Muscle Milk MEGA athlete, Memo Gidley, went to Lake Minden this past weekend for round #6 of the DJSA Outlaw Jet Ski series. This race is dubbed “Jet Effect” and is a two day event that brings the best jet ski riders from all over California. “I have been looking forward to this race for a few weeks and really tried to get everything in place to be as prepared as possible,” said Gidley. “My number one tool for being prepared is riding and I do this with the help of my 74 year old Mom who is also my buoy shagger. The normal routine is that we go to the boat launch, I load her up with buoys with attached lead weights, and send her on her way paddling to the ski spot about two miles up the bay, while I unload my ski’s and get ready. By the time I get all done and head around the corner, she has just arrived there and we launch the buoys and I start doing laps.”
This preparation looked to pay off as Gidley had a near perfect start and first split before being just edged by the #659 boat of Ian Roberts. Gidley held a close second for most of the first lap before making a slight mistake by overcharging a turn and slid wide, allowing two riders to sneak past. “I thought maybe I could push real hard thru the first split and get in front of Ian but ended up sliding wide and taking a quick swim,” said Gidley. “However, still a good fourth place finish and I was ready to try for a better result in the final.”
With the event being held near Sacramento, the temperatures were hovering in the 100 degree range. “The Cytomax Floating Hydration Station was very busy because it was Hot, Hot, and Hot!” said Gidley. “I brought 16 cases of ice cold Muscle Milk’s and Cyto’s and it was a full time job just to keep the cooler stocked. But, luckily after the debut last race which saw the cooler ripping itself off the back of the Hydration Station on the first run and drinks bobbing in the water, the cooler hung tight and my engineering of the new cooler mount worked!”
In the eight lap final, all the 850cc Expert class riders lined up and were anxiously waiting for the gate to drop. Gidley seemed to anticipate the dropping of the gate perfectly but by the first turn was down to fifth place. “I thought I had another great start, but then my ski would not take of the line on all cylinders,” said Gidley. “We had a delay in the start and I guess my carbs loaded up.” Gidley hounded fourth and fifth place riders in front of him but just could not quite get by. “I tried very hard to make up a spot in the split, but just could not quite get by the guys in front of me,” said Gidley. “Either way, It was a great weekend and I look forward to getting to the front in the next race in three weeks.”