The 2016 World Cup, organized by Pro Watercoss and Zapata Racing, will take place at Sugden Regional Park in Naples, Florida September 16th-18th. In previous years, the competition was hosted in Doha, Qatar and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event will only feature boards by Zapata Racing. Aquatic Aviation will be attending for the 4th year in a row.
Moving the Competition to the U.S.
Flyboarding has been growing and expanding since 2012. The change in host country of the World Cup was strategized to bring even more attention to the sport. This is the first year that the competition will be broadcasted on television. CBS Sports will be covering the event. The relocation is also due to the US military showing interest in the company after the revolutionary showcase of the Flyboard Air.
Qualifying
Some athletes will receive a direct invitation to compete based on past competitions. Other riders can fight for a spot by emailing a 2 minute video submission to event@zapata-racing.com along with their application.
There are 3 divisions: Pro Division, Ladies, and Veterans (40+ years of age). There will be a maximum of 32 pro riders, 10 ladies, and 10 veterans.
Competing in the Event
The best riders from around the world will perform in front of a panel of 5 professional judges. They will be judged on Technicity, Showmanship, Diversity and Energy. There will be 5 rounds. A round of all 32 contestants, a round of 16, quarter finals, semifinals, and the final round.
Cash prizes are as follows:
Pro Division: 1st Place $5,000 2nd Place $3,000 3rd Place $2,000
Ladies: 1st Place $1,500 2nd Place $1,000 3rd Place $500
Veterans: 1st Place $1,500 2nd Place $1,000 3rd Place $500
Notable Pro Riders who will be Attending Include:
Suksan Tongthai – Thailand
Sonnie Bean – United Kingdom
Gemma Weston – New Zealand
Damone Rippy – USA
Rush Bragg – USA
Here is a video of last year’s competition to get you excited for this year’s show!
Will the Flyboard Air be demoed during the Flyboard World Cup Championship in Florida?
So far, there has not been any talk of the Flyboard Air at the World Cup. But I would recommend following the event on Facebook and maybe posting your question there. That page seems to have the most up to date information.
Flyboard World Cup
UPDATE: The Flyboard Air will be at the World Cup!