It was been quite a season for Andrew Vo, a 13-year-old junior Jetski racer from Sulphur Springs, Texas, recently relocated from Southern California. This year, Andrew finished the Jettribe Mid America series with a impressive first overall in the Junior 13-15 lites 2-stroke class and a second in the 4-stroke class.
With confidence, we headed to the Jetski World Finals In Lake Havasu City, AZ, knowing that he will race against the best of the best junior racers from all over the world and in the older junior class (13-15) year old. It was truly an international competition with over 40 countries who participated: kids from Finland, France, Thailand, Middle East, and the more local Lake Havasu junior racers, who were all really fast. Their skills are all on another level.
It was the toughest race Andrew had ever participated in, with the rough water conditions Lake Havasu is known for, and the competitors are all fast, strong, aggressive, and experienced. Andrew fought hard and rode hard all week. After some motos, some frustrations and defeats, he said, “I tried my best.” That’s in spite of being hit from behind, run over and forced into a buoy, and finally hit from the side in which both racers went flying off their skis! Thankfully, both kids were unharmed. Unfortunately, Andrew’s ski will need some fiberglass repair this winter.
After, a week of racing 6 motos over two classes, the emotional challenges, Andrew was able to earn a 7th place trophy in the Junior 13-15 years old 4-stroke class and a 14th in the two-stroke class.
Andrew’s dad expressed pride in his son’s efforts, improving after each moto. The youth was methodical, did not miss any buoys, stayed on his ski, would finish his laps or run an additional lap just in case if there were any missed lap counts. Plus, he further noted in a press release, every time Andrew crossed the finish line, no matter how much his body hurt and was spent, he would always ride on his feet, not his knees.
“One thing as a dad, I always stress to Andrew in this sport it is not always about winning on the track or being the fastest, but the relationships he needs to earn along the way. Between each moto, he would walk into vendor alley, with a handful of resumes that he typed up. There he would face his biggest fear, more than racing itself. He approached each vendor and introduced himself and asked for support for next year,” Andrews dad stated in a press release.
He offered “a huge shout out to Andrew’s support team. Darren and Jon were a tremendous help as the pit crew: from launching and retrieving Andrew’s race ski for each race moto, as well as tracking race schedules, fueling, and walking Andrew down to the starting line. Thank you, Terry and Justin for setting up the team pit for all of the Texas/Kansas NautiWater team riders to have a home base. Word up to Ryan for holding at the starting line and protecting Andrew on the line when other dads were getting too excited. John C. for volunteering to stay and hold for Andrew on the last day, even though John had a 20 hour drive back to Texas. Lastly, big hug to Kylie for talking and coaching Andrew through some of his lowest points after some of the worst races. Plus, Tim for building a bullet proof race ski that performed all week and Peter’s team for fine-tuning Andrew’s ski.”
Andrew’s dad noted the most heartwarming thing they witnessed was “Andrew’s Junior teammates who offered comfort and encouragement after each of the race motos. Such close friendships and bonds we can never forget.”
Some say it takes a whole village to raise a kid, but it takes a whole race team to put a kid on the water to race Jetskis, he concluded.
