Greetings to the Personal Watercraft Racing Community. Today marks exactly one month until the gates open for the 2020 VP Racing Fuels World Finals. This will be the 39th consecutive year IJSBA has produced the PWC World Championships. We plan to continue racing PWC as long as there is water on the planet. This is a weekly update to prepare us for what we are hoping to make happen. Please share the following news with your friends and colleagues in the sport.
Today, we received the sad news from Asian Multisports, the owners of the right to produce the very popular Kings Cup race for the Thai Jet Sports Boating Association, that the event will be postponed to 2021 (the release can be read here: http://jetski-worldcup.com/news2020/07-jwc20-PostponedENN.html ). While many of us will feel disappointment in December, they are alleviating our sorrow with a massive prize purse for those who can make the rescheduled installment in March 2021. IJSBA will be working with all affiliates and organizers to minimize date conflicts to make the Kings Cup and absolute priority. All efforts to support this event should be made by all international members of IJSBA.
Additionally, this make whatever we do with World Finals the only major watercraft event scheduled for five months. IJSBA examined the possibility of pushing back the World Finals, later in 2020, to allow for more developments in fighting COVID-19 and allowing for easier international travel. After examining venue availability, the amount of daylight in a winter season day, and the impact on those who have already committed to World Finals, we decided that it is best to stay the course and produce the best possible event that can happen this year to keep continuity going for the years to come. The whole purpose for IJSBA existing is to ensure the continued proliferation of PWC competitions, PWC organized events, and the continued research and sharing of information that comes from the evolution of watercraft by constant development through IJSBA rules and policies.
So, with this in mind, we are continuing to put our best to make the 2020 World Finals happen, as scheduled, from October 3-11, at Crazy Horse Campgrounds, in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. This event is going to be a completely scaled down skeleton event which is being held to preserve the continuity of the event as mentioned above. We want to make full disclosure that most amenities and benefits will be removed from the event and want anyone who plans to attend to be aware of this. Additionally, we want to make the same persons aware that strict compliance with all COVID-19 preventative measures will be enforced at all times. We will make this disclosure at every weekly update. Permission to attend and/or participate in the World Finals is expressly conditioned on complete adherence to the restrictions placed on the event by local, state, and federal authorities.
What kind of amenities are being cut? What compliance restrictions should we expect? Lets start answering these based on what we know now. This, of course, is all subject to change. First, some classes have already been cut to accommodate a shorter race schedule (the tentative list of classes can be seen here: https://ijsba.com/ijsba-update-39th-annual-world-finals-planned-as-low-impact-event-oct-3-11-2020/). Most classes that do not meet a minimum threshold of entries within the next two weeks will be removed from the program. Payouts for classes are suspended until such time as adequate participation levels can warrant a prize budget. Trophies and number plates will still be given to top scoring competitors but these will be given on the venue site at the end of each competition day as opposed to the two award ceremony evenings. The under the bridge show will not happen this year (but we are working on a Saturday Night Freestyle show and party at Crazy Horse). We will begin posting a full list of expected changes next week. While it is speculative exactly which infection mitigation restrictions will be in place at the event, it is expected that the wearing of masks, social distancing, regular hand sanitizing, and daily temperature checks will be required.
Vendors and sponsors are starting to commit to what they can do to support the event. IJSBA is still expecting a good turnout of exhibitors at the trade show portion of the World Finals. Vendors are required to adhere to strict guidelines such as sanitizing items between being examined by consumers. The following is a list of the currently committed vendors:
VP Race Fuels
IMS Shirt Werx
Jettribe
Sports Massage Tent and Hydrotherapy
Prowatercraft
Ronnymac Photgraphy
Real Time Pain Relief
Farthing Racing
WorksH2O Designs
Destination Hydration
Food Vendors:
Mr. B Giant Lemonade And Burgers
Hooch’s Rolling Smoke BBQ (Formerly Nikos Greek Food)
Marnies Nachos
Golden Sun Filipino Food
Scoops Ice Cream
Donut Man
If the 2020 VP Racing Fuels World Finals is an event you feel comfortable attending, we hope you will do so. Entry forms have been published and can be downloaded at this link: https://ijsba.com/ijsba-releases-early-entry-form-for-2020-vp-race-fuels-world-finals/. It is highly suggested that competitors register immediately to preserve the category of choice and to further ensure the likelihood of the event being fully produced.
Please stay tuned to IJSBA over the next week for many more releases including scheduling, pitting including camping possibilities, vendor announcements, and more news as we have it. If you have questions of comments regarding this update, please email info@ijsba.com.
