With the LB2CAT (Long Beach to Catalina) race creeping upon us, MotorActionMedia.com has interviewed some of the talented athletes who are looking to take the win.
Brittany Marker is looking to steal the victory out from the competitors noses at this weekend’s LB2CAT race. We interviewed this talented and determined athlete on her racing career & more.
Brittany, could you tell me a little about your history with Jet Skiing? How did you get started, what have been your favorite achievements?
I grew up going on family vacations going to the lake that included waterskiing, wake boarding, and jetskiing. Having ridden jetskis all my life, I never thought I would get into racing. I was always competing in sports, but it wasn’t until I met my husband, Curtis, that I even knew racing jetskis was still “a thing”. At the time, he had one of his old race skis and was just getting into riding standups in the surf with the freestyle guys.
I have never been good at riding standups and tried Curtis’ super jets a few times, but they were never my thing. Then one day we threw out the crazy idea of trying the Long Beach to Catalina race “just to say we did it”… So we did tons of research and trained out butts off to get in shape for the famous offshore endurance race and went out there and gave it our all. I ended up meeting and exceeding all of my personal goals for that race, finishing 14th overall and taking the win for the Women’s Division! I think that race will always be one of my favorite races, because once I got a taste of it, I was hooked!
Could you tell me a little about your race craft?
For the endurance racing, I ride a 2013 Yamaha FX HO that I race in the Naturally Aspirated class. I love how dependable the ski is and I never have to worry about running out of gas because there’s no supercharger eating it up.
For the closed course races, I ride a 2015 Yamaha SVHO in Women’s Runabout. We have added some parts from the Riva Stage 1 Kit to help with enhancing the bottom end to get more punch off the start line. While it is a bit big for the precise handling of closed course racing, it’s fun to get out there an hold my own against the other racing models meant for these types of courses. I think it makes me ride harder and makes me a better rider all around. Last month I installed my new IPD graphic kit and my ski looks awesome!
I understand that you will be participating in the LB2CAT race, how have you been preparing for the race? What are your goals for this race?
This is honestly my favorite race of the year! I love the mental, physical and emotional challenge of the endurance racing. It’s not for everybody… I train with a personal trainer throughout the year, but really work hard on my legs leading up to any endurance race. I have a really bad back from an old injury, so I cannot sit unless the water is glassy. So the majority of the time (if not all) is spent in a squatting race position, which really takes a toll on your legs. My prep? Lots and LOTS of squats!
It’s also really important to prepare yourself mentally. This is a long a trying race. The conditions can be really rough or glassy like a lake. In rough water, it can really break you, especially when you start getting tired. You have to have the mental strength to pull yourself together and finish the race.
My goals for this year’s race is just to improve upon my personal achievements last year. I finished 14th overall last year and finished in 1:14 minutes so I would like to beat my time and overall placing. But the ocean can have a mind of its own and depending upon the conditions that day, it could be a much faster (or slower) race. But my goals every race are to have fun, avoid injury or breaking down, and to better my finishing time/placing.
As always, there is a lot of really great competition at this race. There are some of the best riders that travel from across the world for this race and some amazing women that I have the privilege of racing with. It motivates me to better myself and my riding skills.
What advice do you have for young girls who may want to race Runabouts one day?
It’s never too late to get started! It’s a good idea to seek out some help and advice from someone who is already into racing, as they will have a good tips on how to get you going. My advice is always to try a sport first to see if you like it before you go full speed ahead into it. This is not a cheap sport, so before you invest the money into a good race ski and all of the equipment that goes along with it, try it out! If you really like it, seek the advice of other racers as to what type of ski to get and the best equipment. There are always tips you will get from other races that you would have never thought about yourself… It just comes with experience.
Another big factor is fitness. The offshore racing takes a lot of muscle strength and endurance, but so does closed course racing. You want to be in good shape so you can ride at your best.
What are your goals for the season, the future?
My goals are always to improve, whether that be in how I place in a competition or just my own personal performance. There are only a handful of races left this year before World Finals. I plan to attend World Finals in October and just go out there and give it my best. Next year, I plan to also race in the Blaster Spec class. I recently picked up a Blaster that Curtis and I will be building this winter to have ready for the 2016 race season. I’m excited to try something new and have fun! Who knows… Maybe some day I will even cave and get a standup!
I also understand that you are a member of team JetRenu, what are your favorite JetRenu products to use on your machine? Why do you prefer them?
I am so excited to be a part of the JetRenu team! They are so supportive and have amazing products! My all time favorite product is their Pink+. My race ski is mostly black, so when it isn’t clean, it really shows. The hard water spots seemed almost impossible to get rid of until I tried JetRenu’s Pink+. I couldn’t believe how quickly and easily the water spots disappeared and my ski sparkled like new! It’s so easy to just spray on and wipe down… No need for a full wash! When I’m at home and giving my jetski a good wash, I also love to use the “Purple” Wash & Wax and the “Tan” Gel Coat Cleaner & Wax to get that really clean, brand new, show room sparkle! The JetRenu “Yellow” Degreaser also works really well for getting off any sticker residue. Sometimes you’re changing out stickers on your ski and you get the leftover adhesive residue, but the Degreaser works better than even the “best” commercial products. I love the JetRenu products because you can tell that they have put hard work and dedication into their products. They have really done their homework to produce the best watercraft cleaning products on the market! And… They have PetRenu pet shampoo to keep your critters clean and sparkling too!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I’ve always been a competitive person and lived for the thrill of the race. But I think one of my favorite things about jetski racing is the people. I have met so many wonderful people and made some great friends with people that I would’ve never met if not for this sport. It’s great to have such a sense of community and see a competitive sport where people are always willing to step in and help one another. I have received so much great advice from some of the top people in the sport and have been welcomed into the sport with open arms. Half the fun of going to races is getting to see these people and having a great time, on and off the race course.
Is there anyone you would like to thank?
I would like to thank my husband, family and friends for all of their support. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be competitive in this sport and I couldn’t do it without their help. Also, I want to thank my amazing sponsors for supporting not only myself, but for supporting this sport. A big thanks goes out to JetRenu, Jet Pilot, Yamaha, Riva, IPD Graphics, JetLift, JetTrim, Surf Ride, Ryno Power, DonJoy, Surface Products, Spy and all those who have helped support me on this journey!
This interview was brought to you by JetRenu.
Check out their full line of watercraft cleaning products online.
