Pro Watercross Tour's Daniel Martin lands DOUBLE BACKFLIP in rough waters of Pensacola Beach...
High winds, twelve foot swells on the Gulf of Mexico is a surfers dream; but for competitors riding a 600 lb + personal watercraft through the surf it is anything but... It was a slow start to the event weekend as course officials struggled to set the course and the decision was made to use a flag start. Most of the competitors have little experience with such extreme conditions and this weekend would test the will and determination of the most experience racers.
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PRO FREESTYLE
SATURDAY
Freestyle...one word WOW two for the price of one... Daniel Martin made us wait and wait, much like Tom Cruise he one of his missions... Mission Impossible his opening trick a DOUBLE BACKFLIP. Let's say that again a double backflip - that's what I said. He had more air time than the Blue Angels and he completed that double landed it like he has done those forever! Needless to say everyone on the beach went nuts as well. It had never been done before. Who knows what is on the agenda with these racers tomorrow but one thing is for sure the HT Pro Watercross tour is on.
SUNDAY
You would think that Sunday would have proved to be anti climatic but that was not the case. Daniel Martin who pulled off a double back flip yesterday came out Sunday and maxed his air time... helicopters, back flips, reverse rinse repeat. Jace Forest had an epic day as well taking second after completing over a 12 tricks and most of them were combos. Jason Stoyer took third overall but more importantly continued to get the crowd on their feet. Jason is the ultimate showman and proved it once again on Sunday.
 SATURDAY
A for effort and A+ for staying upright and on the throttle as Aero Aswar a 19 year old ball of fire won both of the runabout classes. Pro-Am Runabout Open and Pro-Am Runabout Stock. In fact what definitely caught his focus and ours today is that he seemed to ride smoother than a quantum physics formula, something this Stanford University student is used to dealing with. He is truly one of the gems of our sport. His easy smile and relaxed attitude off the boat, but he showed a maturity and great style in both races. Ermino Iantosca is also going to be one to watch he had an amazing day and is in great shape for the 2014 season.
Aero Aswar continued to dominate on day two of our first tour stop he injured his knee on the second moto and could be seen limping around the pits, but on the course you could hardly tell the difference as he came into the 3rd moto. Aero missed the hole shot leaving him with one shy of 3 perfect finishes. On the 3rd moto Erminio Iantosca picked him off at the sweeper turn grabbed the hole shot and never turned back. Brian Baldwin also showed a phenomenal 2 days of racing and made it to the 3rd slot of the podium as well.
 SATURDAY
18 Pro ski riders on the line this weekend and Dustin Motzouris fit and in good spirits quietly took the lead and just never let go he seemed to find the easiest places to work the course and in his humble style made 8 laps look like 5. Rob Flores had the hole shot, but a rogue wave made his pole position and hole shot disappear along with the nose of his boat and the rest of him for that matter, but in typical Flores style nothing Flores gets back on his boat and passed back up to the leaders.
SUNDAY
Rob Flores proved once again defeat is not an option... and despite the fact that he was upside down more often than he was right side up Flores still managed to bear down and survive as he quoted to us and grab the 3rd podium position. Kody Copenhaver had an impressive weekend and proved that he would be a major factor on the national tour this year. The rider that made the waves seem insignificant was Dustin Motzouris, two days of crazy water and two days of Dustin's quiet but deadly effective riding style proved once again that this South African rider recently transplanted to Arizona would be one to watch.
PRO-AM RUNABOUT STOCK
Aero Aswar the man of the hour in the Pro Runabout Stock class staying on task seemed to be no problem for him this weekend. Brian Baldwin capitalized multiple times when riders were getting flung off of their boats as he stayed consistent and a true seasoned professional. Blaine Spooner, a newcomer to runabout racing a former stand up rider and while this may not have been the best venue to switch to a runabout, it seemed to be no problem for him.
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