Watercross: Sheldon, Laho, Paturel-Schacht, Skelton lead at IJSBA Nashville event

Victor Sheldon, Tera Laho, Karine Paturel-Schacht and Kelle Skelton, all winners of prelim races, are at the top of their respective classes entering Saturday's action at the International Jet Sports Boating Association's Watercross Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee.

All are among the top racers in their sport and in position to win IJSBA National Championships, the four are 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.

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.

With the finals in all six Pro-Am divisions Sunday, Expert and Amateur classes will be on J. Percy Priest Lake Saturday during racing action from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

New Zealand's Kelle Skelton, who resides in Baldwin Park, Calif., won her heat race on a Kawasaki and was the fastest qualifier in Pro-Am Runabout 1200 Stock. Winning the second heat race in her class was Mark Queen, Thornton, Ill., on a Polaris.

Skelton, of Vista, Calif., rode his Polaris watercraft to victory in the first of two motos in Pro-Am Ski Stock, while France's Paturel-Schact, who lives in Melbourne, Fla., rode a Yamaha to victory in the first moto of Pro-Am Women Runabout 1200 Limited.

Laho, of Lake Havasu, Ariz., won the first moto in Pro-Am Women Ski on a Yamaha.

Winning the first moto in Pro-Am Runabout 800 Super Stock was Stuart Rasmussen, Lantana, Fla., on a Sea-Doo.

The first moto winner in Pro-Am Sport 785 SS was Darryl Robbins, Huntingtown, Md., on a Sea-Doo watercraft.

IJSBA National Championship crowns will be awarded on the combination of finish in either closed course motos and heat races along with the individually-timed slalom competition.

While the feature attraction is the IJSBA Watercross National Championships, there are many other events for watercraft enthusiasts in this year's festival, including not only Thursday's IJSBA Endurance National Championship, PWC Poker Run, SlalomX SuperChallenge, radar run shootout, ramp jump, custom watercraft competition, safety seminars, live entertainment, fireworks, and many other family oriented activities.

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.

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 the IJSBA website.