Being able to be home in Utah, and for the first time racing in the state is an absolute honor for me. – Bountiful resident Brock Austin
For the first time, the gates dropped and the engines roared as the Pro Watercross Tour made its debut running at Sand Hollow State Park in St. George.
“This is an adrenaline enthusiasts playground here at Sand Hollow and St. George,” said Nick Handler, managing director of Pro Watercross Tour. “We are so happy to be able to bring this tour to Utah and to the all the fans of the event. Sand Hollow bring such a unique set of challenges for each rider, plus the scenery here is so stunning.”
Professional and amateur class races took place Saturday with riders competing for season-long championship points.
Race one of the day featured the professionals in the Ski GP, where the rider stands on smaller Jet Ski watercraft riding the machine through the challenging course.
Dustin Motzouris of South Africa took first, while Bountiful resident Brock Austin took third.
“Being able to be home in Utah, and for the first time racing in the state is an absolute honor for me,” Austin said. “To be close for friends and family to be able to come out to watch me race and share in my passions means a lot to me. Sand Hollow is such a beautiful backdrop for the race, I hope to see this event become a mainstay on the tour.”
Race two featured the biggest watercraft of the day in the Pro-Am Runabout open, where Erminio Iantosca ran away from the other riders, lapping the entire field and coasting to an easy win.
“I come expecting to race my best,” said Iantosca. “Today was some absolutely amazing racing but I was able to put together a great race and come away with the win. It feels great.”
The final professional races saw Tanner Thomas, Aaron Gewecke, Abdullah Alfadhel and Washington native Aron Terracciano win their races respectively.
“This is my hometown,” said Terracciano. “I was blessed to grow up here in this area and to finally have a home races for me and to come away with the win, there are no words to describe how amazing this is.”
“The Pro Watercross races are a perfect event for showcasing everything that is great about the St. George area,” said Joe Newman of marketing and communications for the St. George Tourism Office. “The fabulous hospitality of the people in Washington County, the spectacular venue at Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane, and the beauty of Zion National Park towering off in the distance, illustrates the amazing outdoor recreational opportunities the St. George area provides.”