Greetings PWC Racers and enthusiasts. Summer has begun. Monday marked the longest day of 2016 and the official start of summer in the United States. This year also marks the 35th consecutive year of the World Finals. It is fitting, then, that we start summer with a very special occurrence: a full moon on the eve of the solstice. According to the reports this is a once in a lifetime experience so we will consider it a herald of good things to come. Please share the following news with your friends and colleagues in the PWC Racing community.
IJSBA News
General
What an exciting year it has been for IJSBA. Many companies have renewed their relationship with IJSBA as the primary conduit to demonstrate PWC performance products; high profile IJSBA events, globally, are increasing in numbers; inquiries in World Finals participation is increased over the year, and IJSBA USA membership is at a 15 year high. IJSBA will continue to evolve as a sanctioning body focusing on collective input into competition rules, managing the standards and practices for organized competition, being the primary performance research organization for OEM manufacturers, to be a marketing vessel for all of the PWC industry, and to leading consulting group to bring the PWC performance industry to new markets. What we have accomplished over the last year is attributed to hard working staff and partners and a synergistic relationship to continue growing the sport.
Insurance
IJSBA switched insurance brokers this year and boy did we make the right move. IJSBA has paired with one hard working team that has brought us better control, predictability, and opportunity to protect the future of PWC Racing than ever before. New opportunities will soon be announced for competitors, and teams, to be able to procure, through IJSBA, low cost private coverage for vessel loss, team liability, and individual injury insurance. We have planned similar member benefits before but our previous brokers were never able to finalize these goals. Now, Rick Felsen, IJSBA’s new broker is bringing together numerous other sanctioning organizations to reconecptualize how the marine sports business insurance system can work better for all players in the game. IJSBA is pleased to be a part of this and we are excited to bring you our new programs.
IJSBA Warehouse
IJSBA has a lovely library of items at our storage at the Purissima Street location (where archives, media reels, old trophies, magazines, and TONS OF MEDIA are kept). We have so many storage boxes there that it feels like the end of the Raiders of the Lost Ark movie when we go there to retrieve something. We are going to start blowing a lot of these things out. This means that all trophies, number plates, signs, plaques, and other relics will soon be repurposed or recycled. PAL and SeaCam VHS…. We have boxes of these. If you want any of these things you should email info@ijsba.com very soon to see what kind of deals and arrangements can be made.
Classes
IJSBA recently consolidated Classic Runabout classes into a Normally Aspirated division (IJSBA Tech Boss, Mike Rodgers says the correct turn is Naturally Aspirated and we will start saying it the right way soon). More class consolidation is coming. Look, we know we have a lot of classes but it is because you ask for them. IJSBA has a rich history of some really great racing on some amazing PWC. We don’t like putting those legacies out to pasture. We will be soliciting input, from competitors, on some ways to keep historically important PWC on the water while making the way for new products to exist without further class numbers or ending popular competition categories.
Events
IJSBA events, in 2016, have been excellent and have enjoyed high turnout across the board. Already, we have completed the Mark Hahn 300, the Western Nationals in Parker, Arizona, the first round of the World Endurance Tour, in Martinique, has concluded, P1 Pro and Amateur competitions, globally, have been launched, the European Freestyle tour has started, Paraguay hosted a very successful South American Championship, and local racing has been exciting all over the globe. Just around the corner are the European Championships, the final Endurance Round at the Russky Grand Prix in Vladivostok, the IJSBA US National Championships in Chicago, King Cup, and, of course World Finals. IJSBA has contracted to bring several new events to you and even some existing new events that will be growing in size by flying under the IJSBA banner. The next 18 months should set new standards for PWC Racing and forge a new historical era for the Hall of Fame inductees at the 50th anniversary of World Finals. Speaking of World Finals..
2016 quakysense World Finals
Eligibility
This is a reminder that you will need to have participated in two IJSBA sanctioned races, in 2016, to be eligible to compete in the 2016 quakysense World Finals. International Affiliates may designate who is on their official national team but we will be scrutinizing the requisite amount of experience due to the nature of the high speed conditions at World Finals which are not without significant risk of serious injury or death. World Finals is a professional environment and we strive to maintain an environment where participants are seasoned. Next year, the required amount of qualifying events for eligibility will go up by a large margin. The new system will be based off of both an annual participation and historical participation. Competitors in the 2016 IJSBA World Finals will continue to enjoy a two event qualifying criteria in 2017. Competitors who are not participants in the 2016 World Finals will be required to compete in 3 to 5 events depending on the caliber of the event and amount of points earned at each event. So, you folks who have already planned to come to the 2016 World Finals have earned yourself some breathing room next year. However, we would hope it will remain a priority that competitors will want to do as many events as possible each year for the sake of being skilled and experienced racers.
Costs
IJSBA is pleased to announce that, once again, there will be little to no cost adjustment for participation in the 2016 quakysesne World Finals. Ground fees, pit passes, parking passes, and vendor prices will remain unchanged (vendor prices have not changed in 12 years). Entry fees will change by no more than $5.00 per class if there are any changes at all. The event will remain admission free for spectators. Live streaming is still planned as a free feature. We know that participating in PWC Racing can be financially taxing and, although the experience is great and rewards high, attending a large scale event in the desert is a big financial commitment. IJSBA continues our commitment to do everything we can to keep prices controlled and to use the funds received to bring you a solid event with skilled staff and the amenities you expect from World Finals.
Hall of Fame
IJSBA is pleased to release the inductees into the 2016 Jacobsen Stjernstrom Hall of Fame.
- Jacques Bryant
- Fumikazu “Bun” Watanabe
- Valjeko “Suki” Sukalo
- Cliff Jones
- Robert Montgomery
A separate press release, including biographies, and other information, will be posted within the next ten days. The 2016 Hall of Fame Inductees were selected entirely from the largest amount of public emails, support and nominations. There were more than 20 nominees for induction for the 2016 induction ceremony. The Hall of Fame Ceremony will take place Saturday evening, October 8, at the London Bridge Convention Center approximately 30 minutes after the Blowsion Under The Bridge Freestyle competition.
Vendors
IJSBA has sold, and confirmed, 33 of the expected 48 vendor spaces at the PWC Trade Show portion at the 2016 IJSBA World Finals. Very big news will be unveiled about the 2016 Trade Show soon and you wont want to miss the historical events that will take place this year. This will be the first public showing of all of the 2017 PWC models as well as some new aftermarket products. If you are interested in being a vendor at the event, please email info@ijsba.com.
IJSBA Collections Department
If you have a balance owed to IJSBA then you need to know two things: First, you totally suck; Second, you will need to clear this balance in full before participating in World Finals in any way. This includes competing, presence in the pit area(s), having your product displayed in the vendor area, having your logo displayed in the vendor area or anywhere visible from the spectator area, having your logo displayed on any PWC on the competition course, and having your product/company name listed on rider sponsor lists or announced on the tower. Now is a really good time to pick up the phone and call IJSBA (+1-714-751-8695) and make payment arrangements. Don’t like to call IJSBA? No problem, as an alternative you can reach out to one of our hard working staff members on Facebook, or something, and see if they will trade working for free all week towards your bill. Let us know how that conversation goes.
This concludes the Summer Solstice Update. A mass emailing is going out in a few days with more information. Monthly updates will start in July and weekly Pre-World Finals updates will start in September. If you have any questions regarding this update, or any general IJSBA questions, please email info@ijsba.com
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