Motor Action Media interviews the powerful dynamic duo of Aero and Aqsa Aswar. Some of the world’s fastest runabout racers from Indonesia.
Motor Action Media: Could you tell me how you guys got involved in jetski racing?
AERO ASWAR: My dad started the whole racing thing. I believe I was 2 years old when I started to get on a jetski. At the age of 4, back home – I had my first jetski race. It was ranging from 4-8 years and I got first place. Other than jetskiing, I also do GoKart, motocross and ATV racing too… but jetski is my passion.
AQSA ASWAR: My dad took me on the jetski when I was 2 years old and brought me to races for my brother and I to watch, since then I got motivated and wanted to try race jetskis.
MAM: Aero, Could you tell me about your injury that occurred at the beginning of the season? How did you come back from that?
AERO: During the round 1 of the tour I was trying to avoid a rider when we all know that swell in Pensacola was quite high. To me it [the water] was fine, I love riding in the surf, it’s what I used too practice in back in Indonesia. At that point, I couldn’t see the racer underneath and when I jumped couple feet above and saw him down there it was a split second decision to slant the ski sideways and landed on a build-up swell that approached me real quickly. Essentially, it was my knee versus landing on someone. Coming back from that incident, I’ve been practicing really hard on my upper body strength and little less on my lower body so that I can handle those fast skis that Dean Charrier built me.
MAM: What do you guys do to train for racing?
AERO: Mostly I train in the gym. Doing most of the time on core training such as TRX, Bosu ball, medicine ball and some cardio work. It depends on the race I’m attending. Usually for closed course I’ll lean up and am not going to buff up, but when I race the Mark Hahn or King’s Cup (a surf race) I’ll buff up so that my body can handle the impact from the ski. When I buff up I usually do core training, less cardio, and more of weight lifting.
AQSA: I also train a lot in the gym about 5-6 times a week and 1-2 times a week training on the jetski.
MAM: What was your favorite/most memorable moment from this season?
AERO: I have 3 most memorable moments first, when I realized that I actually won Pro Runabout Open on tour; that last corner when I passed Jared Moore, it was unbelievable. Second is when I won the Pro Runabout Stock on the National Tour. Lastly, when my brother was in the 1st place position in that moto 2 at the World Finals and I knew if I stayed in 2nd I would win the World Title!
AQSA: My favorite moment of the season is winning the US National Title in Pro Runabout Limited and then beating my brother in moto 2 of Pro Runabout Stock at World Finals! [Laughs]
MAM: Aqsa, what is it like competing against your older brother all the time?
AQSA: Competing against my brother is very hard because he’s one of the best racers out there and also we train together. So it’s pretty hard to pass him or pull away from him in races because we have similar riding styles. Things get pretty tense when one of us is in front!
MAM: What are your plans for next season?
AERO: I’m planning to join the whole tour of AquaX, Mark Hahn, US National Tour (pending info), World Finals and the King’s Cup.
AQSA: My plans for next season are to win every race that I attend in and to be World Champion!
MAM: I know you both worked closely with Dean Charrier of Dean’s Team, could you tell me what it was like to be a part of the team? What can you tell me about your race machines?
AERO: It was amazing; Dean is awesome to work with. We all know that he built fast skis out there. The team has been the best by far with Yamaha and Riva’s supports the team has been winning a lot of trophies and titles this year. My Yamaha FZR SVHO has been supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!! [Laughs]
AQSA: I was using the Yamaha FZR SVHO for this season. The Yamaha FZR SVHO is an awesome ski, and with Dean tuning on it, it’s unbeatable.
MAM: Aero, what can we expect to see from you and Aqsa in the future?
AERO: I don’t want say anything much about the future as the future is very fragile, just more National and World Titles!
MAM: Is there anyone you guys would like to thank?
AERO: Yes, I would like thank my dad, mom, Aqsa, Dean Charrier; and my sponsors BNI, Yamaha, Riva, Jettribe, Hydro Turf and Celebrity Fitness.
AQSA: I would like to thank Factory Yamaha, Dean’s Team, BNI, Riva Racing, and Celebrity Fitness.