In case we lose the link....
Watercraft riders racing to help out a friend
By Joey Richards
The Daily News
Published March 12, 2007
Each year for the last five years, personal watercraft riders from around the region have gathered at Crystal Beach for a weekend of racing and camaraderie.
This year’s event is Saturday and Sunday. This year the group is helping out an old friend, too.
The personal watercraft riders will be raising money for Joe Kenney, the country’s No. 1 freestyle personal watercraft rider who is hospitalized and needs money for medical bills.
The event is being billed as the Joe Kenney Flip-off. The Flip-off features some of the best freestyle competitors doing flips and barrel rolls. Sponsors will pay riders for each flip and barrel roll completed. All proceeds benefit the Joe Kenney assistance fund.
The Flip-off will be from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Crystal Beach off O’Neal Road.
More than 75 personal watercraft riders, including world freestyle expert Jeremy Parr, are confirmed for the event.
Kenney, who is from Morro Bay, Calif., was assaulted by an unknown assailant on Jan. 15 during an outing with friends in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
He suffered severe head injuries, and doctors have offered no long-term prognosis. However, he is reported to be doing better, although he still can’t speak effectively.
Luke Nelson, one of the organizers for the event, said Kenney had attended the annual get-together in Crystal Beach the last few years, so the riders are pitching in to help out.
“We’re all a pretty tight-knit group,” Nelson said. “The jet ski community isn’t that big.”
The Crystal Beach event draws personal watercraft racers, too, and they’ll be competing in the annual rig race on Saturday. Riders race out to the first offshore rig, about two miles out, and race back. Proceeds from the race also will benefit Kenney.
Nelson, a 28-year-old personal watercraft rider from Shoreacres, said everyone’s invited to the event. He said riders are eager to share tips on riding, racing and freestyle acrobatics.
“We’re trying to promote what we do and open other people’s eyes to it,” he said. “We’re kind of looked at as the skateboarders of the water, always harassed and given tickets for doing something that we have sanctioned competition for more.”
That's old news now, get with the program :haha: I was National Champion in 2004, but I didn't QUIT like you, I kept going :biggrin: 