Freestyle Limited class of Freestyle in competition

[Joker]

I would love for their to be a class like this. I'm 18 and a senior in high school and I'm starting college next fall. This class would be awesome for kids my age because we would be able to compete on an almost non-existent budget. If there were some competitions around me within 4 hours or so I would go and compete at this level. Then once I graduate college and get a job I would be able to compete in the AM class once I thought I could handle the competition.

And I'm sure some others on this forum my age should feel the same way.

 

[GIL]

I raced MX for 30 years. The day I realized I no longer stood a chance in hell of winning, I sold all of my stuff. I then found freestyle comp on skis and fell in love. I am 18,000.00 into a 98 RN with a stock hull and realize again I do not stand a chance of winning and therefore quit competing 2 years ago..........................................

It's MY opinion that when 18K does not buy enough ski to win AM class that AM class is NOT worth winning nor is it worth spending more money to be competitive. If I compete again it will be to hang out with friends, make new friends, and have fun.

The Nationals getting yanked from Nashville TN has not helped my mindset either!!! Thanks to the morons that ruined it for us at Nashville Shores, thanks to the S.O.B. that ruined it for us at Tupelo, on and on and on..............................

rant over for tonight.

 

[Tmart]

You made many good point Tzane. I don't mind people who other people consider as pro competing in the amateur class at all b/c if they can do pro style tricks on 865cc or less, than more power to them which I really respect. Now in my opinion, I think where we could get some serious attention to the sport and what class would become super successful is having a class that the limit is a big bore. There's plenty of good riders that can throw down backys and rolls and still do hood tricks on a big bore ski. i would definitely strive to compete in this class if it existed. This would be the difference in spending 5 or 6k on a motor, and spending 2 or 3k on a motor. That would leave people a few other mods that they could get (TL, Mag) that would really wake up those big bores and become a tough competition without spending near as much money as official amateurs and pros. Just my .02

 

[McDog]

What happened at nationals to get us kicked out of Nashville?

 

[ChrisFiore15]

^utt ohhh.... haha sore topics

 

[jMike]

You also have to take into account the intimidation factor. I would say more people would compete but it's hard to justify lining up against some of the top amateurs.

But lets not forget that we are at the 'worlds' level, the best amateurs in the 'world' are super flipping and by the rules of competition they, if mixed in with a decent routine, should win and get the bump up to pro. If all I can do is go out and do one superflip in 2min then I'm likely not going to win and someone with a better routine will (which would include a mix of new school, old school and how big an clean the tricks are)

Having a 'limited' class is good for the national and regional tours and would allow people to get familiar with the competition but isn't suited IMO for the pro weekend at WF. It could run during the week while the novices and old guys race and would give

 

[jMike]

The novice freestyler a chance to get out there in front of the crowds and get a routine going for when they are ready to step it up to amateur 900.

 

[GIL]

What happened at nationals to get us kicked out of Nashville?

Drunk Texas rednecks trashing the place!!! R5 guys really screwed things up for us R7 guys. Wait, wasn't the azz that screwed up Tupelo for us ALSO a R5 guy???
I think he was!!! Lets get hammered down drunk, get on a 90mph couch, look behind us at FULL THROTTLE while in a pond, hit a concrete storm drain, dam near kill ourselves, AND THEN SUE THE RACE VENUE, PROMOTER, LOCAL, AND EVERYONE INVOLVED!!! THE F-TARD SHOULD HAVE SUED HIMSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sorry Jett, rant over.....

 

[Polish jet pilot]

to be honest this sport is way too expensive - compare cars - to be competitive in a drifitng competiton (kinnda freestyle) at an amateur level put in 5-10K and you are good to go. With skis, that have much less parts in them and oldschool 2 stroke motors, a very good ski should cost not more than 10k IMHO.

You guys are winding up the prices, becuase a lot of your products go for export to countries as Russia and UAE where those folks have no budget limitations. The rest of the world is not UAE! A piece of metal, even CNC milled and "developed for years" by top riders should not cost the buyer 3 times the development and production cost IMHO, IF this sport is to grow and become more popular with kids - the future of this sport.

 

[Polish jet pilot]

just to give an estimate, material for a fibergalss hull costs here about 400 usd... a compelte hull - 4-7k!

 

[raytherace]

just to give an estimate, material for a fibergalss hull costs here about 400 usd... a compelte hull - 4-7k!

Its not just about the material it take to build a hull, its about everything around it too. To build a hull, you need first a building, its cost money too, insurance for this building its not free, after that you need a fiberglass guy, not free, you need a accountant, you have tax to pay. If you sell the hull with paint you need a painter a place to paint it too. All the R&D around that cost money too. IMO, with all that fees you are far from the 400$ of material and im sure im forgetting some too.

 

[jMike]

Not to mention most AM hull builders make maybe 30 a year. The guys have families to feed too. They need to turn a profit to make it worth while. And that's after the recoup the expenses of the molds, R&D time, materials, tools, shop etc etc etc.

It's a tough game to play with jetskis. In the moto world a guy can buy a 7000$ bike and go pull a flip with the right skills. With a ski there are very few that can do that with a machine off the showroom floor.

Flat water freestyle is its own monster, which is both awesome an slowly killing itself. With all the progression and big tricks it is slowly making itself unobtainable to the entry level guy. I see flips and huge rolls that's what I want to do. I go buy a ski in my (normal working shmuck) price range and it barely hops out of the water so I buy a pipe and then it does a little more, I get an ingnition an it does a little more but I'm still just trying to make a civic into a Ferrari.

So what is the answer? I do think the OEM hull and motor limit class will help but and skis like BOB and the other Low entry cost AM hulls are great but most new entries aren't buying these.

It's too bad surf riding hasn't taken off more, it really is the thing that is going to save stand up jetskis.

 

[raytherace]

It's a tough game to play with jetskis. In the moto world a guy can buy a 7000$ bike and go pull a flip with the right skills. With a ski there are very few that can do that with a machine off the showroom floor.

The ramp and landing from motocross sport is not free, just the ramp cost big money, and a Caterpillar loader to make a landing is expensive.

 

[jMike]

Haha, I guess all our ramp are free.

 

[raytherace]

Haha, I guess all our ramp are free.

loll


I mean all sports cost money, people know that if their kid want to do sport they have to pay ! But when you have to pay 25k to be in the game, maybe they will choose another sport than jetski.

 

[Matt_E]

just to give an estimate, material for a fibergalss hull costs here about 400 usd... a compelte hull - 4-7k!

What's the material to make a Ferrari cost?

The cost of materials is usually the very smallest portion of a price tag. There is a LOT more that goes into a product than a bunch of materials.

 

[jMike]

Why is there 50 different racing classes? Demand for a type of racing that fits your interest, age, machine level and skills. Why should freestyle be any different?

There are way more freestyle and rec riders out there than racers.

If you create the classes they will come.

 

[baxt3r]

loll


I mean all sports cost money, people know that if their kid want to do sport they have to pay ! But when you have to pay 25k to be in the game, maybe they will choose another sport than jetski.

And not everybody can come up with! $25,000 or more for a jetski. If a class existed where a $5,000 ski could be truly competitive, you open up the door for loads of recreational riders and novices. I know I can't compete with 99%the of the people who are in competitions, so I don't enter. Sure, I can enter, but I might as well toss the entry fee out the window while driving down the freeway. Either way, I will finish in the same spot.

 

[DK-Freestyle]

And not everybody can come up with! $25,000 or more for a jetski. If a class existed where a $5,000 ski could be truly competitive, you open up the door for loads of recreational riders and novices. I know I can't compete with 99%the of the people who are in competitions, so I don't enter. Sure, I can enter, but I might as well toss the entry fee out the window while driving down the freeway. Either way, I will finish in the same spot.

Well as long as you take top 10 at World Finals, your $350 entry fee will get you a $10 trophy and very little bragging rights. That sounds better than throwing the entry fee out the window :brap:

 

[snowxr]

Even winning Pro Freestyle doesn't pay much. Lenzi remarked that he could buy his crew McDonalds with the prize money when they handed him the check.

If you want to compete, forget about World Finals, and go to your local regional event. Have fun, ride what you have, and don't worry about being outclassed by a bunch of high dollar pros. In the USA there are few freestyle competitors at regional events. A guy could win region 6 by just showing up consistantly, and riding around for his 2min on a 300sx. Instead, a guy shows up at 2-3 rounds, places top 3 (of 3 competing) at each, and wins the region. We'd be amazed if we got 10 freestylers at one round, so we sure don't need 3 classes at this time.