- Location
- Altoona Pa
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Since winning his first of eight professional world championships in watercross jet-ski racing back in 1997, Hollidaysburg native Eric Malone has emphasized high-quality equipment to succeed in the sport.
"Back in the day, you could buy a competitive jet-ski for $2,000,'' said Malone, 32, who won two more national titles in his sport this past summer. "Now, the technology has gone through the roof, and you have to spend more to make sure your equipment is up to competitive level. You still need to do your physical training, but if your equipment is sub-standard, you're not going to finish on top.''
Malone is an authority about that on which he speaks.
Along with winning 2009 national professsional freestyle watercross titles in both International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) and the APBA (American Powerboat Association) competitions this summer, Malone operates his own business in which his craft involves manufacturing and selling high-quality jet-ski equipment.
"I've been able to put my attention into building a complete jet-ski for the competitive rider,'' he said. "I've been able to go off on my own and become a watercraft maunfacturer, selling equipment to people who want to get into the sport.''
Malone's company is known as Eric Malone Enterprises, and operates out of the Keystone Kawasaki Yamaha sports shop in Newry.
"We build and sell just the frames of jet-skis, as well as the complete jet-ski including the engine,'' said Malone, who employs two people who assist him in assembling the products, as well as five or six contractors and up to 40 vendors. "I do a lot of the [manufacturing] work myself. It's important for me to be inside [the product]. I have to be sure that wherever these products go, they have to be good.''
While Malone is now making more money manufacturing his skis than he is in competing in the sport itself, his performance on the water this past summer showed that he hasn't lost his ability in the sport.
Malone accumulated enough points in a series of IJSBA events that were held in Rochester, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., and Charleston, W.Va. in July and August to win the IJSBA national title, and he won the APBA title Sept. 6 in Nashville, Tenn.
Malone won those events this year after recovering from a broken wrist and eye injury that forced him out of competition during the entire 2007 calendar year.
"I'm pretty healthy now, but it took some time to get it all back,'' said Malone, who has over 10 national titles to his credit. "[Winning the two titles this year] is pretty rewarding.''
Malone's competitions involved a two-minute routine on the water in which a panel of eight to 10 judges determined the winner. Malone was up against the country's best watercross competitors.
Brenden Van Sickel, 19, of Altoona took second place in the IJSBA Amateur Division and third place in the APBA National Amateur Division of freestyle watercross competition.
Van Sickel is a student at Penn State Altoona who, like Malone, impressed the race judges with a variety of manuevers on his ski. Van Sickel knows Malone, and said he has benefited from Malone's experience in the sport.
"We often ride together, and he has helped me out if I'm having problems,'' Van Sickel said.
Van Sickel isn't certain he'll make a professional career out of watercross, like Malone has done.
"If it ever reaches that point where I have the capability to [turn pro], I might,'' Van Sickel said. "But right now, I'm concentrating on school, and [watercross] is just a hobby for me.''
Since winning his first of eight professional world championships in watercross jet-ski racing back in 1997, Hollidaysburg native Eric Malone has emphasized high-quality equipment to succeed in the sport.
"Back in the day, you could buy a competitive jet-ski for $2,000,'' said Malone, 32, who won two more national titles in his sport this past summer. "Now, the technology has gone through the roof, and you have to spend more to make sure your equipment is up to competitive level. You still need to do your physical training, but if your equipment is sub-standard, you're not going to finish on top.''
Malone is an authority about that on which he speaks.
Along with winning 2009 national professsional freestyle watercross titles in both International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) and the APBA (American Powerboat Association) competitions this summer, Malone operates his own business in which his craft involves manufacturing and selling high-quality jet-ski equipment.
"I've been able to put my attention into building a complete jet-ski for the competitive rider,'' he said. "I've been able to go off on my own and become a watercraft maunfacturer, selling equipment to people who want to get into the sport.''
Malone's company is known as Eric Malone Enterprises, and operates out of the Keystone Kawasaki Yamaha sports shop in Newry.
"We build and sell just the frames of jet-skis, as well as the complete jet-ski including the engine,'' said Malone, who employs two people who assist him in assembling the products, as well as five or six contractors and up to 40 vendors. "I do a lot of the [manufacturing] work myself. It's important for me to be inside [the product]. I have to be sure that wherever these products go, they have to be good.''
While Malone is now making more money manufacturing his skis than he is in competing in the sport itself, his performance on the water this past summer showed that he hasn't lost his ability in the sport.
Malone accumulated enough points in a series of IJSBA events that were held in Rochester, N.Y., Syracuse, N.Y., and Charleston, W.Va. in July and August to win the IJSBA national title, and he won the APBA title Sept. 6 in Nashville, Tenn.
Malone won those events this year after recovering from a broken wrist and eye injury that forced him out of competition during the entire 2007 calendar year.
"I'm pretty healthy now, but it took some time to get it all back,'' said Malone, who has over 10 national titles to his credit. "[Winning the two titles this year] is pretty rewarding.''
Malone's competitions involved a two-minute routine on the water in which a panel of eight to 10 judges determined the winner. Malone was up against the country's best watercross competitors.
Brenden Van Sickel, 19, of Altoona took second place in the IJSBA Amateur Division and third place in the APBA National Amateur Division of freestyle watercross competition.
Van Sickel is a student at Penn State Altoona who, like Malone, impressed the race judges with a variety of manuevers on his ski. Van Sickel knows Malone, and said he has benefited from Malone's experience in the sport.
"We often ride together, and he has helped me out if I'm having problems,'' Van Sickel said.
Van Sickel isn't certain he'll make a professional career out of watercross, like Malone has done.
"If it ever reaches that point where I have the capability to [turn pro], I might,'' Van Sickel said. "But right now, I'm concentrating on school, and [watercross] is just a hobby for me.''
