Man Reported to Have Set PWC Speed Record: 101.7 mph

Byline: Associated Press

POLK CITY, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man’s personal watercraft speed record during a racing event has a promoter planning to bring Guinness World Records personnel to next year’s competition.

Joseph Mastrapa, 29, set a record of 101.7 mph during this month’s RIVA Racing HydroDrag event. The previous mark was 100.3 mph set by Puerto Rico’s Julio Rivera in 2010, according to event promoter Mike Young of Bradenton.

“When you hit the throttle, there’s not many things to think about, other than trying to keep the bike as straight as possible and hope everything works out,” Mastrapa said.

Mastrapa, who lives in Palmetto Bay outside of Miami, races as a hobby and works on the racing equipment with a friend, Manny Valdes.

“There is no way to describe it,” Mastrapa said. “The only way for someone to describe it is to ride and see for yourself. There’s no way you can put that into words.”

The sport is in its third year of sanctioning by the International Jet Sports Boating Association for personal watercraft competitive racing.

The course runs about 660 feet, with competitors making separate runs to post the best speeds.

Young said he hopes to find a sponsor to handle bringing a Guinness representative to next November’s event, to verify any possible records.

“For this guy to come out and do something like this, it’s pretty amazing,” Young said. “He’s not getting help from any of the major manufacturers or sponsors. This guy did it on his own nickel and basically put everybody in his place.”

There isn’t an exact Guinness match for Mastrapa’s IJSBA record. The closest comparison is 76.172 mph set over a measured kilometer in July 2002.

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