With the Long Beach 2 Catalina race kicking off today, we have been interviewing some of the talented athletes who are looking to take the win.
MotorActionMedia.com interviews Curtis Marker, member of team JetRenu and one of the racers gunning for the title.
Curtis, could you tell me a little about how you got involved in Jet Skiing?
I first got involved in Jet Ski racing because of a friends brother, Terry Bukamier used to race. I went to a Long Beach to Catalina and back race in the late 90s’s and was intrigued ever since. My favorite race to watch to this day was when the Pro Tour came to Oceanside and raced in the surf. I always wanted to race, but could never afford it while working towards my career goals. One day in 2011 while Tow in Surfing in Oceanside, I ran into my dads friend, Randy Laine. I had never ridden a stand up ski and always wanted to try one. He let me take his for a spin and even though it was really hard to ride in the surf, I was hooked. I called Randy a few days later to ask him what to buy. I bought a Yamaha Superjet a few weeks later and that started my addiction to the sport.
You mentioned that you and your wife do this together, what is that like? Has her involvement contributed to your results?
I had tried for awhile to get my wife on my freeride Yamaha Superjet, finally one day she agreed. Although it isn’t set up for flat water, she rode the ski really well. I went out and bought 2 older Yamaha sit-downs, and the first time we took them out, I noticed that she was actually going really fast in the middle of the ocean. At the end of the ride, we both smiles on our faces and it was a great time. Thats where it all started. We sold both of those skis rather quickly, and bought our current 2015 Yamaha FX SVHO due to the versatility. It’s really fun doing something we both enjoy together, and its great to see her learning the lingo and more about the skis and parts. Although I am very competitive, I am learning to enjoy it more than just try and win. I actually enjoy watching her compete and trying to do well, than I do myself. That is something very new for me.
Could you tell me a little about your race craft?
The current race boat we ride is a 2015 Yamaha FX SVHO. We enjoy going to Lake Havasu and cruising around with a cooler in the bow, and heading up river. This ski is a very large runabout for the closed course racing, but we really didn’t have any intentions to compete in closed course. We really enjoy the offshore racing more. They are two different types of racing. We have caught on to the closed course racing very quick, and have done pretty well for a mostly stock ski. Our “quiver” of skis, as they call it in surfing, is growing. Next year, you will see us on new skis and in a few different classes.
I understand that you will be participating in the LB2CAT race, how have you been preparing for the race? What kind of training do you do?
The LB2CAT race is today, and I hate to say it, but I just haven’t put in enough training this year. I am usually in the gym a few days a week, lifting weights, biking and the row machine. This year I have been traveling a lot for work, with limited gyms, so I have found myself doing a lot of stretching, squats and ab work in my hotel rooms. Last year my legs were just about done after the race. I could barely walk for a few days. So I have definitely concentrated on my legs. The race is a very mental and physical race. If someone hasn’t competed in the race, they might not understand the mental aspect. Finding yourself in the middle of the ocean, in sometimes large surf, after riding as fast as you can for 30 mins, only to be half way there, with mess with your mind. That is part of the reason I love this race. It’s a race, but you are battling yourself a little.
What are your goals for the race? Other goals for the future?
My goals for the race are to beat my time from last year. I would really like to place in the top 10 overall, and podium in my class. Looking at the entries, it could be very hard to do either of those as there is a lot of talent in the field this year, as well as in my class. But those are my goals, and thats what I am striving for. My future goals are to win my class at the Mark Hahn in February, compete in the Karujet in April, and win my class in next years LB2CAT. I haven’t set my closed course goals yet, but the endurance racing is truly what I love.
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?
Yes, I am very excited to be on Team JetRenu. We first discovered their products at last years LB2CAT. They donated a lot of product as they are a sponsor for this race. We were happy to be given an award from the Race Director, for great marketing as a team for the LB2CAT. I guess you can say marketing and people is our specialty. Ever since then we have been using JetRenu to keep all of our skis clean. I like all of there product, but I seem to mostly use the Pink water spot remover and the Anti Fog for my goggles. When it’s 110 in Lake Havasu, the water dries so fast and gets so hard on the ski. Since we own such a nice new ski with a great IPD wrap job, we want to keep it looking good! Just a little bit of Pink water spot remover, and the entire boat is looking brand new again. I wasn’t using anything on my goggles for the longest time, and I was excited when I saw Anti Fog in one of our newer buckets we got from them. Now, its inside my gear bin I travel with, so I never forget it. It will play a crucial role this Sunday, when I will be racing over and hour.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
For anyone that has been thinking of racing or doing the LB2CAT, I just want to say, I didn’t know what I was getting into, or what I was doing. We practiced a few times, and got the appropriate safety gear and just showed up. Most of the people in this community are really helpful. I am glad we just went for it, because now we are helping newcomers. This sport is starting to grow, but unless people help attract new riders, it won’t take off like I know it can.
Is there anyone you would like to thank?
I would like to thank all the riders in the community that know us, have helped us, or have become friends with us. I also really want to our sponsors that help us do what we are doing, and we have some big plans in the future, as this is only our first full year of racing. Thanks to JetRenu, Jet Pilot, Yamaha, Riva Racing, IPD Graphics, SPY, DonJoy, Surface Products, Surf Ride, Jet Lift, and Ryno Power. We have selected the sponsors just as much as they have selected us. We want to build lasting relationships with companies that we feel supply the best products that help us achieve our goals. Not just to win, but to attend races, throw out good vibes, and share our sponsors products. I also want to thank Mike Klippenstein, Gerry Wong, Charles & Mary Anderson, and Mark Queen for all the help this year. It has been a fun closed course season and we have became great friends. Also Casey Mauldin at IPD Graphics has been great help down in Mission Bay and setting up buoys for us to practice on. He has a lot of knowledge and we are going to continue to steal it from him.
This interview was brought to you by JetRenu.
Check out their full line of watercraft cleaning products online.
