Watercross: IJSBA Waterfest 2002 at Nashville Shores Park

Led by South Africa's Dustin Motzouris, powerful Team Kawasaki swept the top three finishing positions Thursday at the 3rd Annual International Jet Sports Boating Association's Endurance National Championships.

The grueling four-hour race on J. Percy Priest Lake at Nashville Shores Park was part of the inaugural IJSBA WATERFEST 2002,a seven-day personal watercraft (PWC) competition and entertainment event showcasing the positive aspects of PWC as a lifestyle sport for consumers and spectators.

In capturing the IJSBA Pro-Am Runabout 1200 Super Stock crown, Motzouris, who resides in Hacienda Heights, Calif., overcame Kawasaki teammate Chris MacClugage, Fullerton, Calif., covering 65 laps of the 3.3-mile long-course within the four-hour race limit, giving Team Kawasaki its first championship in its initial factory effort in this relatively new competition.

Houston's Andy Wise, IJSBA champion in this event in 2000 and runner-up last year on Sea-Doo watercraft, finished third this year on a Kawasaki to complete the podium sweep for his new manufacturer.

"I'm pretty well spent right now, it was all I could do to just hang on out there during the last part of the race," said Motzouris, 21, who won the IJSBA Pro Runabout 1200 National Championship in closed-course racing on the IJSBA National Tour this summer.

"This was only my second endurance race and the other one was less than half as long. I had to stand most of the race, my back is sore, my hands and arm muscles were locked up for four hours so I'm sure I'm going to be in pain tomorrow. My Kawasaki boat was absolutely awesome and if Mac's boat didn't have a minor mechanical problem, we probably would have tied."

MacClugage, 28, an 11-time IJSBA Pro National Champion, grabbed the lead at the start and held it for nearly an hour when his boat took on water and stalled. After losing about 12 minutes in the pits, MacClugage returned to still earn the second place.

Running from last Sunday through this Sunday, the IJSBA WATERFEST 2002 is being held at Nashville Shores Park in Hermitage, just east of Nashville, Tenn., on the 14,000-acre J. Percy Priest Lake. More 1000 of the finest watercraft racers from over 40 States, as well as hundreds of recreational riders, are competing in the event.

Participants are vying for a portion of the more than $50,000 in cash and prizes, enroute to the prestigious IJSBA National Championship titles in 37 Closed Course and six Endurance racing classes as well as Amateur Freestyle. The combination of National Championship closed-course and endurance competitions, together with exciting recreational PWC events, is make this a an extremely unique first-time event.

A total of 14 IJSBA Novice National Champions were crowned Wednesday in Nashville and six IJSBA Endurance National Champions on Thursday.

General Admission daily tickets for the IJSBA Waterfest 2002, priced at $5 each, are available at the gate. Admission is free to the IJSBA event with a ticket to Nashville Shores.

For more event information, visit IJSBA.