The Erie Sports Commission is pleased to announce the 2017 Flyboard National Tour will stop in Erie in June, hosting HydroFlight competitions on Presque Isle Bay Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25. HydroFlight, a Pro Watercross event, will add to the already-popular Erie Poker Run, a go-fast powerboat event, which will be held in Erie for the third year beginning Friday, June 23.
Preview video of Flyboard is available online here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf8PvfaIAGE
Spectator admission to both events is free.
Event directors from Pro Watercross anticipate 75 of the world’s best HydroFlight athletes will take part in the event. Athletes will perform timed freestyle routines in qualifying events on Saturday with finals on Sunday. A Saturday night event will see competitors wearing suits with LED lights and lasers.
HydroFlight uses the power of water to send a rider through the air at extreme speeds and soaring heights. A hose is installed into each participants’ personal watercraft (PWC), making all of the water power that it would use to move to be re-routed to a jetpack strapped to the rider’s back or feet. By controlling the PWC and the amount of force, the flyer can use the power of the jet stream to perform intricate stunts and maneuvers.
Pro Watercross is the leading personal watercraft racing series in the United States, consisting of an elite group of both professional and amateur athletes who compete at its events throughout the summer months. The series began working with the HydroFlight community in 2015 to bring a HydroFlight World Championship to the United States in Naples, Fla. in 2016.
The 2017 Flyboard National Tour will make its first stop in Pensacola, Fla. in April, before heading to Erie. A National Championship event will be held at a site to be announced, followed by the World Championships, held again in Naples, Fla. in October.
The Erie Poker Run will accommodate up to 60 high-powered speed boats, which will once again be housed at the Wolverine Park Marina beginning Friday, June 23 through Sunday, June 25. Performance boating enthusiasts from across the Northeastern United States and Canada will convene in Erie before making five stops at establishments on the shores of Lake Erie to complete a poker hand.
Boats will arrive in Erie on Friday before the Poker Run takes off on Saturday morning.
A portion of that event’s proceeds will once again benefit the Bradley H. Foulk Children’s Advocacy Center. Registration for the Erie Poker Run is currently open at http://elitepokerruns.com/.
“The Flyboard National Tour will, without a doubt, be something unlike Erie has ever seen before,” said Ron Sertz, Executive Director of the Erie Sports Commission. “The stunts that these athletes perform are truly spectacular. By adding this event to our calendar on the same weekend as the Erie Poker Run, one of the most popular free spectator events of the summer, we are hoping to create an unforgettable summer weekend on Erie’s waterfront. This Waterfront Weekend will be one that no one will want to miss.”
“We were so impressed with Erie’s waterfront when we visited, that we knew we had to jump on the opportunity to bring our Flyboard National Tour here,” said AJ Handler, President of Pro Watercross. “We’re really looking forward to bringing this growing sport to Erie and allowing our athletes to show off their skills to crowds from across the Great Lakes region. With the Erie Sports Commission and Elite Poker Runs, we’re going to make this a weekend when everyone in the Erie region will truly want to be on the waterfront.”
“Every year I’m impressed by the crowds that come down to check out our boats that come to Erie,” said Anthony Scioli of Elite Poker Runs, LLC. “Our boaters are excited about the addition of Flyboard for the 2017 event, and the possibility of even more spectators on the waterfront.”
For more information on Waterfront Weekend, including a schedule and viewing locations, please visit http://www.eriesportscommission.com/waterfront-weekend/.
The Erie Sports Commission is committed to promoting the Erie region as a prime destination for sports and recreation. The major goals of the ESC are to attract, create, support, and host sporting and recreational events that have a positive economic impact on the region, and assist in maximizing the potential of all regional sports facilities and venues. The ESC strives to enhance the image of Erie by showcasing the community, promote wellness through healthy lifestyles, and improve the quality of life for community members of all ages.
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