heavily catered for with additional site laps, on-the-beach tuition and more than a few trips to the Race Director. Beginner RA was split into two separate races (A and B) to lower the numbers on the line for added safety.
“Although the large runabouts made up the bulk of the classes, the Sport/Spark class is one of the fastest growing classes as it is affordable fun and safe. Stand-up numbers also continue to grow. Obviously, Guy Greenland made a strong showing and almost would have won everything he entered if lack of fuel in the Enduro didn’t cause him to pull out after leading all but the last three laps.
“Open Runabout was hotly contested with Brett Douglas, the relative newcomer beating Brendon Boyd the incumbent QPWC RA Open champion, on the day. With the two rounds results combined for the overall it sets up a close battle at the final round with two points separating first and second places.
“In almost identical circumstances in the second Premier class, 2 points are all the separates the current Australian champion Mitch Wayt and Guy Greenland in Pro RA Stock Spec which will also lead to a battle at the final round in April.”
QPWC Tropical Heat Tour, Round 1 Stand Up: 1 Jordi Okeeffe, 2 Guy Greenland, 3 Thaine Okeeffe, 4 Jason Barrett, 5 Clyde Grant, 6 Brandon Harwood, 7 Rob White, 8 Warrick Brant; Open R/A: 1 Brett Douglas, 2 Brendon Boyd, 3 Matt Brunt, 4 Dan Fox, 5 Mitch Wayt; Sport/Spark: 1 Joel Batt, 2 Matt Daley, 3 Luke Hudson, 4 Parenga Haenga, 5 Brenden Mandzij, 6 Joshua Berry, 7 Bailey Cunningham, 8 Joshua Leckie; Beginner R/A B Class: 1 Paul Rubach, 2 Ryan Sponsellor, 3 Jason Ivins, 4 Paul Bazely; Enduro: 1 Brett Douglas, 2 Mitch Casey, 3 Daryl Bone, 4 Guy Greenland, 5 Paul Rubach, 6 Nick Pilgrim; Pro R/A Stock Spec: 1 Guy Greenland, 2 Mitch Wayt, 3 Frank Waite, 4 John Hollett; Expert R/A Stock Spec: 1 Nicholas Pilgrim, 2 James Rice, 3 David Knott, 4 Sam Barratt, 5 Corey Styles, 6 Darryl Bone; Beginner R/A A Class: 1 Sebastian Birch, 2 Bailey Cunningham, 3 Mitchel Casey, 4 John Raboud, 5 Mitch Pullen, 6 Brett Whittaker, 7 Anthony Batron
In the personal watercraft industry, Short Block Technologies, Incorporated (ie. SBT, Inc.) in conjunction with Watercraft Superstore is the largest supplier of aftermarket and OEM personal watercraft parts in the world! From the newest addition of Marine Mat, to Watercraft Superstore, Blacktip Jetsports and the company that started it all SBT, Greg Pickren’s family of PWC businesses have been servicing the needs of the jet ski world for almost two decades.
Pickren and SBT have a secret weapon; in their arsenal they own one of the only engine dynamometers among the litany of personal watercraft parts manufacturers out there. This (not-so-secret anymore) weapon has helped to make them the number one supplier of aftermarket personal watercraft parts and remanufactured motors in the world. We recently visited SBT to highlight the advantage their dyno gives them over the competition and benefit to you, the consumer. Once there, we realized there was more to Mr. Pickren and SBT beneath the surface; so first, a little back story:
Greg Pickren founded SBT, Inc. in 1997 and built the company to become what it is today. Pickren, at the time a seasoned industry professional in the automotive parts business, was intrigued by the fact that there were no suppliers of remanufactured engines for PWCs. After studying the intricacies of the PWC market, SBT was launched. Although Pickren was not a PWC expert at the time, the concept would mimic what had been done for decades in the automotive business; high quality remanufactured engines for a fraction of the price of new engines.
From the ground up, a factory was created, nestled away in an old part of Clearwater, Florida. In their first year of operation SBT remanufactured over 2,000 engines. In the next four years, they grew to over 10,000 engines per year, and in 2005, the company transitioned from an engine only company to the full line personal watercraft parts supplier that SBT is today: the PWC world’s AutoZone!
Being at the top of any market takes a commitment to product quality and reliability, and SBT does not take this responsibility lightly. With one of the only personal watercraft dynos in the industry, SBT has not only set themselves apart from other parts companies, but they have the ability to test, tune and hone-in on making the best aftermarket motors and parts we as enthusiasts and customers can buy.
CJ Lammers, President of SBT, Inc. told The Watercraft Journal, “SBT uses our dyno both for quality checks and for preliminary runs for development. Having the ability to put an engine on a dyno and running it quickly gives faster results than having to install (parts and motors) in a ski and run, especially when going through small iterations.
SBT has found the dyno invaluable for increasing our quality and reliability. Every 4-stroke engine is run on the dyno before leaving the company, ensuring that we are shipping high quality, fully functioning engines.”
Upon arrival, the first thing CJ had on our agenda was a full tour. As we entered the front of SBT’s facility, we started to get a sense of the enormity of the task SBT takes on with each used part and motor core that enters the factory. First is the disassembly process of each core to decipher which parts are usable and which are beyond repair. Next, the disassembled parts are sandblasted and put through a thorough cleaning process.
As we made our way towards the back of the their facility we entered the remanufacturing section filled with heads, cranks, cylinders and etc. from every make and model watercraft imaginable. As you might expect from a modern aftermarket and remanufactured PWC parts and engine supplier, the big 4-stroke motors get a lot of attention.
CJ then turned us around and walked us back towards the front of SBT’s facility. There were two separate rooms quarantined from the rest of SBT’s factory. We had entered the reassembly room where several technicians were working diligently putting today’s motors together. From there we could see through the clear plastic covering the next doorway into the dyno room. These two areas are the culmination of hours of work and preparation for what we came here today to highlight; your motors being readied for the dyno before packing and shipping out to you, the consumer!
SBT’s dyno is quite the feat of engineering. You can not just go out and purchase a jet ski dyno; they had to remanufacture one for this specific application. Each watercraft brand has it’s own engine stand to mount the motor on, water lines cooling the beasts off during testing and specially built electrical and mechanical couplers to hook the engines up to the dyno.
Although the dyno is the last step in SBT’s aftermarket parts manufacturing chain, it is one of the most important tools in the entire process leading to your new motor winding up in your PWC! Every remanufacturing process and part in the factory is developed and extensively tested on their dyno. Every motor is ran and tested before it is boxed up and shipped to you, the customer.
Real world testing under riding conditions is important, and something that SBT does almost everyday of the year for hours each day. This kind of testing gives the consumer peace of mind that the process, parts and SBTs complete engines are reliable and stand the test of “on the water” conditions. However, before anything with the SBT name on it is installed in a PWC, it has already gone through rigorous engineering, testing and multiple changes in detail, with attention given to the intricacies that can only be flushed out in the numbers the dyno provides.
So what does this mean for you, the consumer? This means that the SBT parts have been engineered and remanufactured in detail, and honed by dyno results. Those parts are used to build SBT test motors that are brutalized for innumerable hours in real world conditions. Finally those engineered, honed, remanufactured, dyno and water tested parts are assembled into complete motors, and tested again to make sure they are fully functioning to correct specs on the dyno.
All of this is what goes on behind the scenes at SBT. Before the phone rings for an order and before a single part or remanufactured engine leaves through SBT’s doors (at a fraction of the cost of a new engine), this one-of-a-kind company has put your product through the rigors of testing like no other company can! SBT dynoed your order as a part of the engineering and manufacturing process, prior to water testing, and will dyno it again before your order leaves the factory. As you’re jetting across the water you can rest easy knowing it’s a runner!
Jet Renu, the leading provider of personal watercraft cleaning products, has returned as a sponsor of the Pro Watercross Tour for 2016! Pro Watercross has undergone a lot of changes in the last couple years, from leaving IJSBA sanction to creating their own World Finals event in Naples, FL. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is that Jet Renu has stuck with them through the years.
Nicholas and AJ Handler, organizers of the Pro Watercross Tour, are very grateful for the sponsorship support. Nicholas expressed his appreciation in a recent email sent out by the Pro Watercross staff.
Nicholas Handler, Pro Watercross Managing Director, wrote, “We are proud to continue our relationship with Jet Renu. It’s always great working with organizations like Jet Renu that understand our athlete’s needs and shares the same passion for pushing our sport forward.”
The satisfaction is obviously mutual, as Jet Renu also had some positive words to say about the Pro Watercross Tour as well. Jet Renu has been pleased with Pro Watercross in the past, and looks forward to continuing their partnership throughout the 2016 racing season and beyond.
“We take great pleasure in saying that our experience with Pro Watercross has been a fantastic venture. We are happy to be returning for the 2016 Pro Watercross tour this season – Lets make it a great year!”
stated Nanette Defalco Moreno, owner of Jet Renu.
We are excited for both parties of the deal, and are glad to see the sport growing. We are looking forward to the racing season ahead, and it will be here before you know it! This season should be the most exciting yet, and, as always, we will be covering every round of the closed course action.
Of all of the manufacturers producing riding gear for the personal watercraft industry, there is no company more dedicated to the art of PWC racing than Jettribe. Whether its their almost omnipresence at nearly every single event across the continental United States or their borderline-ridiculous presence at every Asian race event, Jettribe takes jet ski racing deadly serious. Marching to the frenetic drumbeat of its owner and president Tony Vo, Jettribe is hellbent on eclipsing all other riding gear and apparel brands who’ve ever ventured into this segment of the industry.
Branded as a “Core Watercraft Company,” Jettribe doesn’t dabble in wakeboarding, surfing or other watersports, choosing to focus solely and squarely on jet skiers. In spirit with this methodology, Jettribe’s series of race-centered gear has been a subject of several reviews as of late with some mixed reviews. Of course, we at The Watercraft Journal are weighing most all of our evaluations on key attributes that are more geared toward the recreational rider than racer, but find a great deal cross over. Nevertheless, those remain the same as always: ease of use (ie. comfort), features and effectiveness.
As we’ve said time and again, Jettribe never skimps on the features. In fact, their products are so rife with added bits and pieces it almost makes their designs overloaded or busy to the unfocused eye. Yet, upon closer inspection, we find that a great deal of thought and consideration has been poured into much of their catalog. In review of their 2016 RS-17 “Race Course Armor” Side-Entry Vest, we find much of the same. With racers at its focus, the RS-17 features not one but three heavy duty nylon handles for rescue teams to grab a downed or injured racer, replete with bright yellow “Rescue Here” hand grips (one on each shoulder and at the base of the neck).
A bright yellow Velco-attached lanyard loop wraps around the bottom of two adjustable dual-release 38mm chest straps and buckles, which is removable and able to be transferred to a vest that doesn’t have a lanyard loop (as so many companies fail to include this one very simple feature). And again, with the racer in mind, a Velcro-backed flag of origin is attached to the right shoulder for the racer competing internationally. To the layman, the vest will feel clunky and rigid, as the thick 25mm Eva foam envelops the front chest compression-molded Eva panel and ABS plate chest insert.
The heavy duty front and back panels were designed with “protection first” in mind. Within its design are attachment points for Jettribe’s own Race Collar and is purposefully compatible with Jettribe’s Chest & Back Protectors, which have become mandatory for IJSBA standup classes. Over time, we found that the heavy duty Eva foam did allow for some give, but that was after a considerable break-in time. Although an unrated vest, Jettribe scribes “This vest is intended to meet USCG Type III PDF flotation aid for watercraft use” in large, bold letters on the inside. Unfortunately, that does mean if you live somewhere who like to check those sorts of things, you will be ticketed.
Worn by Jettribe USA International Team including Rick Sherker, Craig Warner, Jeremy Schandelmeyer, Tyler Hill, Brock Austin and more, Jettribe has done a fine job accruing a list of top tier riders who represent their brand; but again, that might not mean much to the weekend warrior. There’s a major delineation between these two groups and how they evaluate a piece of riding equipment. For the racer, the vest provides ample protection, a wide range of motion (large arm/shoulder and neck openings), and a sense of safety due in large part to the added features. As this is who this vest is designed for we weigh it as such, and even with its $94.99 asking price, find Jettribe’s RS-17 “Race Course Armor” Side-Entry Vest to be a solid purchase that many have come to praise.
Admittedly, there still appears to be a significant amount of fracturing in the domestic PWC event scene, but the IJSBA is thrashing to draw together several regional promoters and groups to create a comprehensive, season-long competition series, be it closed course racing or freestyle.
In the case of the latter, the IJSBA has partnered with two mainstays in the Freestyle arena to flesh out a completely dedicated season to just Freestyle, which is something unseen in the US for many, many years. Running from April through late August, this duplicity of event coordinators forms a complete (although two separate series) season.
The first is a partnership between the Freestyle Personal Watercraft Association (FPWCA) together with IJSBA, who after its success in Europe is bringing its Freestyle-only tour to the US. Although comprised of only two separate events, the word “tour” is being used rather loosely.
Hailed as a West Coast Round and an East Coast Round, the first will be held on April 16th, 2016, in Lake Havasu City, AZ; with the second being on August 27th, 2016, in North Fort Myers, FL. The FPWCA does bring with it its own set of rules and classes which include:
2016 USFC classes are:
Freestyle 800: OEM hull and maximum engine displacement of 800cc
Freestyle 900: aftermarket hull allowed and maximum engine displacement of 900cc
Freestyle 1200: aftermarket hull allowed and maximum engine displacement of 1200cc
And exclusively for the USA, the FPWCA has introduced a new class: Freestyle Beginner Open wherein an aftermarket hull allowed and maximum engine displacement of 1200cc. This class is open to any competitor who never finished on the podium on the national level and/or never competed at World Cup/Championship/Finals.
But wait, that’s not all! Nestled in between those two spread-out dates is a whole new series put on by the legendary “Typhoon Tommy” Nuttal. Over the past decade, he has been “entertaining festival crowds at lakes and rivers all throughout the United States,” according to the IJSBA. This of course, is less of a competition series and more of a entertainment venue where Nuttal’s Typhoon Tommy Entertainment will place the very best Freestyle athletes in front of tens of thousands of spectators.
June 24-26 – Detroit River Days, MI
July 15-17 – Trenton, MI “Roar on the River”
July 30-31 – Oswego Harborfest, NY
Aug 5-7 – Pittsburgh Regatta
So if you’re looking catch some of the States’ best Freestyle action, 2016 is rife with exciting venues and top class competition. For more information for the FPWCA, visit official website: www.pwcfreestyleusa.com, and for Typhoon Tommy’s events, please visit www.jetskishows.com.
For those jaded among you who believe that product placement is ruining modern film and media clearly need to take a look back a few decades. We spotted this incredibly retro television commercial from 1970 for Fanta soft drinks. The fruit-flavored soda that traces its roots back to Nazi Germany (no really! Read here), is the second most popular brand of carbonated sugar water outside of its parent company’s mainstay and namesake, Coca-Cola.
Nevertheless, as according to the YouTube poster’s description, this TV commercial “aired in 1970 from Boston to San Diego. This is a fine example of product placement which costed nothing to Sea-Doo’s parent company, Bombardier Ltd. This was filmed near Key Biscayne, Florida.” French Canadian poster Jefrona states, “I was a Sea-Doo product manager at the time. We had a great time. This video is a piece of history and must be the only copy left.”
Catching wind of this video, a fellow YouTube poster, Mark Thacker wrote: “I was also the guy doing the stunts. You could glide across water only about 2-3 inches deep and not have a problem and also shut down the motor at full speed and beach it (as you see in the commercial), that was me also and the girl I was paired with. They were really fast as well. I couldn’t believe they weren’t instantly popular. Instead, the stand up version became a hit for many years. They finally got smart and went back to the original version. Now the stand ups are relics.”
While we don’t know how much of a “relic” the standups are today, we do get some enjoyment out of this old ad and seeing these original “Model 372” 1969 Sea-Doos (unlike the ’68 model, the ’69 featured a water cooled twin-cylinder engine). For more info on the early Sea-doos, check this site HERE:
