Sean Conner Post Race Interview - Dana Point to Avalon Offshore Race 3/2010

HOW DID YOU TRAIN FOR THE DANA POINT TO AVALON OFFSHORE RACE?

I try to train on the water as much as possible but when that option is not available I'm at the gym on the versa climber, pulls ups, squats, biking basically trying to simulate the movements and muscles used for pwc racing

WHAT KIND OF CRAFT DID YOU RACE? I switched it up for this event, and rode a stock Ultra 250x for pretty much the first time.

HOW DID YOUR CRAFT PERFORM DURING THE RACE? The stock Kawasaki Ultra 250x is a rock solid craft. The deep hull performs very well offshore. This was actually the most gentle race of my career for the most part.

WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT YOUR CRAFT? The Kawasaki Ultra 250x has the best hull for severe offshore conditions, very stable, deep and heavy it cuts through chop.

WHAT PLACE DID YOU COME IN? Unfortunately due to a faulty battery I broke the battery crashing through a power boat wake 3 miles from the finish line. I was swapping fuses, checking the wire harness connections trying to get it going without any luck giving me a DNF for this race.

WHAT INSIGHT CAN YOU OFFER TO NEW RACERS? Make sure every part and piece of your watercraft is in excellent condition. Equipment takes a beating offshore and even though everything might appear fine, in many case it is on its way out.

HOW ARE YOU TRAINING FOR THE LB2CAT RACE? I'm trying to spend as much time on the water as possible. In my opinion training like you race is the best way to train.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT OFFSHORE RACING? I love racing period. Although offshore racing has its own characteristics. For me offshore is very mentally challenging compared to most races. Being in the ocean, you're not only battling your competitors but also the ocean itself. Instead of flat lake water, your busting through 6 foot wind blown waves and launching off the face of swells. Even when the ocean appears flat, those ground swells will still keep it interesting. Its a different style of riding, when its rough the rider makes the difference not necessarily the amount of horsepower.

John Belton of PWCOFFSHORE.com Racing wins the Vet Master Class on his Stock Kawasaki ULTRA260X and comes in 6th overall at the 2010 Dana Point to Avalon Offshore Race!

John Belton of PWCOFFSHORE.com Racing wins the Vet Master Class on his Stock Kawasaki ULTRA260X and comes in 6th overall at the 2010 Dana Point to Avalon Offshore Race!

John Belton AKA “THE MASTER” of the channel between Long Beach / Dana Point and Catalina Island earned that nickname for traversing the channel over 650 times, yes 650 times. Belton has spent a lifetime on the water engaged in competitive sailing, surfing and racing watercraft. John is also a competitive runner. Nobody has the experience and knowledge of the channel that Belton has, and it showed on Sunday March 28, 2010 when Belton finished just behind a few of the very heavily modified high dollar watercraft on his completely stock ULTRA260X. Belton came in 6th overall and won the Vet/Master Class of the first race of the Triple Crown of Offshore. John was the first craft to cross the finish line on a completely stock craft (minus HYDRO-TURF lifter wedges), a tremendous accomplishment. Congratulations Mr. John Belton!
 

An interview of the Master: In addition to the many hours or riding and cardio you did to prepare for the race, what else did you do to prepare? About a week before the event, I start to track weather systems to give me an idea of what race conditions will be like. It is important for me to know what the weather will be because you will use different sets of muscle groups depending upon weather / water conditions. Believe it or not when the water is calmer and weather conditions are good, I find it more physically strenuous to ride in those conditions.
 
What are your thoughts about racing in rough or “ocean flat” water? When the water is rougher and there are swells, you can actually relax a bit when the boat is in the air. When the water is really fast and "mostly" calm, you must have a very tight grip on the throttle the entire 100% of the time and you must "move around" on the boat constantly to try to find the "sweet spot" which will maximize hull speed.
 
Do you prefer rough or flat water? When it comes to an event, I can't say that I prefer one type of water over the other. It's my job to adapt to the elements presented to me. But if there is a good groundswell, I have to say I do enjoy that type of ride.
 
How did you prepare your stock craft for the race? Regarding the issue of the boat itself, obviously this is a very important part of the equation. I make sure the oil level is correct, hose clamps are tight, as well as the SC Belt adjusted correctly. The night before a race, I like to just sit on the boat in the garage for a 1/2 hour or so. I just sit there and do nothing. This helps to reinforce a "comfortable" feeling on the boat. You should feel comfortable with the ergonomics of your boat. A successful offshore rider must be comfortable on the boat. If you are comfortable on the boat you are able to ride with less effort and stay strong in mind and focus.
 
Who are your sponsors? I want to thank my sponsors for their great support of me and of offshore racing. They are www.pwcoffshore.com, HYDRO-TURF, Fly Racing Products, R&D; Racing and the great information we receive from TeamMoto.
 
See you at the 2010 Long Beach to Catalina and Back Offshore National Championship on July 18, 2010!
 
www.pwcoffshore.com www.pwcoffshoreforums.com www.jetskioffshore.com http://www.lb2catrace.com/
 

jet ski racing, offshore racing, pwc racing, apba, RPM Racing Enterprises LB2CAT Triple Crown of Offshore

PWCOFFSHORE.com Racing To Sponsor Craig Warner of Monster Kawasaki

For Immediate Release

January 29, 2010

PWCOFFSHORE.com Racing To Sponsor Craig Warner of Monster Kawasaki

PWCOFFSHORE.com Racing is pleased to announce their sponsorship of IJSBA World Champion and two time APBA Offshore National Champion Craig Warner of Monster Kawasaki Racing for the 2010 Racing Season. Warner has taken the offshore racing scene by storm by capturing two consecutive Offshore National Championships in 2008 and 2009 racing his Kawasaki ULTRA 250X and 260X. PWCOFFSHORE Founder Mark Gerner said "Craig Warner has been selected for sponsorship by virtue of truly differentiating himself as being one of the elite of offshore racing. We are very pleased to augment our relationship with Craig Warner and look forward to working with Craig as he continues to excel in offshore racing." Craig Warner said "I am proud to be part of the PWCOFFSHORE.com Team and I am looking forward to defending my Long Beach to Catalina Offshore National Championship Title again this year."

Congratulations are in order for all involved!

For more information regarding Offshore PWC/Jet Ski Racing, please rvisit: www.pwcoffshore.com and www.pwcoffshoreforums.com

For more information regarding Kawasaki Watercraft visit: http://www.kawasaki.com/Home/Home.aspx
 
  Craig Warner at the 2009 Long Beach to Catalina Offshore National Championship Race (LB2CAT)

Craig Warner at the 2009 Long Beach to Catalina Offshore National Championship Race (LB2CAT)

Craig Warner at the 2009 Long Beach to Catalina Offshore National Championship Race (LB2CAT)

jet ski racing, pwc racing, kawasaki watercraft, pwcoffshore, jet ski, watercraft, catalina

2010 PWCOFFSHORE.com Sponsored/Gunz Racing Club

PWCOFFSHORE.com is pleased to announce their current 2010 Race Club Selections!

The following racers have been selected for inclusion in the PWCOFFSHORE.com Sponsored Racers Club and The Offshore Gunz Racing Club for the 2010 race season. Selections are made by invitation only.

2010 Technical Advisors:

Aaron Cress

Steve Friebe

2010 Sponsored Racers (Black Jerseys):

Steve Friebe

Ms. Shawn Alladio

John Belton

Robert Carreon

Sean Conner

Mark Gerner

* The above racers focus on the Professional, Vet Master and Stock Race Classes

2010 Gunz Racing (Red Jerseys):

Warren Frank

Mike Arnold

*The above two racers focus on the Amateur Class and Military Race Classes

These racers have been selected by virtue of their PWC offshore riding and racing experience, professionalism, success on the racecourse, and their willingness & desire to play a major role in the expansion of our sport. This is an exceptionally unique group of racers by virtue of their actions off of the racecourse. These racers are focused on their individual racing performance and giving back to the offshore racing and riding community in the form of leadership of positive change in the offshore PWC community. This includes but is not limited to assisting promoters orchestrate races, collaboration with new racers and information sharing.

Congratulations are in order for these accomplished racers!

Strength and Honor

Sean Conner (Pictured below)

Gerner

Steve Friebe

Ms. Shawn Alladio

Robert Carreon

John Belton

Technical Advisor Aaron Cress

Mike Arnold

Warren Frank

http://www.pwcoffshore.com/ for more inormation regarding offshore racing

http://www.jetskioffshore.com/

http://www.lb2catrace.com/

http://www.pwcoffshoreforums.com/

SAFETY FIRST, ALWAYS

jet ski racing, lb2cat, mark hahn, offshore racing, catalina racing, dana point to avalon, dana point to oceanside race, 250x,

2010 Mark Hahn Memorial Havasu 300 Mile PWC Race, Arizona USA

The Februay 27, 2010 Mark Hahn 300 Mile Race is right around the corner!  The best endurance racers in the world will be there, don't miss this race!

For entry form and logistics information, click here:  http://www.pwcoffshore.com/Mark_Hahn_Race.html

Gerner and Carreon of PWCOFFSHORE.com Sponsored Racing won last year piloting the Kawasaki ULTRA 250X, who will win the title this year?!

http://www.jetskioffshore.com/
http://www.pwcoffshoreforums.com/
http://www.lb2catrace.com/

THE TRIPLE CROWN OF OFFSHORE PWC / JET SKI RACING DEBUTS WITH GREAT SUCCESS IN 2009

Pictured above is Ross Wallach of RPM Racing Enterprises giving instruction to the racers.

The Triple Crown of Offshore was a collaboration between race promoter RPM Racing Enterprises, K38 Water Safety, PWCOFFSHORE.com and the APBA. The Triple Crown of Offshore Race Series consists of three races:  The 37 mile Dana Point to Avalon Offshore Sprint Race in April, The historic 58 mile Long Beach to Catalina and Back APBA Offshore National Championship Race (AKA the LB2CAT) in July, and the 50 mile Dana Point to Oceanside and Back Offshore Race in November. A points system was created to determine Triple Crown series race winners by class and an over Triple Crown Winner. 2009 also saw the creation of new race classes; The Military Class which is available to all current and former members of the US Military, the Manufacturers Stock Class that is for 100% stock craft only and The Challenged Athlete Class.

Individual Race Winners:
Individual race winners were Lee Phan of Southern California who won the Dana Point to Avalon Race racing his SeaDoo RXT, Monster Factory Kawasaki sponsored racer Craig Warner won the 2009 LB2CAT Offshore National Championship Race for the second consecutive year racing his Kawasaki ULTRA260X, and Pat Roque of Huntington Beach, Ca won the Dana Point to Oceanside and Back Race on his SeaDoo RXP.
(Mike Arnold Pictured Below - Triple Crown Military Class Winner)

2009 Triple Crown of Offshore Race Winners:
PWCOFFSHORE.com founder Mark Gerner was the overall 2009 Triple Crown Winner racing his heavily modified Kawasaki ULTRA250X.  Gerner's win further solidified Kawasaki’s dominance of offshore racing. Mark attributed the success to “two great technicians in Cress and Friebe working on the craft, many years of offshore experience, an aggressive training regime and great love for the sport.” Paul Pham won the PROAM Class on his SeaDoo RXT, Iron Man Triathlete Kim Bushong won the Veteran Master Class Racing his Kawasaki ULTRA250X, Ralph Perez won the Amateur Open Class, Mike Arnold of the US Marine Corps won the Military Class, Shawn Alladio won the Manufacturer’s Stock Class, Warren Frank won the Challenged Athlete Class and Tommy Kolleck won the Sportsman Class.

Mark Gerner of PWCOFFSHORE.com Racing (pictured above) was voted the Offshore Racer Of The Year by his peers, while Sean Conner of PWCOFFSHORE.com GUNZ Racing was voted the New Offshore Racer Of The Year. Quakysense wetsuits was voted the best vendor supporter of offshore racing for 2009 and was recognized by the racers during the awards banquet for their support of Offshore PWC / Jet Ski Racing.

Ahmed Hamade and Brian Largentina were both given special recognition for giving up their respective Oceanside Races to support a downed racer that was sinking after a mechanical. Their selflessness earned them great respect from their fellow racers.

Special recognition is in order for Warren Frank, Ryan Levinson and Dave Fekete who were the first "challenged athlete" class to ever compete in the LB2CAT. 

The 2009 LB2CAT, the second race of the Triple Crown was filmed and a DVD was produced yet again this year. The 2009 LB2AT DVD race coverage is available via http://www.pwcoffshore.com/

The Triple Crown of Offshore PWC / Jet Ski Racing is scheduled to kick off again at Dana Point, Ca in march of 2010, don’t miss out! Come on out and participate. Yes, you! For more information regarding the Triple Crown of Offshore, visit www.pwcoffshore.com the premiere site for the PWC / Jet Ski offshore racer, rider and enthusiast!

Picture to the above and right is of Pat Roque who won the Dana Point to Oceanside and back race.
Top 21 positions earned numbers for the 2010 series


Place Racer Name Points

1. Mark Gerner 1068

2. Paul Pham 1064

3. Kim Bushong 1064

4. Shawn Alladio 980

5. Pat Roque 780

6. John Belton 696

7. Robert Carreon 696

8. Ralph Perez 688

9. Sean Conner 680

10. Jim Walker 664

11. Warren Frank 644

12. Mike Arnold 608

13. Ryan Levinson 586

14. Craig Warner 400

15. Lee Phan 400

16. Chris Heinrich 368

17. Dave Szych 352

18. Tyler White 348

19. Tom Phan 348

20. Ian Settlemire 344

21. Taylor Curtis 344

Kim  Bushong Pictured below

Mark Gerner Pictured Below at the 2009 LB2CAT

The start of the 2009 LB2CAT Race pictured below

TAD Racing at the 2009 LB2CAT below

Ryan Levinson pictured below at the 2009 Dana Point to Oceanside and Back Race

Start of the 2009 LB2CAT / Still behind the Queen's Gate Break Wall 

Below, Ms Shawn Alladio of PWCOFFSHORE.com Sponsored Racing - 2009 Dana Point to Oceanside and back Offshore Race

Jet ski racing pwc racing lb2cat triple crown of offshore racing www.jetskioffshore.com www.lb2catrace.com pwcoffshore hydro turf R&D Racing, Liquid Militia Fly Racing

Sean Conner picks up "the even more prestigious" Black Jersey at PWCOFFSHORE.com than the red one he was wearing!

Sean Conner of PWCOFFSHORE.com Gunz Racing (Gunz is the Red Jersey focused on Amateur level racing) is recently selected to take a step up to the PWCOFFSHORE.com Sponsored Racers Group (the Black and Gray Jerseys / Pro and Vet Master Racers). Sean Conner is the youngest racer in the history of PWCOFFSHORE.com Sponsored Racing to become a “Sponsored Black Jersied Racer,” joining the ranks of some of the biggest names in Offshore PWC Racing. Mark Gerner, Founder of PWCOFFSHORE.com said “I’m excited about Sean joining the ranks of the Black Jerseys at PWCOFFSHORE Racing and taking his racing career to the next level, Sean Conner represents the future of Offshore Racing and we look forward to watching Sean continue to grow and win championships. He is one of the very few that has the skill, drive, passion and work ethic to be successful in offshore racing.  He is also a great ambassador for the sport of offshore racing.  He deserves it.”

For more information regarding offshore PWC Racing, check out http://www.pwcoffshore.com/