Image: Kelsey Rae-Smith
Sunday September 18th marks the final round of this year’s P1 AquaX Cayman Islands National Tour where around 25 riders will compete at Seven Mile Beach just north of George Town.
Launched in the UK in 2011 and in United States in 2013, P1 AquaX introduced this qualifying series to provide riders in regions not currently hosting AquaX events with the opportunity to qualify for its World Championship.
Speaking from P1 AquaX’s race center in Orlando, P1 USA Championship Manager Michelle Petro commented: “We are delighted that the Cayman Islands has become part of our international schedule and we look forward to welcoming two riders from the National Tour to our Bahamas World Championship in Nassau in early November.”
In May 2022, P1 AquaX and the Cayman Islands Watercraft Association (CIWA) partnered to host a three-round race series at two sperate venues on Grand Cayman. The National Tour features P1 AquaX Pro and Am Endurance classes with events at South Sound Beach (at the southwestern tip of the island) and Seven Mile Beach.
Image: Kelsey Rae-Smith
According to the latest press release, “CIWA provides the opportunity for personal watercraft riders to compete both locally and internationally, and the new partnership with P1 AquaX enables one Pro rider and one Am racer in this year’s National Tour to qualify for the AquaX World Championship in the Bahamas in November when the iconic Atlantis Paradise Island resort will host the three-day event. “
According to CIWA President Chris Bodden, “This new partnership is a significant achievement for motorsports in the Cayman Islands. We lined up a superb season at our two venues and we know that personal watercraft racing has a bright future in Cayman.”
CIWA made the shift from closed course to offshore endurance, and the Association anticipates that the final round of the National Tour will attract a huge crowd on the beach.
“We are looking at this as a test for potentially staging bigger AquaX events at Seven Mile Beach in the future, “according to Bodden.
