Local jet-ski riders made more than just waves this month at the International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) 2011 World Finals at Lake Havasu City with some stellar performances.

Riding for Yamaha’s Riva Racing/Dean’s Team, Jordan McLean nabbed his first world title as he continued his winning streak in the Pro Runabout Limited class, claiming first place in every competition in his class on the national tour this summer, according to an article in Best of Boating.

Other Cayman riders who placed were Roshad Goff with a 6th place in the Expert Runabout Open Class and Nathan McLean with a 9th place in the Amateur Runabout Limited class.

Minister for Sports the Hon. Mark Scotland congratulated McLean and the other riders on their performances: “Jordan has proven himself to be a world class athlete. Not only is he riding for a very prestigious team, but he has proven that he is best in his class.

“Winning the world title puts him right up there with all our other fine young sports stars that are showing the world what is possible. He is a fine role model to follow and I hope that many other young people will find inspiration in his climb to the top.

“Moreover, we have a bunch of young riders that are already showing great potential and I want to congratulate everyone who competed in Arizona for a job well done. We are looking forward to many more world titles.”

The Minister also commended the Cayman Islands Watercraft Association (CIWA) for developing the sport in the Cayman Islands. “We clearly have very talented young riders on the Islands and thanks to this progressive sports association, local racers get a shot at winning these big races as they can now qualify by competing locally,” the Minister stated.

CIWA President Vincent Ramgeet also congratulated the racers, noting that the IJSBA World Finals are one the most prestigious jet-ski races in the world with over 700 entries from 40 nations and approximately 50,000 race fans passing through the event over the course of the week.

“It is simply great to see our racers do so well in such a prominent international race and I thank the Ministry of Sports and the Department of Tourism for supporting the trip.”