Pro Watercross

What Pro Watercross does

Pro Watercross is a privately held personal watercraft (jet ski) racing organization founded in 1995, currently operated under a 2025 acquisition by a partnership between East Coast Watercross (Shawn Dudek, COO) and Nautiwater Racing (Terry Hiebert). The company promotes a national closed-course racing series under the 2026 "Road to Havasu" branding, featuring up to 10 rounds across the United States with more than 12 professional and amateur classes, culminating in a championship finale at Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Core event infrastructure includes GPS transponder-based timing and scoring, online registration through the Livemotorsports platform, and IJSBA sanctioning under a Premiere USA partnership.

The business generates revenue from four streams: race entry fees ($240 first class, $200 second class, $130 single day, $40 practice; free third class), IJSBA membership pass-through ($85 new / $80 renewal), a title sponsorship relationship with LIQUI MOLY USA for the 2026 tour, and a long tail of supporting sponsors and host-city tourism partners (Visit Sebring, Visit Paris Texas, Go Lake Havasu, City of Sebring). National television distribution is delivered through CBS Sports Network via 30-minute post-event shows, supplemented by digital post-race live streams and social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X). The total operating team is approximately five people.

Customer segments are horizontally distributed across youth/junior racers (ages 8-17, served through the Young Guns development program and Junior Nationals event), amateur and novice adult racers, Pro-Am elite competitors, host municipalities/tourism authorities, and corporate sponsors. The product surface includes the flagship Liqui Moly Pro Watercross National Tour, the Junior Nationals, the Young Guns Youth Development Program, and IJSBA-sanctioned class memberships — all sharing common broadcast, sanctioning, and venue infrastructure.

Name

Pro Watercross

Legal name

Pro Watercross

Website

https://prowatercross.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pro Watercross is a 30-year-old U.S. personal watercraft racing organization operating a 10-round national jet ski tour under IJSBA sanction, serving amateur, Pro-Am, and youth racers through a co-op event format with CBS Sports Network broadcast coverage and title sponsorship by LIQUI MOLY.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Motorsports Event Promotion

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

Keywords

• Jet ski racing
• Personal watercraft racing
• Closed-course racing
• National racing tour
• Motorsports event promotion

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Race Registration Fees: Athletes pay registration fees to compete in events. Fees range from $240 for first class entry (includes GPS transponder rental), $200 for second class, free for third class, and $130 for single-day entry. Friday practice sessions cost $40.
2. Title Sponsorship: LIQUI MOLY serves as the title sponsor for the 2026 National Tour, providing financial support, performance products, and brand visibility across all events.
3. Partnership and Sponsorship Revenue: Various sponsors (Competitive Crankshaft, Dale's Jet Sports, Visit Sebring, Visit Paris Texas, and others) provide sponsorship support in exchange for brand exposure at events and across CBS Sports broadcasts.
4. IJSBA Membership: Riders must maintain IJSBA membership to compete, with fees of $85 for new members and $80 for renewals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pro Watercross operates as a premier closed-course personal watercraft (jet ski) racing organization in the United States. The company runs the Liqui Moly Pro Watercross National Tour ("The Road to Havasu"), a 10-round national circuit featuring 12+ professional and amateur racing classes that culminates in a championship finale at Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The organization also delivers the Junior Nationals youth event and the Young Guns Youth Development Program, with national television exposure via CBS Sports Network.

Product overview

Pro Watercross operates as a unified platform offering personal watercraft (jet ski) racing events and services. The core product is the Liqui Moly Pro Watercross National Tour ('The Road to Havasu'), a 10-round national racing circuit featuring multiple pro and amateur classes. Supporting products include the Junior Nationals (national youth racing event), the Young Guns Youth Development Program (grassroots training pipeline), and IJSBA-sanctioned racing class memberships. All components share the common infrastructure of the national tour, shared venues, CBS Sports broadcast partnership, and IJSBA sanctioning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Road to Havasu: The National Tour branding for the 2026 season featuring championship racing across multiple stops culminating in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
• Young Guns Youth Development Program

Products and services

• Liqui Moly Pro Watercross National Tour The flagship closed-course personal watercraft racing series featuring 10 national rounds across the United States, with 12+ pro and amateur classes, culminating in a championship finale at Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Designed for amateur and professional jet ski racers nationwide.
• Junior Nationals National-level youth personal watercraft racing event for ages 10-17, featuring multiple classes including Lites, 4-Stroke Lites, Stock, 1100 Mod, Sport Spec, Rec Lites, and Elite GP, with dedicated CBS Sports Network television coverage. Targets youth athletes ages 8-17.
• Young Guns Youth Jet Ski Development Program Youth development program for athletes aged 8-17 providing specialized on-the-track training for Slalom and Closed Course racing with coaching from Top Pro World Champions, led by Justin Smith. Grassroots talent pipeline for the national tour.
• IJSBA Sanctioned Racing Classes Multiple racing classifications offered through IJSBA sanctioning including Closed Course Ski (Junior/Novice/Expert/Pro), Closed Course Runabout/Sport (Novice/Expert/Pro), Endurance Ski, and Endurance Runabout/Sport for various skill levels. Available to licensed riders nationwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• National broadcast reach through CBS Sports Network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and flagship.

• Young Guns Youth Development FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026Non-profit organization dedicated to fostering the next generation of watercraft competitors. Organizes the Junior Nationals event running concurrently with the Pro Watercross National Tour at Buffalo Springs Lake.
• Visit SebringmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2026Tourism authority serving as a supporting sponsor for the Sebring, Florida event. Provides organizational support and venue coordination for the sixth consecutive year of Pro Watercross racing at Lake Jackson.
• Airstream VenturesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 April 2026Supporting sponsor for the Sebring, Florida event helping to make the 2026 Pro Watercross National Tour stop possible.
• City of SebringmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2026Local government partner hosting Pro Watercross events at Veterans Beach on Lake Jackson.
• Competitive CrankshaftmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Provides a complete professional crankshaft rebuild to the Sport Spec class Tour Champion. Partnership rewards elite performance and mechanical excellence in PWC racing.
• Dale's Jet SportsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Awards a New DJS STD Kawasaki 550 Crank to the overall winner of the 550 Vintage Class as part of the championship prize purse. DJS is a leader in high-performance PWC parts and service.
• Visit Paris TexasmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 February 2026Tourism organization serving as a supporting sponsor and host city for the Paris, Texas stop on the 2026 National Tour at Lake Crook Park.
• LIQUI MOLY USAflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Title sponsor for the 2026 Liqui Moly Pro Watercross National Tour. LIQUI MOLY provides financial sponsorship, high-performance marine oils and additives for racers, and brand visibility across all events and national CBS Sports broadcasts. Also supports East Coast Watercross and Nautiwater Racing regional series.
• IJSBAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026International Jet Sports Boating Association serves as the official sanctioning body for Pro Watercross events. The partnership establishes consistent rules, scoring systems, and administrative oversight. Pro Watercross is IJSBA's first premiere USA partner for 2026.
• CBS Sports NetworkflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026National television broadcast partner providing 30-minute post-event television shows and ongoing coverage of the national tour. Brings the sport to millions of viewers and provides exposure for athletes and sponsors.
• East Coast WatercrossflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Owned by Shawn Dudek (COO of Pro Watercross), East Coast Watercross is one of the new owners of Pro Watercross following the acquisition. Provides regional racing operations and grassroots talent development along the Atlantic seaboard.
• Nautiwater RacingflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Founded by Terry Hiebert, Nautiwater Racing is one of the new owners of Pro Watercross. Brings expertise in race production, sponsorship development, and athlete engagement. Nautiwater Racing regional series co-op events allow racers to earn both regional and national points.
• Trophy ExtrememajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial award provider for the 2026 Tour Champions. Custom-engineered trophies reflecting the magnitude of national victories.
• JetttribeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor for Round 3 at Lake Havasu City, AZ.
• SureCanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor for the Pro Watercross National Tour events.
• Worx RacingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor for Round 3 at Lake Havasu City, AZ.
• Anderson PowersportsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor for Round 3 at Lake Havasu City, AZ.
• Go FastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor for Round 3 at Lake Havasu City, AZ.
• KommanderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting sponsor for Round 3 at Lake Havasu City, AZ.
• Go Lake HavasuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal tourism partner for Lake Havasu City, AZ events.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aquabike World Series (Jet Ski World Series): The Aquabike World Series is the international PWC racing championship organized by the UIM, competing for top professional riders and global sponsor attention. Highly comparable in format (closed-course ski and runabout racing) and athlete pool.
• P1 AquaX: P1 AquaX operates a national and international PWC racing championship series, directly competing with Pro Watercross for the same athletes, sponsors, and U.S. PWC racing audience. Both run closed-course jet ski racing with national ambition and sanctioning body alignment.
• Powerboat P1: Powerboat P1 is a marine motorsport promoter that runs PWC-focused AquaX racing as part of its broader powerboat racing portfolio. It is a direct competitor in PWC racing events and sponsorship sales, with the same sanctioning ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Pro Motocross (MX Sports): Pro Motocross operates a national U.S. closed-course racing series with multiple rounds, TV broadcast, sponsorship tiers, and youth development. Directly comparable in event-tour structure, though in a larger-scale motorsport category.
• AMA Pro Racing: AMA Pro Racing is the premier U.S. motorcycle sanctioning body and event promoter, comparable in business model (sanctioning, national tour, TV broadcast, sponsorship sales) to Pro Watercross but at a much larger motorsport scale.
• Feld Entertainment (Supercross): Feld Entertainment operates Monster Energy Supercross, a national U.S. closed-course racing tour with TV distribution, sponsorship-driven economics, and a multi-class structure. Comparable as a similarly formatted racing promoter, but operating at a much larger commercial scale.

Regional players

• Jettrim Pro Watercross (Australia/New Zealand): Regional professional PWC racing circuits in Australia and New Zealand operate with the same closed-course jet ski racing format and IJSBA-aligned rules. They are comparable in sport mechanics but do not compete in the U.S. market.
• International Hot Boat Association (IHBA): IHBA sanctions and organizes drag boat racing events across the U.S., comparable as a national watercraft motorsport promoter with similar event-based revenue model and racing community, though it focuses on drag boat rather than closed-course PWC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/prowatercross
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@prowatercross
• Facebookfacebook.com/prowatercross
• Instagraminstagram.com/prowatercross
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pro-watercross

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pro Watercross