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Written by Shawn Alladio - K38
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Monday, 29 March 2010 14:04 |
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Macc Racing's Yamaha FX SHO Takes the Overall!
March Madness at the Dana Point to Avalon Sprint
America's premiere PWC offshore racing commenced today with one dominant factor, that being a Macc Racing 'Yamaha'.
Chris and Rachel Macclugage of Macc Racing Photo by Bryant Lambert
Post Race: Chris Macclugage kicks off the 1st race of the Triple Crown of Offshore with the Overall win and the Pro/Am Class title on March 28th, 2010 at Dana Point California. Here’s a ‘talk story’ session after the APBA RPM Racing Enterprises race with the 13 time IJSBA World Champion. Macc Racings #30 Boat devours a 38 mile race track through the open waters between Catalina Island and the California mainland, with a pack of racers working for the same finish. The top riders are matching a mile per minute in open water crossings or less.
Checking in with Macc ‘post race’ with the Liquid Militia crew:
Thoughts?
"It was a good starting point for this Offshore TCO series. I know what I'm up against and we still have more potential to unleash from the SHO, we have a great base. Our setup has been race proven. I was happy with my MoTeC ignition, it worked good in this ocean race, we programmed it and it did what it's supposed to do. I'm happy with the combination R&D, MoTEc and Macc Racing parts, we did well on this first event. For the LB2CAT we can step it up to a faster boat. We had a strong reliable package, but I know there is still more to come.”
Liquid Militia Team Gathering
"Liquid Militia is great! One thing coming into this relationship with Macc Racing, we asked for support with publicity and Liquid Militia and Bryant Lambert are doing such a great job! Also for guiding us to step up our marketing outreach 2010 program. It helps us; it helps our entire PWC community. All the support, staying at the Liquid Militia home, the great people, we had fun and we are enthused by the positive community vibe. Liquid Militia exemplifies what is good about our sport, the people, what they do and who they are. I loved Ahmed’s chicken dinner BTW.”
The Conditions?
''It was a typical southern California day it was beautiful, blue waters, dolphins, warm air and fast boats.”
The Future of Offshore PWC Racing?
“I think a lot of the racers wanted rough water but at the same time, many didn't. With the fast water the race is safer; some racers aren't rough water riders. There is great opportunity in class structure and selection for the newer riders to earn the ocean awareness of rough water conditions. When it's too rough people get scared, these races have a historic fast track, making it a great venue for all caliber of riders. Mark Gerner from PWCOFFSHORE won't back down on rough conditions, Shawn won't, I won't. Mark is an excellent rough water racer, he can handle open water, but not everyone can, he sets a strong pace. There are two levels of competitors. Choose your class and you can excel on the track in any seasonal conditions. A lot of racers had fun and got to ‘the other side’ and enjoyed it, this is what makes offshore racing great.”
Sportsman Class
“The Sportsman Class is the entry level division. It's great to see new people getting involved in offshore racing. "I had a new racer come up to me this morning and said, 'Hey are you racing in the Sportsman class'? (I think that's awesome!) I responded 'My name is Chris; no I'm racing Pro/am'. He said 'Oh this is my first time!' I think it's great that these new riders are stepping up! Good for them!”
Did you expect to win today?
“I was worried the boat wasn't fast enough, it was barely on top. I wanted to finish the race. I was expected to win by a lot of people. I knew I could personally. But I had so many problems at the Mark Hahn and with testing prior to this race, I was nervous. It's for two reasons, myself riding which isn't that bad, normally that’s all I have to worry about that. Then when building the boat, it’s a totally different aspect of the racing side because I built the boat. That boosted my confidence to build my own boat.Bill Chapin from R&D helps me with what to put on it, but I basically put the engine together and go over it myself. I had a lot of pride in this race boat; it’s going to be a good year for Macc Racing.”
Podium
“That kid from Texas, Tyler White #3, his TAD Racing team had fast boats! I didn't know much about him, but he's a really good rider, he was on target with his GPS, stuck to the right track. Lee Phan #8 and I kept pushing South. I had to backtrack North and Tyler was on track, heading for the Sea Tow finish line. I was trying to push Lee a little bit. I figured he would look at his GPS and jump behind me and come around, correcting his trackline, but he didn't. We kept going off track. Tyler straight lined it, catching up a little bit. Lee was very impressive, a very good strong rider. He let Rachel ride his Sea Doo yesterday on our practice run; Lee was very kind and helpful.”
Racers on the Track
“The Dana Point 2 Avalon Sprint had 4 Yamahas racing. A rider on a #169 FCS (Andrew Meyers), the husband and wife team Dawn and David Fekete and myself were on the Yamaha Waverunner track. David is a Challenged Athlete racer along with PWCoffshore’s Warren Frank. It's good to see the product line and racers bringing out their Waverunners and pushing their limits'. Tom Pham #35 (4th) he was really happy with his placing. It seemed like he didn't expect it and had a positive attitude about the sport. I really enjoyed being around this group of racers, it was refreshing, and fun. 34 racers on the track, good to see how much potential exists. It will only go up, I’m counting on it.”
Do People Always Expect you to Win?
"It's interesting sometimes I think people do have that perspective. I was more nervous about my boat, since I've had down luck on it the past few weeks. If I'm on a good machine, I'm going to win. I was going from checking the error, filter, follow the whole engine in my head, every hose clamp, backwards, forwards... it's nerve racking, did I miss anything? There are three things maybe I didn't check, so I dwell on what I didn't get, and will there be a chain reaction? This is as much a part of racing, as racing is itself. The combination go race boat and rider, well, first it takes the boat to perform. The rider just needs to let the boat do it's magic. But first, you need it to run fast, hard and across the finish line. Now along with my sponsors, I'm the mechanic, and the rider, lots of pride in owning the full package, great partnerships create great wins.”'Looking forward to the LB2CAT. Are you going to be there?'
# # # # # #
Please check out the Dana Point to Av Race Page for further information:
http://pwcoffshore.com/Dana_Point_2_Avalon_Race.
The 2010 Macc Racing Team is backed with the support of Yamaha, Alpina, Monster Energy, R&D, HT Moto, MoTeC, Liquid Militia, Oakley, quakysense, Race Deck, RonnyMac Photography, Strawrubby, JE Pistons
Macc Racing Homepagewww.MaccRacing.com
Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1379209537&ref=ts
Liquid Militiawww.LiquidMiltia.com
Liquid Militia team riders and AWA Members: Chris Macclugage and Shawn Alladio on the ride back from Avalon Post Race. K38 Safety team and AWA Members Russell Libby, Pirate and Marta Friedenberger on patrol! Thanks for your safety support! |
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Written by Shawn Alladio - K38
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Wednesday, 10 February 2010 16:48 |
Hello AWA Members!The latest issues of RIDE Magazine has been released! INSIDE:The Wet Dog Expedition feature is covered, you will really enjoy this adventure! 97 pages of AWA members in action!Featured Watercraft is the Honda Aquatrax on the RIDE cover with Ted Reckas during a K38 Water Safety training course for the AWA H2O Responders at Morro Bay, CaliforniaAnd for those of you who are involved in fishing, you won't want to miss the great article and product tips for getting out and getting hooked!There are two articles about tire and trailer-travel safety. Additional features are The Mark Hahn 300 Endurance Memorial race, "Old School Review' a blast from our past, a USCG review and AWA Charter Club information.A centerfold tribute dedicated to Pro Racer Cesare Vismara. Popular Eric Lagopoulos claims a 24 hour PWC record, and a 2009 IJSBA quakysense World Finals review!The WAVEDAZE from Virginia Beach has some crazy action shots with great folks! Check out all our supporting advertisers and their products!Much more is waiting inside and some insight from the Dean of Watercraft, John Donaldson. RIDE is the AWA member supported official publication of the AWA.If you are not a member of an AWA club, go the website and locate one in your region or start your own! Joining the AWA includes member benefits and RIDE magazine.See you on the water!http://www.facebook.com/l/3cbbe;www.awahq.org RIDE January Issue supportersHonda-AquatraxBombardia-Sea DooKawasaki Jet SkiSBTHT MotoMcGraw InsuranceRide for KidsMark Hahn 300http://www.facebook.com/l/3cbbe;RivaRacing.comHydroturfYamahaBig Foot PWC CartsJet WorldBlowsionTony Doukas Racing-------------------- |
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Written by Shawn Alladio - K38
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Friday, 28 August 2009 23:27 |
BOATING OUT-REACH Sounds boring huh? Sure, until you have a mishap education is like a foreign language for most personal watercraft boaters. Don't you think its time to 'Get on Board'. What one AWA member is doing to 'outreach' within their community.Kay Sykes is a passionate boater. When the word 'boater' comes up rarely do folks think of a Personal Watercraft. Kay has competed at IJSBA and APBA events as a PWC racer, and promotes the prestigious IJSBA World Finals "Parade of Nations". Here is a glimpse into one AWA Members quest to broader her personal best in outreaching to the future of our 'boating community', our youth. "I live along the best place on earth, Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The summer temperatures are hot. The best place to cool down is to head down to the lake in the Rhino towing some sort of personal watercraft. Hundreds of people do the same thing here, because Havasu is the place where it is all happening for the boater's lifestyle. Along with increased numbers of the boating public, comes the risk of accidents" Kay says.Kay tells a story about beginnings, let's listen: "I sat down and had lunch one day with the First Lady of Havasu, Eileen Nexsen. The purpose of the luncheon was just to get to know her more on a personal level, rather than just “the Mayor’s wife”. Eileen was not the only one there. Rachel MacClugage, a professional PWC racer and wife of Chris, a legend in our sport also attended. Together we began an amazing journey into drafting a conceptual draft for potential programs here in our City. In the latest issue of RIDE Magazine, you may have read the story about this gathering?''One of the topics was bout PWC water safety. This turned into an hour long group discussion about WHOM would be the target audience for such a program? It was decided upon, that facilitation would benefit our local middle school children. The reason for this is quite simple. Arizona boating laws state that a child who is 12 years old can operate a personal watercraft, and for that matter, any watercraft over 8hp without an adult. Would you let your child get behind the wheel of your car and let them speed down the highway at 100mph? Regardless what the state law says, mommy’s law over rides that, but that doesn't guarantee that parents take responsibility for the welfare of their children operating a motorized vessel.' States Kay.Kay adds, 'Eileen said she would contact the superintendant of schools and see what type of course curriculum we could put into motion. Another question arose from the concept, who was going to teach this course? And what credentials are needed if any? I made the decision that I would like to become involved with this type of education. I have several years of experience with boats and personal watercraft. Easy as pie, at least, that is what I thought. All I have to do is get some visual aids and get some materials, and head to the schools. Or is it that easy?''Well, after sending one email to one of my closest friends and head of K38 Water Safety, Shawn Alladio telling her what I was going to do, I found out there was more to the task than just driving to schools and talking to the kids. She asked me “What are your credentials?” “What is your curriculum?”. For a brief moment I thought I had hit a brick wall. Shawn's motto is 'The Life You Save May Be Your Own'. One thing I have learned about the energy behind K38's training, is the philosophy of going the distance, something I have observed and applied in my own network. I made my decision. I was going to go the distance,' says Kay.'Immediately my fingers hit the keyboard of my computer and Google brought me to the end of my search after a long trackline of websites. From hours of searching to figure out where to get training to become an instructor, I found the answer. I contacted the National Association of Safe Boating Laws Administration (NASBLA), and they immediately put me in contact with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. My search had ended and I found the answers that I was looking for!''Following my instincts, I knew what was best for me, I was committed. I found an application to become a volunteer boating safety instructor for the State of Arizona. I have a strong desire to reach out to children and educate them on safe boating practices. In reviewing my original decision, I believe that my motivation was not clearly defined to me until I attended my first class today.''Through my own education I have found that there is more to learning than just presenting. My own process will serve to remind myself and others that what we teach and how we present the information creates a lasting impression. If the content is current, relevant and inspirational, I will be a force multiplier. Students have to want to learn, or the message can be lost. It will take team work,' says Kay.'The goal of this program is to reduce injuries and accidents through boating education. Better to train and learn proper behavioral skills before a mishap occurs! The after effect can last a lifetime. Personal tragedy affects each one of us in different capacities. My goal is to help guide one person, one child, one parent, along with others who share a similar passion. If a student comes away from this program with a better understanding of the proper use of a personal watercraft (boat), and how to navigate the waterways within our state, and what they have learned makes them an aware boater, then I have been a part of that person or child's safety.' There is no measure for this kind of success.'I have successfully completed the first phase of my Arizona Boating Education Course. I have several additional courses to aid me in this goal. That means I am just two more classes closer to helping guide our youth and their families on boating safety and education!' Boat Smart From The Start!Arizona Recreational Boating http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/boating.shtmlCity of Lake Havasu http://www.lhcaz.gov/Parade of Nations http://paradeofnations-ijsba.blogspot.com/River Rat Racing http://www.riverratracing.org/main.htmmaccrMacc Racing http://www.riverratracing.org/main.htmK38 Water Safety http://www.K38WaterSafety.com
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Written by Shawn Alladio - K38
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Monday, 17 August 2009 23:09 |
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DAY OF BEGINNINGS
K38 Water Safety
Folks, here is a brief update of our weekend activities with our close friends and supporters. We at K38 hope that you feel inspired, motivated and humble by the courage of the people we mention below, AWA H2O Responder Members united!
Semper Spero-
K38
Kiss after the ride
8-16-09
Jennifer Mccallson used to ride her brothers stand up jet ski before her accident a decade earlier.
This was the first time she was back on the water, I took her along with Ryan Levinson 1 mile offshore into a very busy Pacific Ocean. Brave woman, beautiful spirit. Touching.
This day did not happen alone. It came about because of trust and passion of many folks. Lou Freta another student and a (the following are former Marines) who suffered an IED blast resulting in a traumatic brain injury along with former Drill Instructor Mike Arnold, and Infantry Office Mark Gerner were there lending their dedicated and selfless support as they do on so many other occassions.
Our beloved Pirate, PWC offshore racer-Ryan Levinson who has Muscular Dystrophy and is the reason the Challenged athlete PWC offshore race training began: www.RyanLevinson.com Due to Ryan's passion for connecting people to bring awareness to challenged athletes, all these days are dedicated in his honor.
We also enjoyed the pleasure of training Erica Davis, a parapalegic who we are setting on a 55 mile
A lot of thought, preparation and safety considerations were implemented in these outings. We are honored to be serving such noble and courageous people.
I cannot speak for Jennifer, Erica or others, but I do believe it was a very good experience and moving for all of us to have this tremendous opportunity. The day skated along at it's own pace and we took the time to enjoy a quality experience. I am very thankful. Praises
Shawn Alladio
Mike picking up Jennifer, its lift off time! Here we go! Pirate always in the 'ready'.
1 Mile offshore: Jennifer and Ryan
Now we have created a monster....LOL
Jenn broke her neck 10 years ago in a gymanstics accident. This was a very emotional
moment for both of us, her first time underway. These small boats can be extremely
intimidating to the able bodied, I cannot imagine how wonderful and difficult this was at the
same time for Jennifer.
This is the first time to start the Jet Ski, you can see the uncertainty on her face! :)
Mike Arnold is the strength who picks up the ladies, from wheelchair to Jet Ski, Mike
is always there. Today we had Mike, Mark, Pirate and myself helping Jennifer.
Jennifer, Erica and Ryan, taking a break between rides.
Ryan adjusts Jennifer's body positioning before we head out of the harbor.
Erica, Warren, and Jennifer. I simply love this shot, it speaks of so many "POSSIBILITIES" to me
Sudo is Jennifer's support dog, he is a lovely soul and enjoyed the water!
Well, here we all go! Jet Skis heading out!
Jenn's Support Dog SUDO
Big Iron Mike on Starboard, he's our mainstay
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