When you get the news from the horse’s mouth, it’s best just to let the horse speak. The Watercraft Journal met up with Kaotik’s Brad Clark who let us know about a little something they’re cooking up:
“Kaotik had the pleasure of visiting Revolution Cable Park in Ft Meyers FL. Nick, the park owner welcomed us with open arms. He is very excited about the idea. I must say if your ever in the area you should def visit Revolution. They have great staff and a very fun operation.
“So this is my idea: I would like to make something new and exciting for spectators, and also to give racers and freestylers something new and challenging in a closed arena style setting.
“The first part of my concept is a heads up speed and style grudge race. Stand up racers will have a few obstacles to get through on each lap, including ramps and log jumps, and possibly a rail slide. We will run two racers at a time, and do a bracket style double elimination. The obstacles range in size, so not all of them are do or die.
“There are some very small rails close to the water and there are very tall rails. Also there are very small ramps and some ramps that are bigger and steeper then the rest. The racers can pick and choose how gnarly they want to get for the crowd. The faster they go and the more pumped they get the crowd, the more points they earn. We will be looking to do a nice cash prize for the Top 3 finishers.
“Next up will be freestyle. I would love to bring back some old school freestyle with a new twist. Again using the obstacles in the arena. Freestyle can do whatever means they want to win over the spectators. I mean who doesn’t miss seeing suicide subs under things and hand stands. What about the days watching John ‘Suicide’ Havell ride on the nose of his ski, steering and throttling with his feet riding full speed over a ramp, into a suicide sub, hence the name.
“Last but definitely not least: The new Freestyle. These guys are getting crazy amplitude these days. Maybe some kind of step up competition, a foam block obstacle course that they can implement different trick as they go through. To me, it’s all about getting the crowd excited and giving them something to root for.
“Another good thing is that this will be a free event for all competitors. I believe that these guys spend enough money getting their skis ready and just getting to a event. I think cheap tickets for spectators and with some sponsor support to carry the event financially. With enough support and spectators, hopefully the cash and prizes will be great.
“If we have enough interest we will entertain the idea of different classes including Runabouts and Sports. This is a work in progress, and hopefully we can come up with something great. If you implement all of this – with some pro wake boarders – and I believe you would have one heck of a show.”
If ever there was an award for “truth in advertising,” it would go to Sweden’s 88 Motorsport and their newly released 420-horsepower turbocharged Ultra JetSki. Why? Because in perfect harmony with the company’s name, this is a Kawasaki that will hit 88 miles per hour. And if 80’s movies have taught us anything, when this thing hits 88 miles per hour, you’re gonna see some serious $#%&.
Now, don’t get us wrong. There are quite a few aftermarket turbo kits available these days for the big, brutish 310X series JetSkis, and 88 Motorsport’s kit is yet another to add to the stack. But unlike a few others out there, we’ve got some hard data on the package’s performance that we can tantalize you with, with big thanks to builder, tester and team rider Sammy Pajalin, who has brought home six wins in the Nordic Championships and three in the Finnish, as well as a bronze medal in the IJSBA World Championships.
For his race craft, Pajalin’s turbocharged Kawasaki is optimized for maximum performance, including a handlebar-mounted switch that can control boost levels. He stated, “In race(s) where it goes really high waves, [I] confine the machine [to] 360hp and in favorable conditions, can I switch to 450hp just by pressing the button.”
For 88 Motorsport customers, the turbo kit offers extreme performance in acceleration through the midrange and at top speed, achieving zero to one hundred km/h (62mph) in three seconds, and – as stated earlier – a top speed of 88-plus-mph. Pajalin also promises a reduction in fuel consumption by 30-percent!
Available with boost and build ranges between 330-to-420 horsepower, the 88 Motorsport Kawasaki 420R Turbo can be “uncorked” on the fly, allowing for lively, energetic runs at low boost, and with the hit of a button, unleash the full potential of this turbo kit. Of course, all that power doesn’t come cheap, as the Kawasaki Ultra 420R Turbo is priced at 389,990 SEK, or just over $47,000.
It’s difficult to adequately verbalize the sensation of manhandling a personal watercraft that simply does not want just anybody to ride it. Like the untamed, free-roaming American mustang, the unbridled power and wild spirit resonating from within the bowels, reverberating up through the seat and out of the handlebars of the 2015 Kawasaki Ultra 310X SE (Special Edition) is not unlike to those ancient Iberian horses first introduced to this continent by Spanish explorers.
When left to its base setting and operated under the newly-minted, mint-green operation key (previous Immobilizer keys were either orange for normal operation or yellow for SLO mode), the Ultra 310X SE – as with all 310-powered supercharged Ultras – is an exhilarating ride for an experienced rider. For those a little more unseasoned, the brutish onset of a true 310-horsepower can be a white-knuckle drain-the-blood-from-your-face outing, if not a totally overwhelming exercise.
The Burnt Orange on the 2015 Ultra 310X SE might be familiar to Kawasaki loyalists as being the same from last year’s four-door 2014 Teryx.
This runabout comes on hard, and will continue to pull harder and higher through the 201-ft. lbs. of torque curve until the fatigue building up in your quivering index finger finally wins. Last year, the Ultra’s four-lobe Eaton TVS (Twin Vortices Supercharger) blown 1,498cc four-stroke was wholly untethered, receiving top-level improvements to engine oiling through larger oil passages for quicker oil return to the redesigned baffled pan that reduces oil windage and sloshing, and twin under-piston cooling oil jets (an improvement over the outgoing 300X’s one jet per piston).
Appropriately, the new Ultra 310 engine received redesigned lightweight cast pistons with additional ring land V-grooves. Likewise, the liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder plant thicker water jackets, increasing capacity and flow, as well as improved intake charge cooling thanks to a separate coolant loop. Last year also saw the addition of a larger capacity fuel pump for improved fuel flow volume and 500cc injectors mounted to a new long-runner intake manifold made from heat-resistant plastic, improving low-to-mid range power.
This equates for a truly competition-capable craft from the showroom. And this is not a superfluous statement: In the year since it’s introduction, the 310X-powered JetSkis have dominated all endurance events across the planet. A completely untouched 310R nearly clenched the second podium spot for the 2014 Long Beach-to-Catalina Offshore Championship. The American AquaX series’ 300 Class was almost exclusive Kawasaki territory. Were the Ultra 310X’s top speed not hindered by a GPS limited cap, the 310X would – and has been documented doing so – regularly reach low 70’s.
Truly, Kawasaki left nothing on the table when it came to creating the 310X series, but what exactly makes the Special Edition special? The SE bridges the gap between the race-equipped 310R and respectively-plain 310X, as well as introduces a little flavoring worthy of the luxurious 310LX. Swathed in an incredibly photogenic Burnt Orange, the metallic umber is almost more fetching than the glittering green of the aforementioned LX. The racier mats of the 310X and R are replaced by the LX’s hexagonal pattern too.
Yet, the SE retains the 310R’s narrowed and scalloped two-tone saddle, although the SE forgoes the gripper material exclusive to the R. The SE also keeps the basic five-point tilt steering found on the naturally-aspirated Ultra LX and base 310X. Apart from these characteristics, the SE is almost indistinguishable from other models. All 310-powered Ultras share identical fly-by-wire controls, replete with Cruise Control, 5mph No Wake mode, ECO mode and electronic trim toggles. A folding swimstep hangs above the massive 160mm 8-vane pump and new-in-2014 3-blade, long-cone prop.
One final notch in the Special Edition’s belt is its exclusivity. International availability is almost nil, making the amber-hued Kawasaki an all the more desirable craft for Australian enthusiasts (and other nationalities). Holdovers from the 2011 improvements (bringing the previous 260X to the 300X) include the hull’s deep-V 22.5-degree deadrise, giving the Ultra it’s characteristic offshore aptitude; it’s voluminous storage (56-gallons worth) and fuel capacity (20.6-gallons), and stellar information display.
A mentionable quibble that materialized over the time we had with the SE was the slow responsiveness of the unusually stiff trim and Cruise Control toggles. We also longed for even the faintest of chimes to confirm the engagement of the big Kawasaki’s ECO mode, but cheered the immediacy and ease of the ski’s No Wake setting. And although the Ultra’s reverse handle design has never been better, it seems antiquated in a world where both Sea-Doo and Yamaha tout handlebar-mounted reverse levers.
Unlike that of its competitors, its ECO setting is the most spirited we’ve encountered. Using the yellow Learning Key bridles the big 310X’s output to a more comparable level with Sea-Doo’s Eco Mode. Unfortunately, switching riding preferences requires switching keys (and thereby killing and restarting the ignition) where the Sea-Doo asks only a press of a single button.
Again, the Ultra’s massive industry-leading performance might be too polarizing for some. Throttle response is scalpel-sharp and power comes on as hard as a blacksmith’s anvil. With the trim set low, the 310X bites down and cuts sharp turns without unloading the pump at wide-open speeds. Slinking an inside knee low in the footwell, resting almost flat in the saddle practically spurs the Ultra to take the turn faster, its thoroughbred plant at full sprint.
All of that said, we still can’t help but favor the Ultra 310X SE among so many other PWC. Whether galloping across calm bayshore waters or frolicking in foamy Pacific surf, the Ultra is incredibly stable, surefooted and predictable. In The Watercraft Journal’s experience, no ski in its class is less prone to searching or seeking, regardless of sea state. It’s handsome, clean design, measured contoured seat, handlebar placement and variety of power delivery makes the 310X a terribly desirable watercraft. Coating it in candied orange only makes us want it more.
Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) delegates from around Australia met with Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP) representatives to test some brand new motorized products which included the latest in Sea-Doo Personal Watercraft (PWC), Evinrude E-Tec engines, and Can-Am All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs). The meeting was held in the BRP offices where new equipment and the continued support of SLSA from BRP were discussed at length. The meeting included BRP’s plans to continue their support of SLSA ‘s effort to help save lives on Australia’s beaches. This was great news for Surf Life Saving Australia.
According to a report in OZPWC, the physical testing went down when the group left the offices and traveled to the beach at Wanda to give the new Sea-Doo Spark a run, along with some new Search and Rescue Watercraft. One can only imagine the kind of rigorous riding that went down on the beach and in the water. Apparently testing went well because everything was a go and Surf Life Saving Australia was stoked that Bombardier Recreational Products would stay on board and continue to sponsor the SLSA after a continuous sponsorship of five years. BRP was honored to continue providing products to more than 160 clubs in Australia.
Anthony Bradstreet Coastal Risk and Safety Manager from Surf Life Saving Australia said, “BRP products (sic) help Australia’s surf lifesavers patrol and perform rescues with greater efficiency and rapid response. BRP understands our core mission of saving lives, and this next generation of product they are bringing to the market, will further support this mission.”
“Surf Life Saving is an iconic community service across Australia. BRP’s products are well suited to the demanding surf conditions and provide the unparalleled maneuverability and high performance essential for effective beach patrols,” said Gregoire DuPont, Vice President and Regional General Manage of Bombadier Recreational Products Asia-Pacific division.
Bombardier Recreational Product is a national corporation partner with Surf Live Saving Australia and is the groups’ official powercraft provider, which is an awesome partnership for both groups. This helps insure that the SLSA will have the equipment in order to provide the best rescue operations possible, especially since BRP provides ongoing equipment maintenance to clubs and services throughout Australia. What an awesome bonus!
The Bombardier Recreational Products sponsorship was established in 2009 as integral piece of the company’s guarantee to SLSA in assisting with delivering life saving motorized equipment. BRP provides Can-Am All Terrain Vehicles, Sea-Doo Rescue Watercraft, and Evinrude Outboard Motors to Surf Life Saving Australia and products to many other groups in Australia.
This is a victory for everyone involved and it appears that the partnership will continue for a very long time because SLSA and BRP appear to have a wonderful rapport
It is great that Bombardier Recreational Products will continue to support Surf Life Saving Australia. The beaches and waters along Australia’s coasts will be safer as a result of this long time partnership.
There’s probably no less formidable terrain to find oneself in that the untamed wilderness of Alaska. The northernmost State in the Union is home to some of the most inhospitable frontier, rife with wildlife more than happily to core, maim or outright devour a man, or weather so drastic that exposure for longer than minutes can result in almost immediate disfigurement or outright death. Many a daring adventurer has met their demise in Alaska, and certainly more will follow.
Sounds like a perfect place to go jet skiing, right? Well, that’s what these explorers thought as they slipped into Alaska’s famous Blackstone Bay, home to pristine waterfalls, calving glaciers and breathtaking vistas. Located just outside of Whittier, Alaska, these intrepid riders documented their journey through Blackstone Bay via various GoPros over the course of two different trips.
The video below is stitched between video and stills, but shows the sheer vastness of the terrain in all of its awesome glory. Normally reserved for kayakers, exploring the bay requires paddlers days to gain the full experience. With the assistance of modern personal watercraft, the trip was cut down to a fraction, and done so safely and without the threats brought on by needing to camp overnight and brave the cold.
Although normally populated with whales, seals, and sea otters, not much in the way of wildlife is visible in this video, although the documentarians vow to return. So, it’s likely we’ll see more of Blackstone Bay’s beauty. Until then, enjoy the video below (although, the music is really obnoxious. You’ve been warned):
Oh winter, you foul mistress! Why won’t you leave us be and step aside to allow Spring to come forth! Begone! Alas, for much of the country we are still caught in winter’s icy grasp, but fear not! Slippery Wetsuits knows the perfect remedy for yet another onslaught of wintertime blues: their all-new 2015 product catalog!
Recently Slippery Wetsuits released this video showcasing their new 2015 lineup of riding apparel and gear; from a whole new array of brightly-hued full suits and johns, to spring suits, jackets, gloves, boots, and shorts. Slippery’s new look for this year’s upcoming riding season is only matched with its sibling to MX riding gear manufacturer Thor, in superior comfort and just a great look. With meticulous detail given to making superior molds, by using better materials and more attractive designs, the wetsuit manufacturer once known as “Slippery When Wet” much more than ever before!
Obviously, you’ve likely seen Slippery quite a few times in our Reviews section. And you can count on more in-depth reviews and insight on new 2015 Slippery product in the coming months. We’ve been very happy with what we’ve used and are sure you will too! Look forward to more on Slippery products from The Watercraft Journal in the weeks and months to come!
It is the world’s longest continual race, a full 300-miles (30 laps circling a 10-mile course encompassing almost the entirety of Lake Havasu, Arizona). It is also possibly, the single most challenging one-day event in all of competitive personal watercraft racing. Not only are challengers required almost superhuman levels of endurance and physical ability, but logistical skills, methodical planning and steeled determination.
Equally, no racer is alone, as a full credit of teammates are needed to parlay the riding responsibilities (two riders for runabout classes and three for all standup ski classes), but to man the pit crew, tasked with extracting and launching the craft several times throughout the race, refueling without spillage and help in exchanging the riders when called for.
Some have even speculated that the annual Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 is also the single-most expensive single-day event, requiring upwards to $30,000 to remain competitive; weighing in costs for purchasing and building a worthy craft capable of surviving the 300-mile course, the ATV or SxS and dolly to launch from, the fuel, tools and equipment, not to mention feeding and housing the persons to staff one’s crew.
And when all has been planned and paid for, even the best will fail to complete the race. This year alone, some of the world’s finest fell to misfortune: Russel Marmon only completed one lap on a turbocharged Kawasaki Ultra 310X before falling to the tow rope. Two-time previous Mark Hahn champion Craig Warner remained in the Top 5 until an elongated pit stop ate up precious minutes, pushing him further in the pack.
Another previous Mark Hahn Memorial winner, Mark Gerner wrestled with strategy as inclement weather upset plans for use of a 80-85mph turbo Yamaha FX SVHO, opting instead for a more reserved tactic, a near-stock Ultra 310X. The Kawasaki served valiantly, but the conditions – albeit rough, particularly as winds picked up – weren’t enough to hold back the flock of tuned Yamahas that pulled ahead.
Most upsetting of these was Russian duo Yury Riabko and Peter Desmer who led the race handily aboard an exceptionally fast turbocharged Yamaha FX SVHO for nearly 28 consecutive laps before the monumental stresses from excess speed and the wind-churned 4-foot chop battered the Yamaha’s hull to its breaking point. After an unmatched lead, the pair ended in fifth place when the checked flag waved.
So why would anyone undergo these trials – both physically and financially – for a single day’s race? The answer is quite simple: for glory. The Mark Hahn Memorial has become unequivocally one of the premier races in the world. Completion of the race is monumental. Finishing a champion is herculean. It has become the Everest of our sport and no better salute to the man its named after. Event organizer Mike Follmer told The Watercraft Journal, “I feel that by having 16 countries represented this year and us being recognized around the world says it all […] We are now the biggest offshore event in the US (and world), and we’re very proud of that.”
To Follmer’s point, the world’s finest converged on Lake Havasu City the final day of February, with the shotgun’s crackle at 10am sharp marking the start of the race that Saturday morning. Hailing from South Africa, Rockstar Kommander Industries’ Shante Bukes was joined by Dustin Motzouris who relocated from his native country to Arizona last year.
Motzouris explained their plan, “We took a bone stock FX SVHO off the Kommander floor and raced exactly as you buy it, it is amazing how good the new Yamahas are even when it got rough and nasty. We had a fun crew at the race and we where competitive without being overly stressed and that’s the right way to approach this race as so many unforeseen events can happen over such a long distance.”
Bukes parroted her teammate, saying, “The 2015 Mark Hahn Memorial 300 race was definitely one to remember […] It was an awesome event. The weather got quite cold and windy but it didn’t stop us from racing. It’s the best way to get experience in that rough conditions. It was some close racing, having to swap with Dustin every 5 laps to refuel […] It was Definitely a hard endurance race but I loved every minute off it.”
Unlike previous years, the field of competitive craft was uniquely diverse, with SVHO-powered Yamahas being equal to or even greater than that of the rough water-friendly Kawasakis. Factory Yamaha was even represented by an unlikely duo, “Flyin Brian” Smith and JetPilot’s own Steve Goldberg.
Smith recounted, “This year I had the pleasure of teaming up with JetPilot’s Steve Goldberg and given the opportunity to race for Factory Yamaha. The race was very challenging for me this year and a bit more than […] years past, mainly because I haven’t been able to ride or practice on a runabout (or ride for that matter) since [an] injury I sustained at World Finals this past year.
He continued, “[…]After a few minor setbacks and my partner sustaining a shoulder injury, [I was left] to finish the race Ironman-style about halfway through.” Goldberg echoed, “[This] marked my first experience in PWC racing. After meeting Brian last year and helping him and his team pit in the standup class, I thought it would be a great opportunity to get involved and support those who support the brand and possibly race.”
“Overall the experience was epic,” Goldberg concluded. “Much respect to all the racers involved. Unfortunately, I suffered a shoulder injury that would sideline me at the halfway point but with the courageous ride by my partner, we were able to hold on to 5th in class.”
Those who chose to “ironman it” or compete solely are often revered as the challenge is exceptional, as both man and ski are put to the utmost test. Australian Christian D’Agostin did so on an Ultra 310X SE. He explained, “Man, what an awesome event! [With] 50-plus runabouts on the line – [it was] spectacular! I completely duffed the start, [but] got up in the Top 10 by Lap 2. [We] had an awesome pace, the team aced every fuel stop. At the last fuel stop we were first in Ironman, first in class and third outright – we where bringing it home and on Lap 26 we developed a misfire and couldn’t continue – we where guttered.”
Yet, it are those who dare to compete in both Standup Ski and Iron who stand above. One such, Brock Austin, did so. “The 2015 Mark Hahn 300 had its ups and downs but overall was good! I took first overall in Ironman on a Polaris Octane and scoring said ninth overall in Standup (I thought I was around fifth but I had some mechanical issues so scoring probably had a tough time keeping track of me). I ran out of gas trying to make it three laps but it was too rough, so I didn’t make it and when the ski ran out of gas it leaned out and put a hole in my pipe coupler, so we had to fix it three different times throughout the whole race. I still finished 14 laps even with all of the problems!”
For the Standup class overall, the win went to teammates Bibi Carmouche and Kody Copenhaver. Bibi recalled, “After seeing the weather forecast, I knew things would be much different then the flat water conditions from my first Hahn last season. [We] were excited to see what Mother Nature would bring us because being on a slower ski only meant that rough waters would help us. Kody started the race with a great start and was in third by the time the first lap was completed, from then on we just kept our pace and waited for the anticipated storm to come through.
“As the day went on conditions got more intense and fatigue in all teams started setting in, our pit crew was flawless in the pit stops and we weren’t giving up until the checkered flag,” Bibi continued. “Although it looked as if we were going to finish with a second place, our consistency and grit lead us to victory!”
Kody shadowed by telling The Watercraft Journal, “The race started out cold and cloudy as everyone predicted. On the start I holeshotted the Ski class to about the first boat until Aaron Gewecke passed me, and after second boat Brock Austin passed me. About half way through the race, it got super windy, with big waves and wind pushing us. That’s when our team start excelling. After moving into second in lap 15, on the far back section of the 10 mile loop, I made the pass for the lead. Bibi finished off the race with a good lead. After about six years of doing this race it finally paid off with the roughest conditions and a win.”
As mentioned earlier, Russians Riabko and Desmer suffered a terrible defeat at the loss of their race-leading boat. That opened up the field to teammates Jean-Bruno Pastorello and Jean-Baptiste Botti, both exceptional competitors in their own right, and Canada’s Mike Klippenstein. Other than a few laps when Riabko and Desmer’s #5 pitted, they led the first 25 laps. By the pit for the next-to-last stop, Pastorello and Klippenstein passed them for good.
Although Botti and Pastorello failed to pierce the Top 25 in the first lap, the duo went on to win by a couple of minutes over Klippenstein, proving that it’s not how fast one starts or how fast a lap can be run, but consistency in the pits and on the course.
Images have been provided by John Carter and Danyelle Glendenning. For unaltered, full-resolution versions, please visit the respective hyperlink.
Allowing consumers direct access to product information and rich media content on all of Yamaha’s 2015 Boat and WaveRunner products, the intuitive, device specific experience offered by the new apps have dramatically improved the informing process and helped increase Yamaha’s buyer experience. Downloaded by tens of thousands of consumers interested in learning more about Yamaha products, the new apps were recognized by the Marine Marketers of America with the Neptune award for excellence in marketing the marine industry.
Yamaha WaterCraft Group, a division of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., today announced that it received the Neptune award for Best Mobile Application from the Marine Marketers of America (MMA). MMA’s annual Neptune awards are presented at the Miami International Boat Show Industry Breakfast in recognition of marketing excellence in the marine industry.
Yamaha’s free mobile applications for iPhone, iPad, Android smartphones and Android tablets allow consumers to access product information and rich media content on all of Yamaha’s 2015 Boat and WaveRunner products through an intuitive, device specific experience. The apps have been downloaded by tens of thousands of consumers interested in learning more about Yamaha products, while also being used by sales staff at Yamaha Watercraft dealerships to present product information, photos, and videos as well as to stay abreast of the latest promo offers.
“Our mobile apps continue to attract interest from consumers and dealers alike, and we’ve met that growing demand with new experiences tabs, new competitive comparison data, more videos and even more product information,” said Andrew Cullen, Yamaha’s digital marketing and communications manager. “These apps have become an important element to our new media market strategy aimed at connecting the Yamaha brand and our products through all of the new platforms and devices customers use to consume information today and in the years to come.”
“We’re thrilled with the win and appreciate the recognition in such a difficult category. Our long standing partnership with Yamaha Watercraft has been a source of truly soulful work from our team,” said Naushad Huda, Co-Founder and Creative Director at XTOPOLY, Yamaha’s digital agency in the design and development of the mobile apps.
Formed in 2007, Marine Marketers of America is the exclusive, leading association of marketing professionals who specialize in publicizing, promoting, showing, advertising and selling the products, services and causes of the boating industry.
Whether they were one of the many sponsored competitors hailing from 16 countries from across the globe, or just a racer riding a stock Kawasaki Ultra 310X or Yamaha FX SVHO, Hydro-Turf was found on personal watercraft at this year’s Mark Hahn Memorial 300. Standups with custom-covered trays or supercharged sitdowns with trick two-tone mats and seats, the legendary traction provided by the HT brand kept riders planted as they lapped the 10-mile course again and again and again…
For the 11th annual Mark Hahn, Mother Nature kicked up her fury a few hours into the competition, with winds coming from the south churning up the lake into 4-to-4-and-a-half foot chop peaking in 8-foot intervals. Already well into the race, riders’ fatigue began to set in with many simply “checking out,” tensely gripping their handlebars with all the strength they could muster. The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak, as they say. Other racers pushed their craft to their breaking points.
While The Watercraft Journal will be bringing you our excellent coverage from this past Saturday’s race, we wanted to bring you an awesome perspective of the exciting shotgun start of this year’s Hahn. This start differed from previous years, as runabouts were densely packed together (causing some very near misses and collisions), with the standups starting a delayed 30 seconds behind the melee of the larger PWC. The breakup was praised by racers after the event as a smart amendment to the start.
The Watercraft Journal: How did you first got into jet skiing and then into racing?
Callaway Turner: I always enjoyed being on the water growing up and I first had the opportunity to ride a standup jet ski on my 18th birthday thanks to John McAlpine of MacsBoost. I was hooked on riding standups from that point as I bought a Kawasaki 650SX that summer for my first ski. I enjoy the freedom of being on the water and being able to have fun both on your own and with others when riding jet skis. My first race was in 2009 on Lake Norman thanks to the help of Brian Baldwin of Champion Performance. Later, my real racing career started in 2012 when I met Bill Haig and the Hurricane Racing team at Jordan Lake while I was in graduate school at NC State University. I have been riding/racing with Hurricane Racing ever since.
WCJ: You had a pretty whirlwind year of racing. How did 2014 go for you?
CT: The 2014 racing season was a blast. After finishing second nationally in Novice Ski Stock in 2013, I moved up to Amateur Ski Lites in 2014. The season started down in Pensacola, Florida, with the largest surf conditions I’d ever ridden in. At that point, I had only ridden in the ocean once or twice and just for fun, not for racing. I was intimidated at first, especially because I was borrowing Bill Haig’s stock SX-R for that race. However, after some reassuring that the conditions would play to my advantage as long as I rode smart, I had a blast and swept all three motos for a first place finish.
I kept that momentum going through the season, winning every moto in Panama City, Colonial Beach, and Lake Hartwell. The one race of the National Tour I wasn’t able to make in 2014 was the one in Sparks, NV. At the Nationals in Charleston, WV, I finished first in the first moto, but had some less than optimal starts in the second two motos and had to fight through the pack which made for some exciting racing. I managed to fight back just enough to take the first overall and win both the National title as well as the tour championship for Amateur Ski Lites which was the perfect end to an exciting season.
Image: Julianne Wilson
WCJ: Tell us about your experience racing at your first IJSBA World Finals. How did it go?
CT: This was [2014] was my first year racing at the IJSBA World Finals. I only raced one class, Amateur Ski Lites, and was on the fence about adding a second class, Pro-Am Ski Lites. Looking back, I wish I would’ve added the second class. In the Amateur Ski Lites class, I qualified for the main event, which was exciting, but had a rough race in the first moto, finishing near the back of the pack. I redeemed myself somewhat in the second moto, finishing within the Top 10, but still wasn’t racing as well as I know I could. Personally, I was disappointed with my performance, knowing I could’ve done better. But that just means I’ll just have to prove it at the World Finals in 2015.
WCJ: Tell us more about your relationship with your racing team. How are they helping you out?
CT: The Hurricane Racing Team has been pivotal in everything I’ve accomplished so far in my racing career. Without them, I’d probably still just be riding recreationally. Bill Haig’s expertise and experience has taught me a lot and has helped make racing a possibility. Having the backing of the Hurricane Racing Team helps in all aspects – prrparing the ski, transportation to/from the race sites, and especially practicing for the races. Having the group we have to practice with (great riders such as Bill Haig, Jimmy Wilson, Brian Kemp, Ralph McGregor, Zack Spring, and Nick Spring) is a great help for both building the endurance needed for racing and having the head-to-head racing experience necessary to perform well in the races.
As far as skis goes, I have one SX-R currently that will probably remain stock for the 2015 season. There are some minor tweaks I would like to make and would also like to do some dyno tuning to make sure I am getting everything I can out of it. While every little bit counts for attempting to gain a competitive advantage, I’ve learned that practice and training are just as important if not more important for doing well in the races.
WCJ: What are your plans for 2015? What races do you plan on attending? What class(es) are you entering?
CT: For 2015, I definitely plan on all the East Coast races of the Pro Watercross National Tour, but I’m unsure about whether I can make it to the races out in Nevada and Utah (as far as both getting equipment across the country and having the work schedule work out to allow me to travel to those races).
I’m currently thinking about moving up to the Pro-Am Ski Stock class on the National Tour. Also, if I can find a ski to practice and race, I’d like to be able to race the Amateur Ski GP class. Adding a second class would allow me to race more during the weekends and riding a GP Ski would be good practice and help prepare me for hopefully eventually moving up to the Pro-Am Ski GP class.
WCJ: What long-term goals do you have for your jet ski racing career?
CT: In the short term, I’ll be racing in the Pro-Am Ski Stock class and hopefully be able to be competitive this coming year. In the next five years, the ideal situation would be to have the opportunity to race professionally with full sponsorship while working as an engineer for one of the manufacturers as I completed my masters degree in mechanical engineering two years ago.
WCJ: Who would you like to thank for helping you get this far?
CT: First, I have to thank Hurricane Racing, especially Bill Haig for making my racing career a reality. The rest of the Hurricane Racing team is also a great group of people to have to practice with and provide great support at the races. I also have had great support from my girlfriend, Carrie Oliver, and sister, Niki Turner, who have raced in the Womens class as they finished 5th and 3rd Nationally on the tour in the Women’s class in 2014. I’d also like to thank Amsoil for their high performance synthetic lubricants.
