By Henri Morineau
Caymanian James Munroe Jr. shined in the novice runabout 4 stroke category at the recent East Coast Watercross jet-ski competition held in Lake Alfred, Florida.
For the 19-year-old, the race day was significant as he was also able to join pro riders due to a lack of competitors in his main competition category on the day, explaining, “The pros are some of the fastest in the US.”
Despite the pressure of the race, Munroe finished fourth among the pro riders in the pro/am runabout 4 stroke category, though he had managed only 15 minutes of practice on the jet-ski — which can hit speeds of 70 miles per hour — that he used for the competition.
During the race, Munroe rode a Sea-Doo RXP-X, which is a step up in terms of power as this particular model is supercharged.
When competing in the US, he usually rides a Yamaha GP 1900, which is the industry’s fastest naturally aspirated jet-ski, as it doesn’t have a supercharger or turbo.
But Munroe didn’t let the challenge intimidate him, saying, “I was determined to make the best out of the situation.”
Though he was one of the youngest riders in the competition, held 21-23 Feb., and the only representative of Cayman, he did not allow the pressure to overwhelm him. He said he stayed focused on getting to the finish line first.
“That … was basically my pro debut in closed-course racing. [But] I didn’t let it get to me,” he said, as he recalled realising that he was among the top three during the race, which motivated him to try harder.
“I just kept pushing … maintain[ing] my consistency on the corners and acceleration and watching my opponents’ lines and just staying smart,” he said.
His win in the novice runabout 4 stroke category marked the second time Munroe has finished first overall at a US national event. Since 2021, he has consistently finished in the top three in competitions.
Henri Morineau was a Cayman Compass summer intern.
