In this series sponsored by ProWatercraftRacing.com, MotorActionMedia interviews talented and passionate athletes on their love for the sport and how ProWatercraftRacing.com handling components help them charge after their goals.
MotorActionMedia.com interviewed Stian Schjetlein, the young rising racer from Norway. As of recently Schjetlein has quickly risen to the top ranks and even beaten some of the world’s best racers. We talked with him about his machines, his dreams and his #Passion.
Stian, I understand that over the past few years you have very quickly risen to be a top contender. You’ve been competing with, and even beating some of the world’s top athletes. How would you say you have gotten to this point? Where do you plan to go from here?
Well, like everything else, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. But I also think it that it is not as easy as that. For me, it has been very important to surround myself with the right people, for example Team Norway. Even though I have not been the head coach of Team Norway, I have been training these athletes on a daily basis and even been their teacher and coach in the subject elite sports. This has given me a new perspective on how to change and adapt my riding and I have also learned a lot from these riders as I have been training them. And of course, it has been great to have such a good crew to train with on a daily basis.
My plans for the future are a bit uncertain. I am currently in the USA working on developing a new hull with Pro Watercraft Racing, but I am unsure of what I will do next year. I have to many desires and wishes I guess. I would love to race the US national tour, but also the European Championship and World Championship. I think we will just have to wait and see.
You have also been traveling all over the world! How has your season been, could you tell me about your favorite accomplishment this year?
I started the season by going to the USA to work with Pro Watercraft Racing on developing a new hull. I spent four months in the USA before I went back to Europe to do some races there. I am now back in the USA and will be here for the rest of the year (except for a trip to China and a trip to Dubai). I was very happy with my effort in Doncaster, England at the Jetcross World Cup where I got a good podium finish together with two living legends, Chris Macclugage and Jeremy Poret.
Could you tell me about your race machines? What do you ride? What PWR components are you using?
I currently race a Bullett V2 with a Kawasaki ZXI 1200cc engine. I have done a lot of changes to my bullet, including making my own intake grate, ride plate, gas tank and I am also running a different handle pole and matt setup than what I see on other Bulletts. I have done some minor changes to the hull also.
I occasionally race Ski Lite also. In this class I use a Yamaha Superjet with all the newest Pro Watercraft Racing components; Pro Watercraft Rear sponsons, Pro Watercraft ergo kick, Pro Watercraft flex ride plate, and a Ultra Motorsports handle pole with a Pro Watercraft Racing chinpad.
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Click the links below to check out some of the Pro Watercraft Racing components used by World Champion Stian Schjetlein.
How would you compare the way your machine handled before/after the PWR products were installed? What changes did you notice?
On my Bullett, I don’t use any Pro Watercraft Racing components as I have pretty much made all the handling components on this ski myself, however I have gotten some great tips from Pro Watercraft Racing. I use the Blowsion Handlepole on my Bullett which really makes a huge difference compared to other handlepoles that I have tried. I think a lot of my success on my Bullett comes from the changes I have made. I am not fighting the ski the way I see a lot of other riders do, and the ski handles better than any other Bullett I have tried.
On my Yamaha Superjet the difference before and after the PWR products is huge. The handling is amazing, when I come up to a corner the ski is just glued to the water and I often don’t even have to get off the throttle to make the turn. It is simply amazing. On the Superjet, I was not expecting to do very good this year since I have not put as much effort into this class and it is no longer my main priority as I am focusing 100% on the GP class.
However, when I brought some PWR handling products back home from the USA and installed it on my Superjet back in Norway it made a huge change. I think I can give my handling package a lot of the credit for my Norwegian Championship win this year and also my 2nd place finish in the Nordic Championship. My handling package has in my eyes simply been superior to other handling packages that I have raced against in Norway this year.
I also understand that you have been working as a test rider for PWR, how has that experience been?
Working as a test rider for PWR has been a great experience, I have learned a lot about how the different products, shapes and materials work with the ski and the water and I have also learned a lot about my own riding. It has really been an amazing experience. I am really looking forward to unveiling what we have come up with at the IJSBA World Finals.
How would you describe the handling of the all new HFC-flex plate on your ski? What do you think about the new material?
It is a great material for your handling components. We have all seen how the fiberglass ride plates get scratched up and some of the handling features really gets damaged over time. Well with the new HFC-flex plate this is no longer a issue. You can bend it, hit it with a sledge hammer or even do a burnout on it. It will still look the same, handle the same and the handling features will not be damaged.
In addition to the new strength in the material, it also improves handling. For example, when you exit a corner or simply catch a big wave and get some air. A lot of riders struggle with getting the ski to hook up right away after a big jump, they will keep bouncing and doing small jumps for 10-20 feet before they have perfect hookup again. The new material helps the plate work as suspension for you ski and helps you avoid all the bouncing and extra jumps.
What are your plans for the rest of the season? Your goals?
Right now I am living in Lake Havasu working on developing the new Pro Watercraft Racing hull and also working as a trainer and coach for the Pro Watercraft Racing team. I will be going to China and Dubai for the last two races of the Aquabike World Championship and I am really hoping to get some really good results in these races to help on my overall. I have had a lot of minor issues this year that will set me back for the overall points. Also, World Finals is coming up, and I will be riding the brand new hull from Pro Watercraft Racing and I am really excited to be riding the new ski against the best in the world.
Why do you think it’s important for a rider to have passion? What would you say you are most passionate about?
Passion is a very important part of any successful rider. Passion is not really what drives you to go to that extra hard training and run up those stairs one more time. That is called dedication. Passion is that smile you put on as you are running up the stairs for the 127th time and your legs are simply killing you. Or when you are doing the 40th consecutive lap on the buoy course and your back is about to collapse. The smile and satisfaction you do these things with and the happiness you get from doing these things. That is the true passion for the sport that we can recognize in the best athletes in the world.
I think one of the most important areas for me within the sport is the development of the rider. I love developing the handling kits and working on making it easier for the rider, but my true passion is all about being the versatile rider that sees and works on every single aspect of riding, both on the water and off the water. I love chasing the “ultimate rider” profile and trying to set my training up for becoming just that.
Is there anyone you would like to thank?
I would like to give a huge thanks to my family for all their support and effort to help me reach my goals and live my dream. Also, I could not do this without all my sponsors: Pro Watercraft Racing, Jettribe, Blowsion, Tech One Racing, Yamaha Bergen, D & J Kielland, Bilskadesenteret, Jettrim, IPD Graphics, Spy Optics, GoPro, ODI Grips, Skat Trak.
Are you looking for the world’s leading handling specialists? Look no further than ProWatercraftRacing.com. Click here to check out their website.
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