Saturday, September 26, 2015 News Release by Jessica Waters:
Six days into the Pro
Watercross World Championships, today’s races laid the groundwork for
tomorrow’s pro class finals. Some of the top racers in the sport churned up the
smooth-as-glass waters of Lake Avalon during more than 10 qualifying races, and
spectators enjoyed some hard-fought wins and to-the-last-turn battles for the
top spot headed into tomorrow’s final races of the championship - not to
mention the choice positions on tomorrow’s starting lines.
Held at Sugden Regional Park in Naples, FL, the inaugural Pro Watercross World
Championship kicked off on Sept 22, with amateur classes vying for titles
throughout the week.
“The events have been going very well. This is our first year for this World
Championship and we’ve accomplished quite a bit,” Pro Watercross frontman A.J.
Handler said following the final race Saturday. “Our goal was very simple, to
put on a great race and do a good job with it, and to take care of our
customers - our athletes.” Handler said the event also cemented a solid
relationship with both the City of Naples and with CBS Sports. Several of
Sunday’s final races will be filmed and televised on CBS Sports on October 18
at 9 p.m.
That coverage is vital - and promising - for the new championship event,
Handler said, comparing it to the boost in popularity of the snow cross sport
that saw a dramatic increase in attendance and awareness after receiving
telecast coverage.
Handler, who for the first time this year, ran the Pro Watercross National Tour
outside the IJSBA umbrella - a move he said is an effort to grow the sport and
increase competitions and attention to the sport - will continue to expand the
boundaries of personal watercraft racing. Handler announced today that
Flyboarding - currently a popular exhibition event at many competitions - will
be included in next year’s Pro Watercross World Championship as a competition
event. Flyboarding is fast becoming a competitive field, with the 2014 X Dubai
Flyboard World Cup drawing worldwide fans.
“We’re going to get in on that competition, and next year will be the
beginning. Flyboarding is a part of the personal watercraft sport, and we’re
not only going to have beginners, but the pros will be there for that, too,”
Handler said.
With the results from today’s races posted, racers have their strategies set
for Sunday’s last stand, and Handler said he is expecting to see all-out effort
from the racers.
“Tomorrow, they are going for the gold, in a sense, so I expect to see very
fast racing,” he said. “This event is going to make history for years to come.