Inka Jet Raid Days 3 and 4

Greetings from Paracas, Peru, where we have just completed day four of the 2015 Inka World Jet Raid Championship. The event has been as challenging as it has been rewarding. This report covers day’s four and five due to the scarcity of internet during travel.

If pictures and reports are not your thing, you can download the results, to date here: InkResultsThroughDayFour

Much has changed the last two days since a whimsical report made from Esmar beach in Ancon. A couple more heats of grueling ocean racing, equipment failures, changes in points, and the impact of being on the road with many more days to come has settled with most people here. Day three’s arrival in Cerra Azul found most people going straight to bed after dinner and enjoying the additional hour there was to sleep before the day’s competition. No more late nights talking, fewer beer bottles clinking, less talk about the beautiful sites and much more talk about the realities and complications of racing in an intense competition like Jetraid. The major discussion topis: 27 individual PWC started this event, now down to a static 15 and as low as 12 on the line on day three. What nobody is talking about are the high stakes: Number 5, Allain Martin, has amassed a points lead of sixtyone points over second place, number 75, the team of Carlos Torres and Paloma Noceda. However, the second place total is only six points over third place, Manuel Cherici. Cherici is only two points ahead of Vincent Thomas who holds fourth place only eight points over fifth place, the team of brothers Marton and Gaston Diaz. Allain Martin may have some cushion but with several heats to go, his lead is not secured. The victory is still very much up for grabs.

Day Three: Ancon to Santa Maria then to Cerra Azul. Manuel Cherici broke his engine on the way to Santa Maria putting him totally out for the rest of the day as Santa Maria was a stop in a small bay, far below the road, with no bility to get a ski in or out. So, Cherici was brought back to Ancun, shortly after the stat, and was out until the start of Day Four in Cerra Azul to Paraccas. Allen Martin would win the heat. There were no other breaks but this heat was the smallest finish of the raid seeing only 12 boats to carry on to Santa Maria. A frustrated Anthony Raditich his PWC repaired in time for the start of Heat Two, and the PWC delivered to Santa Maria, but with no ability to get it down in the water (a private yacht facility, the only means of launching in this bay did not have interest in participating ).

The second heat, of day three, Santa Maria to Cerra Azul, the winner was #7 Vincent Thomas from Guadelupe. There were big waves waiting in Cerra Azul of nearly 4 meters. While there were no breakdowns, two pilots did not pay sufficient attention to GPS and overshot the finish by more than 10 KM before running out of fuel and, then, later rescued by the course marshals.

Day Four: Heat one, of day four, sent competitors from the surf town of Cerra Azul to the resort town of Paraccas. Anothony Raditich was able to get the salvaged PWC running and managed to earn a top 5 finish. Allen Martin took the win, Paloma Noceda took second. Manuel Cherici took third. After the brutal waves in Cerra Azul, competitors were, no doubt, relieved to reach the flatter waters of Pisco Bay as they arrived in Paraccas (yes, that pisco, it is named after this area).

Heat two of day four was a 4 lap endurance race to a point around a mountain called Candelabra of the Andes. This landmark is named, aptly because a giant candelabra shape has been carved into it since prehistoric times. Locals share stories, and beliefs, that the candelabra was carved by outerspace beings so they would know where to land when they came back to visit earth. Apparently, these benevolent spacmen, who were reputed to be responsible for giving mankind early technology such as fire, basic tools, and redimentary concepts of physics, could travel bazillions of light years through space to find Earth but, once here, were otherwise unable to locate Pisco Bay without the help from a giant stone carving (perhaps on the return of the aliens, we can share with them our invention of the GPS- they might want to consider who teaches them to use it given some of the navigation errors of day three). Earthly accomplishments, today, included Mannuel Ceriche taking first in heat two of day four. Second went to Paloma Noceda, and third place to Juan Francisco San Martin.

The evening was spent in the Hotel San Agustin, a four star resort here in the leisurely town of Paraccas. Paraccas is all tourism and is the elite retreat area for those wanting a seascape getaway. The rest and comfort recharged competitors and staff alike. Pisco flowed heavily, reasonably good internet was found, and people gathered and talked well into the evening. Competitors and staff, alike, reviewed the gameplan and prepared for taking stock and reneweing efforts for the next day’s competition.

We have received some emails inquiring about why we are posting more pictures of the scenery and socializing on the IJSBA website. IJSBA was brought to Jetraid for two reasons: to offer consulting services to the IJSBA South American contigency, and to help spread the word about not only the racing, but the many reasons a competitor would choose to enter a race in Peru. PWC racing is a global sport and following it aroudn the globe offers participants, their crew, and family experiences of a lifetime that they will never regret. For thos who want a more race oriented report, please visit www.jetraidperu.com. We will bring you more news at the end of Day Five.

Day Three Pictures: