Watercross (Snowmobiles on Water)

How a snowmobile stays on the water

Watercross is racing snowmobiles across open water on lakes, rivers and ponds ^[1][8]. A snowmobile does not float ^[2]. The broad track that carries it over deep snow can also carry it across water, but only while the sled is moving fast and the throttle stays open ^[1][2]. Racing sleds are given no extra buoyancy, so a sled that loses momentum, bobbles in the chop or is throttled back goes under ^[1][2][3]. Riders lift the front of the sled as they would in deep powder, and racers strip off parts they do not need, such as the seat, to save weight ^[1].

In a PBS Wisconsin program on the sport, one of the people interviewed said the sleds easily reach about 70 mph (113 km/h) over a short run and that professionals lap the oval course at roughly 50 to 55 mph (80 to 89 km/h) ^[5]. A sled that goes under is pulled out, at Grantsburg with pontoon boats, and can be revived by clearing water from the carburetor, exhaust and spark plugs and replacing the fuel ^[1][3]. European rules give a rider 15 minutes in a drying area to get a sunk sled running before rejoining ^[8].

History and the Grantsburg championship

The International Watercross Association's own history and a PBS Wisconsin program both date the sport to the summer of 1977, when the first event was held at Grantsburg, Wisconsin ^[5][7]. That July, on Memory Lake, the contest was simply to ride about 300 ft (91 m) from an island to the shore; most riders sank, and Wikipedia says the winner went about 500 ft (150 m) ^[1][2]. The World Championship Snowmobile Watercross has since grown into a July weekend of drag races and oval races in several classes, with fireworks, vendors and campgrounds ^[1][2].

In 2014 Snow Goer reported 127 racers registered by the Thursday before the event, in three drag classes and five oval classes, with the Pro Open oval final deciding the overall champion ^[3]. At the 48th edition, in July 2025, David Fischer of St. Paul, Minnesota, won his seventh Pro Open title; Snow Goer reports that Mark Maki holds the record with 12 Grantsburg titles ^[4]. The 49th event was scheduled for July 17 to 19, 2026 ^[2].

Sanctioning bodies

According to its own description, quoted by a Duluth radio station in 2014, the International Watercross Association (IWA) was formed at the 1987 world championship by riders who wanted common rules and procedures, and was founded in 1988 as a member-owned nonprofit, with Mark Maki as its first president ^[7]. Wikipedia describes the IWA as operating mainly in the Midwest and the Eastern Watercross Association in the northeastern states ^[1]. IWA races have included an event on Gordon Lake in northern Wisconsin over Memorial Day weekend in 2011 and series rounds at Moose Lake and Brainerd in 2014 ^[3][6].

In Europe, FIM Europe runs a Watercross European Championship or Cup. Its 2025 rules allow two-stroke engines up to 1,050 cc and four-stroke engines up to 1,300 cc, ban turbochargers, superchargers and nitrous oxide, set a minimum rider age of 16 and allow ramps built on the water ^[8].

Distance records

Long-distance skimming is a separate pursuit, and the published records do not agree. Guinness World Records lists Kyle Nelson of Canada for the farthest distance on a snowmobile on water: 69.28 km (about 43 mi) on Cowan Lake, Canada, on September 3, 2005 ^[9]. Longer runs have been reported since. SnoWest reported that Henrik Lodin of Kramfors, Sweden, covered 105.74 mi (170.2 km) on the Angerman River on October 25, 2006, in 2 hours 39 minutes, with the claim then pending review by Guinness ^[10]. Wikipedia gives 180 km (112 mi) for Antti Holmberg of Finland on June 25, 2013 ^[1].

The Local reported in September 2015 that Morten Blien of Norway rode 212 km (132 mi) down the Karasjoka and Tanaelva rivers in more than four hours on a Polaris RMK 800, before the sled stalled midstream short of his 250 km (155 mi) goal ^[11]. SnowTech Magazine reported that Aki Pesonen of Finland covered 250.8 km (155.8 mi) at Ivalo on September 10, 2017, in 4 hours 10 minutes, measured by GPS units on his helmet and sled ^[12]. None of the sources read shows Guinness ratifying any of these later claims ^[9].

Safety

Organized races have ambulance and rescue crews nearby ^[1]. Riders in official events wear life jackets and helmets and carry a buoy tied to the sled; if the sled goes down, the buoy rises to mark it for recovery ^[1]. FIM Europe's 2025 rules require racing-approved life jackets, helmets that are one-third fluorescent orange or yellow, a kill switch fastened to the rider and a 4-liter (about 1 US gal) buoy that releases itself if the sled sinks ^[8]. They also require a salvage raft and a second recovery craft, two equipped divers in boats wherever the water is deeper than 1.5 m (4.9 ft), and water no deeper than 15 m (49 ft); a sunk sled not found within 10 minutes stays on the bottom until racing ends ^[8].

Photos

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