Personal watercraft racing is a tricky thing. There’s no doubt that pushing these machines to their maximum is what provides manufacturers the test data to constantly improve upon their products, but also creates spirited debate on forums and enthusiasm in the media. Basically, racing is good press. But there’s an equally sharp edge on the other side of this sword.
Like racers, not all racing is created equal. And PWC racing is a very polarizing practice that scares away a lot of otherwise casual PWC owners and hobbyists, which is really sad because racing your runabout can be just as fun as any day spent leisurely cruising your local lake or riverfront. And that is why P1 AquaX exists.
Debuted early last year in the US, the P1 AquaX is “a new style of watercraft competition for sea-riding enthusiasts who just want to pull back the throttle,” according to their press info. The series was directly designed to welcome novice and “fence sitting” enthusiasts who otherwise have steered clear of on water competition.
“The courses are big, but fun to ride, giving the competitors the chance to open up their throttles and enjoy the full performance of their craft in a safe and controlled environment. The courses also provide a real sense of achievement for those who complete the task.
“AquaX split into 3 categories – 200hp, 250hp, 300hp – to accommodate huge diversity in engine displacements. Two-stroke craft and naturally aspirated four-stroke craft under 160hp will qualify to compete in the 200hp, whereas the 250hp and 300hp classes will be reserved for the more powerful turbo and supercharged four-strokes of today. All craft may be modified, however four-stroke craft must remain stock as from the manufacturer, with the exception of handling modifications.”
For 2013, all four events were held in and around Florida – Daytona Beach, Pahokee, Space Coast and St. Cloud. Starting off with a relatively humble turnout in Daytona, word of mouth continued to spread and soon, by the end of the series, the lineup was nearly 40 skis deep! Here’s ALL of the recap videos from 2013 for whet your whistle for 2014:
