Race crash leaves one dead at IJSBA World Finals

A rider for Team Serbia was killed in a three-boat collision during racing at the International Jet Sports Boat Association Personal Watercraft World Finals at Crazy Horse Beach Friday.

Mohave County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the fatality, and Sgt. Doug Schuster said his agency “is treating this like any other collision” on the Lake.

Because the World Finals are a U.S. Coast Guard-sanctioned event, the Coast Guard is conducting the incident investigation.

One of the other racers involved in the collision suffered minor injuries, and the third was uninjured.

The crash occurred in the Amateur Runabout Limited Class, the second race after the lunch break, just after 2 p.m. The boats collided coming out of the final turn and into the front stretch near the official’s tower and in front of the viewing stands on the beach.

K38 Rescue team members pulled the victims from the water and onsite paramedics performed CPR until the victim was transported by River Medical Ambulance to the Havasu Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Investigating officials have not yet released the name of the victims but Veljko Sukalo, president of Jet Ski Savez Srbije (Team Serbia) said the racer who died was Cesare Visrara, an Italian national that had raced with Team Serbia for the past three years and was due to receive his Serbian citizenship next week.

Sukalo, through an interpreter, called Visrara “the best driver in the world and the best on the Serbian Team” and said his team would continue racing in his honor.

“When everybody leaves for a race, if God decides to take someone, it’s almost a rule that he takes the best,” Sukalo said. “His life was driving Jet Skis and he raced under the Serbian flag with (pride). He got great results under the Serbian flag.”

Scott Frazier, executive director for the IJSBA, said in a prepared statement that racing Friday was cancelled following the crash.

“We are deeply grieved by this horrible accident and in consultation with the other competitors at the event, postponed all racing until Saturday morning. This was the first time in the nearly three decades of this event that we have had an incident like this one,” Frazier said. “Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the Visrara family and all of his friends here at the event.”

On Tuesday, following the first day of racing, Visrara told Today’s News-Herald he “felt good” on the waters of Lake Havasu, though he found the conditions “a little rough.”

Sukalo said he is working with race officials to develop two races in Visrara’s memory – one in Serbia and the other in Lake Havasu City.

“He loved Lake Havasu. He loved America,” Sukalo said. “Forever, 365 days a year, 24/7 he will be with us. We will never forget him.”

You may contact the reporter at dbell@havasunews.com.