Personal watercraft riders from the United States, the Caribbean, Western Europe and Australia will be heading to Nassau next week for the P1 AquaX Bahamas World Championship and the line-up will include two racers from the Cayman Islands.
The iconic Atlantis Paradise Island resort will serve as the host destination for the three-day event, on 4-6 Nov., with the opening day including practice, testing and qualifying, followed by six races across the weekend.
The World Championship will feature a total of more than 35 professional and amateur endurance riders, who have primarily qualified through performances in the USA national race series, and flying the flag for the Cayman Islands will be Seth Watler, who replaced Matthew Panton, and Cline Glidden who qualified through the P1 AquaX Cayman Islands National Tour.
Pro rider Watler is a veteran in the sport and was the first Cayman Islands Watercraft Association (CIWA) national champion before taking a few years off from racing.
Competing in the Pro Am class will be Cline Glidden who has been at the top of amateur racing in the Cayman Islands for past few years.
CIWA President Chris Bodden said, “We partnered with P1 AquaX this year to stage a three-round series on Grand Cayman and we knew that this affiliation would push our riders and give them the opportunity to compete with the best endurance racers in the world.
“We know Seth and Cline will do Cayman proud and we will all be tuned into the action next week to cheer them on. I want to thank all of our sponsors, partners and supporters who made this all possible. Go Team Cayman!”
Ventisha Conolly, events manager at Cayman Islands Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage, was very pleased with this season’s National Tour, and commented, “We saw some great competition on the water and the Ministry is looking forward to welcoming more young Caymanian racers, including female riders, to the sport.”
Watler, 30, was born and grew up in New Orleans and moved to the Cayman Islands when he was 11 years old.
He began racing in 2008 and became national champion two years later. He explains, “I grew up with the need for speed and rode dirt bikes back in Louisiana. I practice on the water at least once a week and do fitness training three times a week. In addition, I incorporate a supplemented nutrition programme into my fitness schedule.
“This will be my first overseas race event and I have prepared well to compete in The Bahamas.”
Born and raised in the Cayman Islands, 25-year-old Cline Glidden started racing 10 years ago and became the Am class national champion this year.
“I attribute my success to being consistent and having a good team around me,” he said. “I’ve competed overseas in a number of sports but not in personal watercraft racing, so I’m nervous but looking forward to racing against the best in the world.”
The Pro Enduro riders will be competing for the P1 AquaX world title, with the amateur racers battling for the P1 AquaX Amateur International Cup.
The action will be broadcast in the United States on the Bally Sports Regional Networks and CBS Sports Network, with international coverage on leading sports channels in more than 100 million homes in over 50 countries.
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