Geno's Summery On Jettribe Vietnam and Thailand Tour of Duty.

Just wanted to thank you for what was the coolest trip of my life, just all of it, the Kings Cup racing, the Aussies, Thailand, Vietnam, all your friends and staff in Vietnam, your dad, relatives, the Buddhist temple, the beach, , the chicken fights (we would have won, I slipped on a starfish or something) the pig farm (Rick and I have a plan to catch one next time)

The CU CHI tunnels (except for the bats :), barhopping, the food, all of it !! And of course those crazy death defying scooter rides through Saigon (I have to say, John was pretty good :)!! I liked Vietnam even more than Thailand, really cool, and the whole Jettribe crew there was pretty amazing, I'm still laughing my butt off from the trip!! Thanks again !! Geno

Kay Sykes Jettribe Team Member's Adventure in Vietnam and Thailand

First impressions are always a lasting impression. Upon landing at the airport in Bangkok I had no idea what was waiting for me, or what experiences that waited for me. None the less, I would embrace each one as it crossed my path. The difference between Thailand and the United States is night and day. The best way to describe what I was seeing was a cultural chaotic stew. Different smells that at times seemed overwhelming and beautiful vibrant colors surrounded me. The traffic flow was not what I was used to, since everyone drove on the left side of the road. On a couple of occasions I would cross looking in the opposite direction, only to find a motor scooter, Tuk Tuk, or tour bus heading right towards me. The family unit in the Thai culture is very strong. They work together, eat together and play together. It warmed my heart so see a mother nursing her baby as she was selling her wares on the street corner as her smaller children helped or played near by. Evening time would come and families would gather on the beach or sidewalks with little cook pots and prepare their evening meal. There was no running to the nearest fast food joint for convience (mostly because there weren’t any). Meals were always healthy hot and comforting. My roll in traveling to Thailand with the Jettribe USA Racing Team was as the Team Coordinator and to chronicle the events of Thailand and Vietnam. Most of the members of the team I already knew where as a few I did not. Each and every one of them is now considered my friend.

Once the entire team assembled in Bangkok we headed out to Samutsakorn to visit Sam and his store, Motor Field, and assist him with any of his needs, getting things ready to travel to Pattaya for racing and booth set-up. Sam is a young man dedicated to his business and the sport of personal watercraft racing. Without him, the Jettribe Team, as well as others would be lost. He was the "go to" man for fuel, parts and transportation. Sam certainly is an asset to our small, world wide, community. From Sam's shop our team, now 10 members strong, boarded the pink party bus for our 3 hour trek to Pattaya. Having never traveled to Thailand, I was in awe of the landscape and countryside. Driving past rice fields and homes made of tin and scrapes of wood made me appreciate my adventure even more. Driving along the congested highways of Thailand we found comfort in the world of fast food as we stopped at McDonald's and Starbucks. Little did I know that this would be last sight of something familiar and comfortable from the United States. A few hours later we were welcomed at the beautiful seaside hotel of Furama Jomtien Thani Hotel, in Pattaya City. A circular shaped hotel the stretched 38 stories into the sky. Our family suite, on the 16th floor, which we would call home for the next six days, gave us picturesque views of the Gulf of Thailand, and beautiful sunsets that will forever be engrained into our memories. Food vendors lined the streets with their little carts offering a culinary feast full of forceful flavors of different types of dishes and delicacies. There was no time for play (just yet), as the team, now 14 strong, had to make sure that the shipped personal watercraft arrived safe and sound from the World Finals, in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. It's been a long couple of months since the watercraft had been crated and delivered. Fortunately for the Jettribe Team everything was secure. Day one at the hotel flew by quickly and we were treated to traditional Thai cuisine that evening, which consisted of rice and fried fish. We enjoyed the company of our teammates and discussed the game plan for the next few days before the actual racing began. Tired from the long trip and much to do the next day we all retired early to our rooms to make sure we were well rested for the controlled chaos that was quickly going to consume us.

My job as team coordinator was kicking into high gear. It's game on as I made sure that everyone made it through registration and tech inspection. I know this was not the first race, in Thailand, for Rick and Eric, but I still made sure that they had everything thing in order. Every team member had their own goal and purpose for racing in Thailand, but that didn't stop them from having respect for their fellow teammates. Geno was a hero, who stepped up and tuned the 800SXR watercraft for 14 year-old Jamie-Lee Spence. The ski had some issues that no one was prepared for, and he worked hard to make a good running ski for her first Kings Cup Race. Jamie's dad, Brad, could be seen red faced and sweating profusely. Me, not knowing whether it was stress from the heat or just plan nervousness and not knowing what to expect reassured him and Jamie-Lee that everything would be just fine. Opening ceremonies was just as beautiful as expected. A colorful buffet of wonderful food surrounded the outside area of the ballroom where the ceremony was to take place. Thai dancers performed a beautiful traditional dance to welcome us in true Thailand style. The next day it was time to put our game faces on. It was race day and everyone on the team was ready to go. Everyone showed up at the race site dressed in their Jettribe blue pit shirts showing everyone at the site we meant business. The next couple of days were loaded with up’s and down’s. As with any race there is always a chance that mechanical issues occur. That never stopped the team from hitting the course full throttle giving every ounce of energy they had and shoot for the podium finish. The finals race results were not exactly what everyone was looking for, but every team member was able to stand in front of the audience and receive one of the beautiful King’s Cup medals.

After the awards ceremony the Team gathered together for one last meal in Thailand. At the table that evening China, Australia and USA were one team and one family. Food and beverages were plentiful that evening as we celebrated friendship and culture. Early the next morning we loaded the bus for our drive back to Bangkok. Some would fly home and a few of us catch a flight to Vietnam for a little rest, relaxation and to be tourists.

There was fun to be had by everyone. Well, almost everyone. By the time we hit the hotel in Ho Chi Mihn City, I was hit with the worst possible flu bug anyone could get. I was not going to let that stop me from venturing off into the culture and history rich city. This was my “chance of a lifetime” event that I was not going to miss. Once again it was a chaotic cultural stew of lights, sounds, food and of course the motor scooters. Never in my life have I seen so many scooters at one time. For most people it was the family car, the work truck and the commuter vehicle all wrapped up into one little two wheeled mode of transportation. It was not uncommon to see a family of 5 riding down the business streets during rush hour. I laugh out loud when I think back to our first night in Vung Tau. After dinner the group decided it would be fun to take a short bike ride along the coast to burn off the calories we had just consumed.

John got a little lost and couldn’t find the alley where we had rented the bikes. While we waited for him to return a small group of locals invited us to sit down and drink beer with them. What a fantastic time that was to actually sit elbow to elbow with such wonderful and friendly people. They spoke a little English, but not much. Our word for the night was “CHEERS”. The entire experience from Thailand to Vietnam will forever be ingrained in my mind. I am grateful for the wonderful people that I met and appreciate the wonderful things they taught me along the way. We come from different countries, some rich, some poor, but we were put on this earth to learn from one another and be thankful for what we have. Vietnam will always be in my heart. I hope to return again someday, and breathe in more history and culture. One day I would like to sit on the sidewalk with one of the families while they eat their supper and listen to their stories. Written by Kay Sykes

Rick Sherker's Tour of Duty in Vietnam.

With the pressures of racing off I really enjoyed the week off at Vietnam, although it was not exactly all R&R. It was go-go-go the first few days starting out with a tour of Vietnam Yamaha. The next day we traveled a few hours to the shore lines of Vietnam, then back to Ho Chi Minh City the following day. Along the way back, we stopped at Carrie’s, a big wig at Jettribe Vietnam, family farm and got to see the rural areas of Vietnam. As well as try to catch some pigs….that didn’t go so well.

But was a lot more fun than I expected.

Once back in the City, it was time to hit some of the touristy stuff. We visited the War Museum, the Palace, the Post office, and some local shopping in the outdoor and indoor markets.

The big advantage of traveling here with Jettribe, was that we got the insider’s tour as well. We went to some restaurants that Tony and ,local designer for Jettribe, Ellen recommended. We all got hair cuts one night and all I can say is I will never visit Vietnam without getting one. They included neck, shoulder, arm, hand, and head massage, shampoo, straight razor shave, and finally a hair cut. All that at Hair Cuttery price.

The last two days we traveled by scooters around town. It was a little scary, but a lot of fun! It was like organized chaos that seemed to work. Outside of the city, it was not uncommon to see some impressive loads of cargo hauled on scooters.

In the city it was a little tighter.

But anyone could do it… But some are Pro’s

One of the scariest and most memorable experiences was the tour of the Co Chi Tunnels.

They were very tight, dark, and full of bats. It was a relief to get out. But full of some interesting history.

After the tunnels, we hit the shooting range and shot some old war weapons including an M16, M30, and a 45.

A couple of nights we made it out to the clubs, to see where Tony typically spends his time when he visits Vietnam.

On our last day we took a scooter ride across town to visit a house in Tony’s family and went to a Buddhist temple. Then had the rest of the day for some last chance shopping in the markets, just short walking distance from the hotel we were staying in. Two weeks after leaving, we were back on the plane headed home the following day. All in all, this trip was an adventure! Thailand was much easier having been there the prior year in terms of working out logistics and knowing what to expect. Getting sick was surely a disappointment but also leaves me with a little extra motivation to focus on another chance to compete in the 2013 World Cup. It was also an opportunity to get to see friends I only see during the race season or at World finals, as well as meet a bunch of new people. I originally had mixed feelings about Vietnam, but am sure glad I got to take part in that trip. It was also a great opportunity to learn about the development of Jettribe. It’s funny the places a Jet-Ski can take you, along with the help from some great people. Thank you: Jettribe, Riva, Jettrim, Fly, Full Spectrum, ADA racing, and Hot Products!!! Written by Rick Sherker

Inside Thailand King's Cup Story from Jettribe Team Rider Rick Sherker.

Where to start…. This years King’s cup trip started in Thailand. This was my second time traveling here to race, in what is one of the greatest PWC races in the world! Similar to last year, it started with meeting the Jettribe team in Bangkok after traveling for 24 hours late at night. I traveled with my good friend Geno Curran, we were greeted by Tony Vo and Derek Correll at the airport, after meeting up with Brent Venderley earlier in our travels at the layover in Tokyo. The next day we were greeted by more of the team at breakfast, and then proceeded to make the trip down to Pattaya after stopping and Visiting the Moto Field shop run by our good Thai friend Sam. I’ll do my best to keep it relatively brief and use plenty of pretty pictures (courtesy of John Cutright) to sum up my experience… The Race The rest of the week was all business, getting the ski unpacked and ready for the race. This included swapping motors with a fresh one, breaking it in, rejetting the carbs multiple times to adjust for the different fuel and getting it perfect for race day. After many practice starts and little adjustments I was really confident with how things were running.

There are a lot of things you can prepare for and some out of you control. I trained extremely hard preparing for this event doing some kind of cardio or cross training 7 days a week for about two months after returning form Havasu. I practiced in frigid temperatures with hand warmers, feet warmers and a dry suit until the day before leaving. I prepared a plan on ski setup to workout some issues I had at World Finals just prior to shipping the ski out which worked out great… Then there are the things that are harder to control! I got some sort of bug. Not sure if it was a cold coming back that I had just started to get over before leaving, or something I picked up in my travels. I had felt a little under the weather all week, but didn’t realize how bad it was until the first turn of the first moto. I struggled with it the entire weekend. Was fighting a fever and felt like I was burning up as soon as my adrenaline would get pumping. Things started out great, I grabbed the holeshot in moto one and lead the race for a few laps until I proceeded to loose positions and drop back the 5th by the checkered flag.

Moto two was a little better with another holeshot from the outside start only to get beat out by my old ski from last season on the inside start at the merge! Ended up finishing in 3rd. Going into Sunday’s moto, for moto 3 I was sitting in fourth and had hopes of improving to the top three, however I felt even worse and could not keep it from reflecting on the track. My starts were poor, and I struggled to just maintain my position, rather than being able to fight through the pack. I ended up 6th overall after the four moto’s. Although I was a little frustrated and disappointed with my results, it was a success. Pro ski was the most stacked It’s ever been, with the best of the best. Already looking forward to 2013!!!

This year, the Jettribe team had some new members who got to experience their first King’s Cup. Jamie-Lee Spence from Australia made the trip and did a great job in Novice ski stock in her first big time race. Woody made the trip from China to compete in his first international race and mixed it up with the big boys in Expert Runabout Limited where he fought his way into the top ten. It was really cool to get to pit and hang out with these guys. The awards The crew…

The goodbyes With racing in the books, the ski’s crated back up for the boat ride home, the awards ceremony over, and a night of celebrating with the team, it was time to head out. We said our goodbyes to Jamie and her father at the hotel who were staying another week in Pattaya for vacation. Then we said goodbye to Woody and his crew at the airport who were headed home to China.

The rest of us caught a short flight east to Vietnam… Written by Rick Sherker

Brent B Jettribe Team Member's Adventure in Vietnam and Thailand.

It sounded like a drag strip across the street in front of the host hotel the Furama. The roar of the big open four stroke boats, the unmistakable high RPM scream of the two strokes skis and smaller runabouts, the smell of high octane fuel; this was the first hint that Team Jettribe USA and I had arrived in Pattya, Thailand for the 2012 TJSBA’s King’s Cup! I have to say I love the city of Pattaya!The beaches are picturesque, the hotels, restaurants and bars range from historic to just built, and the attitude of the locals is kind, friendly, honest and anything goes. When we arrivedMonday afternoonon the Jettribe Team bus, the first thing I noticed was all the skis, boats and shipping crates lining the side street that leads to the entrance of the Furama. All of it wassitting there,untouched, just like they had been shipped. In a place where a good weeks wage is $40 dollars US, I was amazedthat even my steel crate was still there, let alone my RXP-X race boat stuffed full of gear!

Even though everything got serious come race day, there are a couple days and nights with some free time, if you are not busy wrenching. One of my favorite things about watercraft racing is the location… Ihave to have some fun while I am there, and am convinced that one of the keys to that in Pattaya is renting a scooter! It is the best $30 I spent the entire week. There is nothing like a four man scooter gang of PWC racers weaving in and out of traffic along side the locals. It also doubled as transportation back and forth to the race site and around town exploring. The King’s Cup, and being there with Tony, Jettribe, all the Jettribe racers and crew and people from around the world is such a unique experience. The Opening Ceremony at the Furama Ballroom had a host of government officials representing Thailand and the city of Pattaya giving speeches. They rolled out the red carpet and presented the three coveted King’s Cups trophies to the audience of racers, crew, family and friends. This was followed by a traditional Thai war drum dance done by a handful of Thai performers. The night closed with a giant buffet of traditional Thai foodcourtesy of the Furama staff.

The following day we (Team Jettribe) went to the race site and took our spot under the Team USA tent that the TJSBA event staff provided for all the countries. The mood changed from festive to a competitive, and even though there were huge cash payouts on the line, there was acomradery amongst the race teams that I have not witnessed at any other event. The Thai people’s friendliness and attitudes, along with the TJSBA’s organization, shined through, adding to the uniqueness that is the King’s Cup. The grand prix style four moto system, the swell and chop in the bay, the seemingly forever long back straight followed by the coarse split, had it’s way of testing the racers, mechanics and machines like no other race I’ve attended. On top of all this, traveling with Tony and everyone associated with Jettribe was awesome. This was my first time in Asia, and he put me together with a great team of people, and Tony is a great host and tour guide. It was invaluable being there with everyone and having that combined experience, Team Jettribe support and a translator! I also took Tony up on the offer to travel to Vietnam for a week after the race. Seeing the history the United States and Vietnam share first hand is indescribable. Traveling with Vietnam natives and a War Veteran made it richer than anything I could have experienced on my own. Again, I can not say it enough, that the trip would not have been anything close to the trip it was without everyone from Jettribe I had the privilege to travel with.

Along with this being my first time in Asia, my first time at the King’s Cup World Cup Grand Prix, this was my first season of PWC racing. I have had a great year, and this trip to Thailand and Vietnam with Tony, my Jettribe teammates and all the crew was the highlight and an exclamation point on my2012 racing season! Instead of wanting to come back home to the states, take a few months off, and regroup for 2013, it has left me wanting more. So, back out on the water I go riding, impatiently waiting for spring. Brent Venderley Team Jettribe USA Clearwater, Florida

Derek Correl Jettribe Team Member's recalls our adventure Asia Tour.

Where to begin? There were so many memorative moments. It will take me a while to describe all the experiences. First off, my journey began with thanksgiving with the Vo family. We had a great time with tony and his family. And yes, we had both styles of turkey. They were both great. Our next journey was from LAX to China, to meet with our suppliers. Every year has been a challenge. But this year, we have so. Many different cities to visit on A very tight schedule, before we even think about the world kings cup in Thailand. One extra added bonus, was that we had a whole row to ourselves, which made out first long flight over the pacific very comfortable for everyone to rest. And we needed that rest, because after landing in china, we hit the ground running. Our tight itinerary posed a great challenge. Our first supplier picked us up at the airport, and had lunch with us. She then took us for a tour around several factories, along with accompanying us for several meetings where important decisions were made for our product line. But as always, our tight schedule left no time for us to sightsee before our next appointment.

After a long day, we decided to take a walk around our hotel. Across the street, we discovered a mall, not unlike the ones we are used to. On our walk, we met up with an English teacher from Georgia. She was teaching english to the Chinese. She was very glad to see us, and decided to take us to a Walmart. We soon found out, Walmart in china really shows the Chinese culture, in the products it carries. Seafood wasn't just fresh, it was alive. What an experience.

The next day, we woke up early to rush though breakfast, and head to the airport for another long day of traveling from meeting to meeting. We had a short flight to Luzon, to meet up with a group of clients. We landed in a place called Liuzhou, where Larry Chen picked us up, and took us to our hotel. We wasted no time as we prepared for a meeting over dinner with clients. We had a great and diverse dinner of sushi and French fries. And yet again, an early morning meeting with clients kept us from staying out too late. Written by Derek Correl

Jettribe Team USA was so stoked to have Jamie-Lee Spence on our team at the King's Cup in Thailand.

About a month ago now I went over to Pattaya Thailand for the King’s Cup - World Cup grand prix jet ski racing. It was the most amazing experience of my life I’m so grateful for everything and everyone who helped me out. There is so many people I would like to thank but I would be here all day so the two main people I would like to say thank you to are firstly my parents for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to race and Jettribe for sponsoring me! Over the five days of racing the Jettribe crew became family to me. They have got to be some of the funniest and nicest people I have ever met. Even when everything was against me and I wasn’t doing that well they didn’t turn there back on me or leave me behind instead they stuck by my side, encouraged me and cheered me on even if I was coming last. One of the hardest things was saying good bye to them, I can’t wait to see them later in the year for some more great racing and good memories.

When we were learning the course I was having second thoughts about racing I didn’t know if I could actually do it or if I was even good enough to but with all the support I had from back in Australia, everyone in Thailand and especially my dad I thought why not give it a try, I’m so glad my dad pushed me as hard as he did. Racing at the King’s Cup has given me so many more opportunities to further my race career. During my time I met so many awesome people that I have formed great friend relationships with I really miss everyone so much.

Thank you again to everyone who helped my dad and I out! We have come back to Perth Australia with so many good stories to tell. I must say I didn’t have the best of luck over in Pattaya with the ski not working properly and me getting really sick that I ended up throwing up in my helmet I still would NOT change a thing, I had so much fun and learnt a lot anyway, I went over there for the experience not to win. This trip I learnt that no matter how many things go wrong or don’t work just keep smiling and laughing. Bring On 2013! Written By Jamie-lee Spence #118