June 1, 2003 – Jim O'Halloran drove the first Wave Runner to return to Hull Bay during the first Offshore Ironman Jet Ski race held on Sunday. Rain briefly delayed the 11 a.m. start of the race around St. Thomas. Conditions cleared up for most of the race and sea conditions were described by racers as perfect for the counter-clockwise course. The racers were divided into two classes, two-cylinder 700cc and three-cylinder 1200cc machines, with each class having a separate start. The 700cc class started first from Hull Bay on St. Thomas's North Side at 11:10 a.m. The 1200cc class started some 15 minutes later.
Organizer Ramon Fuertes expected the 1200cc racers to pass the 700cc machines during the passage from the West End of St. Thomas along the south coast, but the smoother than expected Caribbean Sea did not slow down the smaller class. and the first three craft across the finish were all 700cc contestants. O'Halloran, 48, was just seconds ahead of Mike Manninen after a 55-minute trip around the island with Aaron Roach finishing third less than two minutes behind.
The 1200cc racers were led by Laurent Lake riding a Yamaha Extreme Waverunner, owned by Jorge Gonzalez. Lake was pleased with the smooth water because he had broken a small stabilizing side sponson between the West End and the airport. "Cash" Peets drove his Waverunner to second place in 1200cc class, and Fuertes finished third.
The next event on the Waverunner schedule is a Father's Day slalom race to be held on June 15 at Lindbergh Bay.
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