So How Does It All Work?
We start first thing Saturday morning with Registration and a basic scrutineering safety check of each rider’s ski. The water is then open for free practice and general use.
Saturday lunchtime sees Amateur Freestyle. This is generally aimed at beginners with a friendly rivalry and is the mainstay of FNT riders. A 2 minute routine with everyone watching is quite daunting for new riders, but is soon enjoyed and will become quite addictive. Competition improves the breed and it is amazing at how people progress over the season.
Saturday afternoon sees the Stock Superjet Slalom. This is a light hearted competition, open to all riders to use our stock ski and will be 2 laps of a short slalom buoyed course. But we are fun loving freestylers, so there will be a few different challenges along the way such as a limbo bar (safely made of polystyrene!) or taking one buoy while riding backwards...Have you ever seen the FNT Superjet egg and spoon race?
Sunday dawns with breakfast and then free practice. The first competition is sit-down slalom followed by stand-up slalom, again around a larger buoyed course. Then we have another new competition which is Superjet Stock Freestyle. This is open to all riders to enter, using the FNT stock ski and do a traditional 2 minute routine.
Finally we have Pro Freestyle or our open class where the top freestylers in the UK can compete to take top honours.
Running again for 2010 is the popular beginner clinic run by Rick Hall and Lisa Holdcroft. This is a clinic running throughout the weekend allowing hands-on training for riders from complete beginners through to barrel rolls and flips.
This will attract new and younger freestylers to the weekend, those who don’t feel ready for competition, but want to enjoy a freestyle weekend alongside the top riders.
The emphasis of the weekend is thus strongly geared around Freestyle, Fun and Value for Money. The FNT has a strong brand image and a loyal core of riders constantly attracting newcomers. Why not come along and see what its about?
Saturday evening then is a social event, offering a central focal point for newcomers to meet up and feel part of the community.
Afterwards, there may be a few toys brought out, we have seen in the past, mini-motos, Power kites and even pogo-sticks!
Most riders tend to camp on site creating a real community, with many riders sharing tools etc.
The Freestyle National Tour (FNT) tour was originally set up to introduce riders to the world of freestyle, to show that the world of competitive riding is not a daunting place to be, and to this end has achieved its goal in producing top-flight riders from all around the UK. The riders that have taken the step from the FNT to the British Championships, and even beyond, have all ranked highly.
The FNT prides itself on being a friendly place, an enjoyable weekend away with like-minded people. A place for riders and family new or old to share hints and tips along the way, a place that pushes the boundaries of any rider more than they would ever be pushed riding with their mates. It has acted as a stepping stone, a proving ground for riders to go onto bigger things, European and World Championships. Indeed, the FNT helped school the likes of UK world champions Lee Stone and Ant Burgess.
The tour has 6 rounds at different lakes around the country. We have 2 classes, Amateur or beginner, and Pro class or Open helping us to attract riders of all abilities from all corners of the UK.
The Sport Of Jetski Freestyle
Just what is jetski freestyle? I guess it was born out of man’s natural desire to show off, free as in “free of rules.”
A freestyle competition comprises of two minutes for each rider to put together a routine comprising of their best tricks and moves, all fluidly strung together in an effort to impress the judges. So how does it happen? The rider is the only person of the water and then raises his or her hand to indicate the start of their routine and for the clock to be started.
