Onondaga Lake – June 1st, 2008 — The First Annual Toyota US Open of Watercross, held on Onondaga Lake, was a great success! More than $15,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to over one hundred entries from the United States, Canada, Argentina, and Russia as they competed against their highly motivated and skilled peers for the Toyota US Open National Championships. Jimmy Wilson 19, from Hebron, OH aboard his Kawasaki walked away with the Pro-Am Ski GP Championship Title. Scott Wilk 19, from Mineral, VA earned a title in the Pro-Am Runabout 1200 Open. All the racers preformed spectacularly and we look forward to Syracuse becoming a permanent stop on the Toyota/Sea Doo United States National Championship.
Jimmy Wilson rode very well all weekend landing on the podium in of all his classes. You could tell by the huge smile on his face that he raced his heart out. Jimmy is part of the Hurricane Racing Team lead by Bill Haig. After being awarded his title, Jimmy was sure to thank Bill and his crew. "I couldn’t have come this far with their help." Bill Haig commented after the race that not only is Jimmy dedicated to his friends and family, but has "a very positive attitude that truly represents our sport." Jimmy plans on racing Myrtle Beach next weekend and will spend the 4th of July at the Toyota Water Jam in Rochester, NY.
Scott Wilk rode his 4-tech 1500 cc super charged Sea Doo to victory in the Pro-Am Runabout 1200 Open. The spotters working the radar gun had Scotty exceeding 60 mph on Sunday, but Scott thinks a little fine tuning will allow him to break the 75 mph barrier in Rochester at the 4th of July Water Jam. Scott recently moved up to the Expert class for this event and managed to take the top spot on the box in every class he entered. Scott will continue to build on the experience he gained at the Toyota US Open of Watercross and we expect great things from him in the future.
There were two special awards presented at the Sunday morning racers’ meeting on behalf of Clear Channel and Coyote Vision. Jason "The Destroyer" Stoyer was awarded the Clear Channel Sportsman Award for his fast action assisting Trey and Cameron Frame on Saturday. Jason proved that not only is he a fantastic freestyle rider, but a quick thinking Good Samaritan. The Coyote Vision "Cool Move of the Day" award was presented to Mike Vrabel for his amazing "Superman" move, flying across the water with lightening speed.
Even though the experts predicted hail, the weather held, the crowd was enthusiastic, and the racers tore through the lake with skill and vigor. "I had high hopes for this weekend’s racing event and am more than happy with the turnout. It’s all about the racers and they had a great experience" said AJ Handler, the event director and co-owner of Upstate Watercraft Promotions, Inc. Jennifer Handler, AJ’s better half, said that "It was wonderful to have a city welcome us. We are all looking forward to coming back next year."
The sense of community among the racers, their families and friends, and the crew of Upstate Watercraft Promotions, Inc at this race was what we have come to expect in our sport. When boats were stuck, friendly hands jumped into the water to assist. When boats were broken, folks rifled through their spare parts to come up with the needed items. More than one rider would not have been able to compete this weekend if not for the generosity and ingenuity of their fellow racers. When looking for roll models in the world of sports, we need to search no further than Bill "The Hurricane" Haig, Rick Sherker, and Leeanne Falvey to name a few.
Our next stop on the Toyota/Sea Doo United States Regional Championship will be the Sand and Sea Festival in Salisbury, MA, June 28th and 29th. The following weekend the APBA National Tour heads to Rochester, NY for a 4th of July celebration. Thanks to everyone for coming and see you at the races!!!
A special thanks goes out to: Burdick Toyota, Sea Doo Dealer – Ingles Performance & Sports-mann, John Rathbun of the Syracuse Convention and Vistor’s Bureau, Jon Cooley, Director of Recreation and Public Programs for Onondaga County Parks and Leiko Benson, Onondaga Lake Park Recreation Supervisor.
Julia Pilat, UWP Inc Marketing Consultant
www.uwpinc.com