The world of jet ski marathons is filled with stories of daring athletes who have pushed the limits of endurance and skill on the open water. These races, often spanning long distances and challenging conditions, have produced legends whose contributions to the sport are celebrated and remembered. The PWCOFFSHORE Endurance and Offshore Racing Hall of Fame recognizes these exceptional individuals for their impact on the offshore and endurance racing community.
Jet Ski Race
PWCOFFSHORE Racing Hall of Fame
The racers selected to the PWCOFFSHORE Racing Hall of Fame have been selected for their contribution to our sport, success on the race track and overall impact they have had on the offshore and endurance racing community and sport as a whole. These racers are truly the elite of the elite.
Billy Womack: The Pioneer (Inducted in 2008)
Billy Womack was and is a pioneer in the offshore racing sport and a legend in the PWC racing community. He was the first to use GPS to cross the channel, among countless other accomplishments in the offshore and endurance racing arena.
Four (4) Long Beach to Catalina and Back Offshore National Championships. Need we say any more?
Read also: All About Twin Tips
Womack was the first to take the LB2CAT to a new level and raised the standard for physical fitness and commitment required to be successful in our sport.
We hope our sport will have others that represent themselves and the sport with the class and dignity that Billy Womack has.
As a champion he was focused and leveled the swells in front of him to push the time envelope, he proved himself repeatedly over years one the offshore circuit.
He'll always be #1 for the LB2CAT, everyone else will be 2, 3, 4 and so on...A nice way to end a new beginning.
Congratulations Mr. Womack.
Read also: Buying Fischer Skis
From Shawn Alladio about Womack: Dear Friends and Fellow Endurance Racers, The press release above is listed on the core site for PWCoffshore racing.
I remember Billy racing on a Waveblaster many years ago, he was the 'blaster master' and set a furious and fast pace, exactly what offshore racing needed.
Billy seemed to be unassuming and quiet, until he hit the fast track to outer bounds, his tenacity flew away for the wins he garnered. The core group of dedicated racers held the offshore endurance racing within it's own boundaries.
Equipment was the compliment. To win you needed a harder charger PWC that could take the edge of no return. A real Mr. Nice Guy. Out to sea to an offshore island and back home to the edge of a continent, landing near the historic Queen Mary, 'the majestic symbol of the seas of transit', wasn't just an act of faith, it takes grit, and as Billy said in his acceptance speech, 'rough water, can't see the island, just the way you like it, and tomorrow you will appreciate your rebate check!'.
The earned hits your body feels from the torturous and enduring pace, trying to beat the best and keep up with the pack was what fueled Womack to stay the course. Checkered flags welcomed him, he was rarely denied. It's not easy to say goodbye to a champion, everyone wants to know where Billy Womack is?
Read also: Innovative Ski Design by ODR
He's now the #1 PWCOffshore Hall of Famer, keeping with his industrious past.
Special kudos to Ross Wallach of RPM Racing Ent, his staff, the team and all who love endurance racing.
Shawn Alladio-A fan
Steve Friebe: "The Famous One" (Inducted in 2012)
Jet Ski
Up until this point, there has been only one worthy of the honor and that was Mr. Billy Womack way back in 2008. We are pleased to announce that there is another member worthy of the honor! #2 The man called “THE FAMOUS ONE,” Mr. Steve Friebe!
Recently retired (for the second time) Steve Friebe has been racing watercraft professionally for 14 years with multiple National Championships including the 2011 Triple Crown of Offshore Champion, 2011 DJSA Champion, a Mark Hahn 300 Mile National Champion and the list goes on and on.
Steve is also a committed PWC race technician by trade and is arguably one of the best technicians in the country.
Those who know Steve know him as a tenacious racer, class act and a man of integrity whose actions speak louder than his words.
You won’t find a person more willing to jump in and assist another racer.
Steve, you are one of the best, congratulations, you deserve it.
John Belton: "The Master" (Inducted in 2012)
The 3rd member to be inducted into the Hall of Fame is John Belton.
John Belton was the most experienced rider selected to be a PWCOFFSHORE Racing Sponsored Racer in 2008.
John has been riding personal watercraft for 25 years and has spent the vast majority of his life on the water through sailing and other offshore sports.
Mild mannered, but don’t be fooled!
This is a marathon runner, motocross rider, Mark Hahn 300 Mile Race Champion with many wins under his belt from decades on the water.
The consummate professional nick-named "The Master" by his peers, John has earned the respect of veteran racers from well over 1200 (yes, that is 1200) Long Beach to Catalina and back rides on a PWC and countless hours spent on the ocean sailing his sailboat.
Simply put, John is one of the most knowledgeable, experienced PWC offshore riders in the world.
A tremendous wealth of information for offshore riding and racing related topics, there is nobody on the water today that knows the Long Beach to Catalina channel as well as John.
A master at reading the water, predicting sea state, astute at navigation, a mentor and great friend to many and a class act to boot.
John Belton, congratulations again and welcome John Belton to the PWCOFFSHORE Hall of Fame!
Mike Follmer: "The Chief" (Inducted in 2013)
The PWCOFFSHORE.COM Racing Hall of Fame is pleased to induct its newest member, into the PWCOFFSHORE.COM Endurance Racing Hall of Fame he is “The Chief” AKA Mike Follmer!
Mike Follmer has been involved in racing for over 30 years and has set the standard for professionalism in racing that sponsors gravitate to for sponsorship and support.
Not only is Mike a capable racer with an overall win at the Mark Hahn 300 Mile Endurance Racing National Championship with partner Billy Womack, and an additional Mark Hahn Podium finish, as an advocate for offshore and endurance racing, Mike Follmer brought the Long Beach to Catalina and Back (“LB2CAT”) Offshore National Championship Race back in 2006.
It is very possible that if Mike didn’t push for the LB2CAT race to be reincarnated, this historic and epic race might not be here today for all of us to enjoy.
Mike is also the man behind bringing Mark Hahn’s vision of a 300 mile endurance race to fruition in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.
Under Mike Follmer’s leadership, the Mark Hahn 300 Mile Endurance race is now the international Endurance Race that attracts endurance racers from all over the world to participate in pursuit of the Mark Hahn National Endurance Title and the opportunity to compete against and potentially beat the best endurance racers in the world.
Those of us involved in Endurance Racing owe Mike Follmer a tremendous debt of gratitude for the contribution that he has made over the past decade in keeping endurance racing not only surviving, but thriving.
There are many class championships that we could read through here today; suffice it to say that Mike was the man to beat back in the 1990’s and early 2000’s when he was a fixture in endurance races on lakes across the United States.
Mike’s expertise in other forms of racing that he transferred over to PWC Racing provided him with a distinct advantage, especially when it came to Pit Crew processes and methodologies.
Follmer’s Pit Crew methodology has been the foundation of operating Pit Crew processes that many have used and attempted to emulate and refine as our sport has evolved.
Congratulations Chief, you are OFFICIALLY one of the best, rest assured that your contributions will not be forgotten, your legacy will live on forever.
Congratulations Chief!
Doug Brown (Inducted in 2013)
Our fifth induction into PWCOFFSHORE.COM Racing Offshore Hall of Fame is Doug Brown!
Doug started racing competitively in 1995 and would rise to the top of the “guys to attempt to beat in offshore racing.”
When racers came to the line and saw Doug, he was one of a finite group of racers there to win and likely would, especially if the water was big.
Doug was one of the few that was an OFFSHORE RACER’s racer.