Remember how sick personal watercraft racing (PWC) was in the '90s? Me neither because I was a child, but I've seen the videos, and they looked absolutely sick. Ever since testing the ludicrous Sea-Doo RXP-X 325, which is about as close as you'll come to a racing PWC right out of the crate, I wondered what it was like in the heyday of PWC racing.
As it turns out, personal watercraft racing mightn't have had its heyday just yet.
The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) recently announced the launch of the IHRA Pro Watercraft Racing Series, which is a championship dedicated to both stand-up and runabout PWC racing set to debut in 2026. The series is meant to bring in a new era of PWC racing, increase the sport's visibility, and give racers real opportunities to be professional PWC racers instead of the reality today, which is that the majority of the professional series is made up of semi-professional riders, supported by sponsors and their day jobs.
The new series will be backed by a $250,000 prize pool and experienced leadership in the form of legendary racer, Dustin Farthing, who'll serve as the managing director and should help to bring credibility to the new championship. The series will be integrated into some IHRA Offshore Powerboat Racing Series events, meaning fans and racers alike should have a more action-packed weekend.
Common sense would suggest that if you're giving more to racing fans, especially more diverse racing classes—yes, we're all thinking baggers at MotoAmerica—popularity, visibility, and overall viability of the series should soar. Hopefully, this is the case; actually, the IHRA is banking on it, as the association's leadership stated that it's the first step in a broad, long-term investment in PWC racing.
It's still a bit cold to be dreaming of waterfront racing, so it shouldn't sting too much that specific event details haven't been announced yet. But planning and outreach is already underway with racers, sponsors, promoters, and international partners. The IHRA Offshore Powerboat Racing Series schedule will be announced in the near future, and within that schedule, you'll see what events will feature the Pro Watercraft Racing Series.
