For the second year in a row, the three top spots in the Long Beach to Catalina and Back race went to riders aboard Kawasaki personal watercraft. World champion Craig Warner defended his title in the 50-plus-mile race across the Pacific Ocean from Long Beach, Calif., to Catalina Island and back.
With 40 racers in front of the Queen Mary for the start of the American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship, Warner took the lead aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki Ultra 260X and never looked back.
The Corona, Calif., rider finished in 59 minutes, 27 seconds, more than two minutes ahead of second-place finisher Mark Gerner, a PWCOffshore.com team member who raced a Ultra 250X. Gerner was able to hold off Chris Heinrich, another Ultra 250X rider, in a close race to the finish. Rounding out the top five was Kim Bushong and Dave Szych.
