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JET SKIER & PERSONAL WATERCRAFT MAGAZINE

BUYER’S GUIDE• WAKEBOARDS• GECKO HELMETS• WET BOOTS

PERFORMANCE HULLSSEADOO RTX 260

TESTED

JS1005-06 OFC2.indd 1 22/04/2010 17:54

06 NEWS The latest PW gossip from around the globe

14 WEBNEWS Our new web editor, Jane Hyde, brings you up-to-date with the very latest from cyberspace

18 COOLSTUFF Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a Wii Water Sports!

24 THEBOTTOMLINE The most extensive comparison test of trick hulls, ever

31 INSIDESTORY Nick Mayhew takes a look behind closed doors at the Riva plant in Miami

36 READER’SREPORT-SEADOORXT260ONTEST Thumper gets to grips with the Sea Doo RXT-260 under the influence of drugs

42 MEETINGOFMINDS The good, the bad and the ugly congregated on a muddy bank, in freezing conditions in the Midlands. Sounds like your biggest nightmare? Think again...

46 SHOPPING,SHOPPINGANDMORESHOPPING We have the latest in wetboot street cred and to top it off we investigate the biggest name in PW helmets – Gecko

48 THENEWMANATSEADOO Rikard Coro is the new face of Sea Doo in the UK. We interview him to find out what plans he has for BRP in 2011

52 FREERIDING We go down under for the big story on the big names in the big surf

59 ADAYINTHELIFE Luke ‘Showtime’ stocks shares his past, his present and his future

67 RACINGPROFILE You’ve heard of dad dancing, well now we have dad racing

70 RACINGROUND-UP Winter’s over and so is the Winter series. We have the stories to round off the season

74 SOYOUTHINKYOUCANFREESTYLE? Has Britain got freestyle talent? Now’s your chance to shine...

80 PIMPTHATSKI More custom paint jobs to get your creative juices going

82 TECHTALK We explain the differences between 2 and 4 stroke engines and how they get their performance

88 4X4ONTEST The new Nissan X-Trail could be your next tow car – see if it’s up to the job

91 SPANNERMAN Brian Lee from N&C Jet Ski gets asked some tricky questions

92 SKIMART Four pages of used craft for sale in this issue

101 MAILBAG Quiksilver in Shoeburyness? Could be messy!

ContentsMAY/JUNE2010

WIN

A HOLIDAY FOR TWO IN IBIZA

WITH YOUR PW

PAGE 78

GEARReady to hit the water? You definitely need a wakeboard so read how to buy the very best at the best price

86

24 JS&PW Sell your ski now at www.jetskier.co.uk

>

FEATURE FREE RIDE

<<< <

here are on average ten manufacturers around the world who produce PWC hulls made of composite material which can absorb the impact of freestyle and free ride tricks.

In top competitions when the demands became more and more extreme, the material used and the manufacturing quality of the craft sometimes makes all the difference. We focus on four of the top manufacturers who have proved themselves on the international circuit for some years, the two most recent were seen during the freestyle championship in Havasu on 2008. After testing these machines for many hours in big waves, the riders reveal their verdict.

“I have used all these hulls and participated in a lot of competitions. I have great memories of the Compositech, because it was the first hull which was completely different from the stock ski. The bottom of the hull and its light weight helped me to achieve excellent results in 2006. During this test, I got that same feeling of light weight and precise riding as I would expect with this type of hull. The Light Weight is an extraordinary hull for the simple reason that it is modular. The quality of the fabrication is perfect, you have several accessories that you can change quickly which helps you to change riding styles. For example, you have a ride plate with a foil, hull extension and front ballast style sponsons. It is the only one in the world with this innovation. About the Rickter FS-1, it is the easiest to ride. I competed at the first round of the French Championship Free Ride without having tried it before. I adapted my technique very quick. It is the best hull in the surf. The Q8 from Malone is a different story. At every practice I get more confident. I am aware of the potential but it is very demanding. It is the shorter hull and turns more quickly. This hull can be very good in the small waves… It takes longer to get used to this hull than the other and requires highly precise riding skills.”

T

GIL BEURNIERDISCIPLINE: FREE RIDE VICE-CHAMPION OF FRANCE 2009 3RD WORLD CUP 2008-2007/2005-2003/2000 3RD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2007 WINNER OF THE WORLD CUP 2006 WINNER OF UNITED CUP 2006 OWNER OF AN EME Q8 SINCE 2009

<

Take the four of the top free ride hulls available on the market today;

Rickter FS-1, Malone EME Q8, Light Weight and Compositech.

Take six free riders who can perform big jumps; Gil Beurnier, Julien

Herpson, Christophe Darthayette, Thomas Auzou and Fabrice Lardeau.

Take the amazing venue of Hossegor on the Atlantic coast and mix it all

up for an extreme comparison.

And who’s the king?

Words by Gil Beurnier Photography by Marc Oliva

MY CLASSIFICATION : N° 1 Q8 - N° 2 COMPOSI - N° 3 LIGHT WEIGHT - N° 4 RICKTER FS2

Q8 : AERIAL 9/10 --- SURF 6/10

COMPOSI : AERIAL 8/10 --- SURF 7/10

L WEIGHT : AERIAL 8/10 --- SURF 8/10

RICKTER : AERIAL 7/10 --- SURF 9,5/10

JS&PW 25Sell your ski now at www.jetskier.co.uk

< << <FREE RIDETHE ULTIMATE

THEQUEST

FOR


FEATURE FREE RIDE

“The Light Weight is very good hull but more difficult to ride than the Rickter FS-1. The Compositech is very physical to ride and both of them submarine

easily if you make a mistake in the waves. The Q8 from Malone is completely different, as it doesn’t float from the rear side at slow speed, but it is a playful hull to ride and play in waves. I really like the tray because it is larger than others and I really like the precision of the front with the V design. For me, the Rickter is the best hull for waves and it has to be the Q8 Malone for Freestyle.”

“I really like the feeling of the Light Weight, it feels secure. The Rickter is the easiest to ride. A lot of riders make big progress with it. The Q8 is special. It is a hull technical for beginners. We feel that the size will help to create new tricks. It is the wild horse to ride.”

“I’ve been the owner of a Compsitech since 2008. The Light Weight is less playful than the others. The Rickter reacts more like a stock hull. But it feels

strange at first because of the position on the handle pole. The Q8 has vivacity and stability. It is very efficient. It is my favorite hull.”

JULIEN HERPSONJOB: STUNTMAN DISCIPLINE: FREE RIDE AND FREESTYLE SHOWS OWNER OF AN EME Q8 SINCE 2009

<

MY CLASSIFICATION: N° 1 FS1 - N° 2 Q8 - N° 3 LIGHT WEIGHT - N° 4 COMPOSI

IN DETAIL:Q8 : AERIAL 9/10 --- SURF 8/10COMPOSI : AERIAL 7/10 --- SURF 7/10L WEIGHT : AERIAL 7/10 --- SURF 9/10RICKTER : AERIAL 8/10 --- SURF 10/10

MY CLASSIFICATION: N° 1 LIGHT WEIGHT - N° 2 RICKTER - N° 3 Q8 - N° 4

COMPOSITECH IN DETAIL:Q8 : AERIAL 7/10 --- SURF 8/10

COMPOSI : AERIAL 8/10 --- SURF 8/10

L WEIGHT : AERIAL 8/10 --- SURF 9/10

RICKTER : AERIAL 8/10 --- SURF 9/10

CHRISTOPHE DARTHAYETTE

JOB: COMPANY DIRECTOR

DISCIPLINE: FREE RIDE

5TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2007

5TH WORLD CUP 2008-2009

OWNER OF A COMPOSITECH CARBON SINCE 2007

<

FABRICE LARDEAUJOB: SELF EMPLOYED DISCIPLINE: FREE RIDE SINCE 2003 3RD FRANCE CHAMPIONSHIP 2009OWNER OF A LIGHT-WEIGHT CARBON SINCE 2008

<

MY CLASSIFICATION: N° 1 LIGHT WEIGHT - N° 2 RICKTER - N° 3 Q8 - N° 4 COMPOSITECHIN DETAIL:Q8 : AERIAL 7/10 --- SURF 8/10COMPOSI : AERIAL 6/10 --- SURF 8/10L WEIGHT : AERIAL 8/10 --- SURF 9/10RICKTER : AERIAL 9/10 --- SURF 8/10

The Q8 of Malone is innovative. Difficult to master at first but in the long run an extraordinary machine for the free ride turns

The new hull of the EME Q8 is shorter and in contrast to the three others, she is designed for the Kawasaki (800 SXR) but one can always adapt for a Yamaha or Polaris


“FOR ME, THE RICKTER IS THE BEST HULL FOR WAVES AND IT HAS TO BE THE Q8 MALONE FOR FREESTYLE.”

<A small session between friends: left to right, Julian Herpsont, Fabrice Lardeau,

Christophe Darthayette and Gil Beurnier

Produced By Norbert Weber in collaboration with the multiple champion of the World Marc Sickerling, this Light Weight hull is built more like the carbon bodies of Formula GT

Lighter than its competitors the Compositech is a joy to pilot, but is older and and would benefit from an update as the quality is there

Made in Thailand, Rickter FS1 of Éric ROY has an aggressive and distinguished look


We tested the RXT-X260 last year when it was first launched and we loved it. We loved it so much that we awarded it the JS&PW PW of the Year Award. Some months after it’s launch Thumper, one of our staunch forum members, was offered a test, but the worst happened. He was stricken with a sudden attack of Manflu. Was he going to miss this opportunity? Read on…

The Manflu

vs The Manski

READER TEST


Nick Barton reaches for the sky

Pierre’s dad helps him launch in the surf

Eric Malone in the final

Over one thousand spectators lined the beach for the final

JS&PW 53

GOLD COAST GLADIATORS

AUSTRALIAN FREERIDE

Australia’s Gold Coast is ranked up there as one of the must-see places in the world. And why wouldn’t it be? The tourist strip boasts incredible weather (for the most part), a laid-back atmosphere, some of the country’s best surf spots, and more hot chicks per capita than a Miss Universe final. Sounds like all the perfect ingredients to host one of the biggest international freeriding events on the planet.

After its successful debut and glowing feedback on the stand-up watercraft calendar in 2009, organisers were quick to again lock the Yamaha/Monster Energy Freeride Australian Open in for 2010, all the while praying that the weather gods would bless them with considerably bigger surf than the tiny conditions that greeted the riders last year.

Their prayers were answered…kind of. Competitors and punters arrived at Phillip Park on Main Beach to find chunky two-metre waves that reared and dumped haphazardly along the shore. The gods had thrown in a strong south-to-north sweep and an unpredictable

A new format and judging system for the Yamaha/Monster Energy Freeride Australian Open attracted the world’s biggest names to an epic showdown on the picturesque gold coast. Words: Simon Makker

Photos: Andrew Shields, Jetpilot and karen Luckman

>


WHERE’S YOURHEAD AT?

Snowboarders are doin’ it. BMXers are doin’ it, skateboarders are doin’ it and

so are we. Keeping your head is cool these days and one of the front runners

in the helmet game are a Gecko. We asked what makes them special.

FEATURE GECKO


WHERE’S YOUR Gecko head gear was created by the custom surfboard maker, Jeff Sacree in 1993, a helmet whilst surfing, cool? Well of

course not, and Jeff’s sales reflected this, young surfers and water uses did not like the restriction, and being surfers they felt their locks needed to be flying in the wind. However the Gecko was created by Jeff because he was slightly more hardcore than these posers, he was tired of getting a cold head whilst surfing over the winter. The Gecko was originally designed to prevent surfers from getting ‘ice cream’ headaches which can occur in cold water. The idea therefore was to have a helmet which retained heat, protected the head and to survive alongside wetsuits and other products of the water-sports industry. Now as formally mentioned, this idea did not immediately take off. However Gecko had inadvertently

stumbled across a huge market for safety, the Royal National lifeboat Institute (RNLI to you and me) were seeking a better option for their crews, Gecko contacted them, and a partnership emerged, testing and trials took place for the next three years, trying to perfect the helmet which could offer lightweight efficiency and compatibility with the RNLI kit. In 1998 the Gecko Mk 5 was released into service, and since then, Gecko has literally set the standard. In 1998 Gecko’s release created the first Maritime Safety Standard in Europe. Naturally after so many years of development and research the Mk 5 was excellent however not prefect and continued to develop, in 1999 the ‘hook and loop’ fastenings meant

‘THE GECKO WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT SURFERS FROM GETTING ‘ICE CREAM’ HEADACHES’

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