THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 17, 1996 TAG: 9605170662
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
The 1996 Budweiser Jet Sports Tour hits the Oceanfront this weekend with the second stop on the 10-city tour.
This weekend's International Jet Sports Boating Association-sponsored event is the second of two ocean races. Last weekend's Savannah, Ga., stop opened the tour. This is the seventh straight season Virginia Beach has been on the tour.
``The ocean races are really challenging,'' public relations manager Tony Gardea said. ``That's why we come here.''
Some 125 locals and touring amateurs will get to show off for potential sponsors when they compete in several classes for men and women Saturday.
Approximately 100 professionals in seven divisions for men and women compete Sunday.
Victor Sheldon of Vista, Calif., is the Pro Runabout 785 defending champion and is leading the Pro Runabout 1200 class. Dustin Farthing of Hobe Sound, Fla., leads the Runabout 785 class, as well as the Pro Sport division.
Five-time world champion Jeff Jacobs of El Cajon, Calif., leads the Pro Ski class and German Marc Sickerling leads the Pro Freestyle. He finished fourth last year.
The top pro female is four-time world champion Christy Carlson of Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Carlson leads the women's Pro-Am Ski after last year's second-place finish to Tera Laho-Crismon of Lake Havasu. Karine Paturel of Beaucaire, France, is the defending Pro-Am Runabout champion and leads the class.
Racers compete in two motos, with points awarded for their finish in each and a champion determined by the overall points.
Action gets under way at 4th Street with 10 a.m. qualifying rounds each morning. The race course is set up only a few yards off the beach for better spectator viewing.
Sunday's professional finals are set for approximately noon. by CNB