Interview with Marta Sorrentino
Was this your first time at World Finals?
Yes, it was. Before I competed in Aquabike World Championship and various European competitions.
What class were you racing in?
I was racing in Novice Women Limited class.
How did it go?
In first moto I was running in 2nd place. Everything was going fine until a safety jetski hit me! I crashed in the water and by the time I got back on and restarted the jetski I had lost two positions! Everyone saw this.
What was your final result after two motos?
After two motos I was 3rd (tied in points with 2nd place).
Were you happy with your result?
Overall I was satisfied with my result (despite the fact I could have done better if safety jetski didn't crash into me). But then I was told I am disqualified because of an illegal pressure. This was not right, everything on my jetski was original.
Did you complain?
Yes, of course. But, at first they told me they don't have time to look into it. Upon my insisting, they checked my pressure 10 times. Not a single time was the readout the same! Twice the readout was so high that it was impossible for a jetski to have such high pressure, especially everything on that jetski was original.
What did you do then?
My boyfriend, Jeremy Perez, is an experienced racer, so he asked for the certificate of the pressure gauge. Every tech inspection is obligated to have this certificate, because it proves that the gauge is calibrated properly.
Did they have the certificate for the gauge?
First they called Scott Frazier. He said IJSBA didn't have the certificate.
So Jeremy and I insisted I can not be disqualified, because we never raced anywhere where a faulty tech can disqualify a racer.
What was the explanation for not having the certificate?
There was no explanation, Scott Frazier called security to throw Jeremy out!
Did Jeremy do anything to deserve to be thrown out by security?
No. All he did was insist I can not be disqualified without the certificate, because there was something obviously wrong with the gauge.
Did the disqualification stay?
Yes. Scott Frazier still didn't admit the gauge was broken, or that there were any mistakes on IJSBA part. The next day I was just offered to race (free of charge) in any other class.
Did you take that offer?
No. I originally came to race in several classes, but after my disqualification it made no sense for me to continue. They can not play with me like that.
Were you the only one disqualified because of this?
No. There were several more racers on Hydrospaces in other classes who were disqualified because of the same inconsistent gauge readouts.
The next day we saw that the gauge has been replaced by another one. I was told IJSBA said that the battery in the first one was low, that's why the readouts were weird!
Will you ever come back to World Finals again?