PowerSports Business

December 26, 2016

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PWC 2017 event to be held on new area of Daytona Beach Topping off a successful season packed with new events, new fans, new athletes and new venues, Pro Watercross has recently forged a partnership that will once again expand the range of competitions held under the Pro Watercross banner. "We are proud to announce that the Day- tona Freeride will now be a Pro Watercross- sanctioned event," CEO A.J. Handler said. "I'm excited to have Nicholas Foederer join the Pro Watercross family as an event organizer." One of the most popular freestyle events on the east coast, Foederer's Daytona Freeride draws competitors from across the country as well as garnering international attention. "I'm happy to be working with Pro Water- cross and with A.J.," Foederer said. "I think he represents the most professional thing we've got going in the sport right now, and I want to work with someone who is that professional." Pro Watercross' long-standing expertise in working with venue representatives — both private sector and municipal officials — is something that stands to benefit event orga- nizers and help smooth the logistics process, Foederer added. Pro Watercross' expanding media coverage, including national television as well as livestreaming outlets, is also playing a key role in attracting new sectors of the per- sonal watercraft sport. "I really like what they did with the Pro Watercross tour this year; they are really put- ting things together," Foederer said. "I think Pro Watercross can help me get to where I want to be with the Freeride." The 2017 Daytona Freeride, which will be held Jan. 12-15, will stake out a new stretch of Daytona beachfront. "We'll be closer to the pier and all of the Daytona activities, and we have a new host hotel, the Ocean Breeze Club," he said. F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o r t o r e g i s - ter for the 2017 Daytona Freeride, visit www.daytonafreeride.com. PSB Daytona Freeride joins Pro Watercross 24 • December 26, 2016 • Powersports Business www.PowersportsBusiness.com PWC sales have increased over the last 12 months, including in October, when the seg- ment saw 5 percent growth, according to the latest Info-Link Bellwether report. The Bellwether report tracks sales of powerboats across the country based on new U.S. boat registrations on a rolling 12-month basis. Bellwether states are geographically dispersed states representing roughly half of the U.S. boat market (varies by market seg- ment and time of year). The ski boat category once again showed the strongest growth, with sales up by nearly 15 percent on a rolling 12-month basis. The sportfish segment posted the second- strongest gains at about 7 percent. That was down slightly from the last report, when sales were up by nearly 10 percent. Overall, the outboard segment was up about 7 percent, in line with the results of the last several reports. The sterndrive/jet boat seg- ment was up by about 1 percent for the period. IJSBA ANNOUNCES 36TH ANNUAL WORLD FINALS The IJSBA announced that the 2017 World Finals will be held Sept. 30-Oct. 8 at Crazy Horse Campgrounds in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The event is usually set to end the day before Columbus Day, which gives many competitors and staff members a Monday holiday to travel. In 2017, the opening check- in day will begin the last day of September. This, generally, affords a few more minutes daylight — something that is appreciated when Mother Nature surprises the event with a wind storm or other weather that can make a day run a little bit long. Visit IJSBA.com regularly over the next couple of weeks, as IJSBA will present a new concept for the layout of World Finals, including an entirely new track concept. MARK HAHN MEMORIAL HAVASU 300 RIDE DATES SET The 2017 Hot Products IJSBA Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Mile National Team Endurance Race Pre- sented by Yamaha is set to launch on Sunday, Feb. 12 from Crazy Horse Camp- ground in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The 2016 event — known as the world's longest continuous PWC race — attracted teams and riders from 14 countries around the world and will once again be sanc- tioned by the IJSBA. It's expected to draw a record number teams from around the globe. The teams will be competing against each other while trying to break the 300- mile record of 4 hours 46 minutes and 13 seconds set by the 2016 Mark Hahn Memorial Overall winners Pastorello and Botti of Team Kawasaki France. For the 13th consecutive year the race is being held in the memory of endurance racer Mark Hahn, who was instrumental in providing the momentum to keep endurance racing going strong and growing across the country before his untimely death during a PWC race in 2004. The team format features two riders for runabout (sit down) boat teams and up to three riders for a stand-up craft. Solo riders are welcome to "Ironman" the race on either style of boat. PSB DIGEST PWC sales growth at 5 percent in October The Daytona Freeride, set for Jan. 12-15, is now a Pro Watercross-sanctioned event. PHOTO BY MEL-SMITH.COM

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