California top personal watercraft racers are converging on Mossdale Lake along Interstate 5 in Lathrop for the state championships this Saturday and Sunday.

Similar to motocross on the water, the weekend’s events will consist of high speed, buoy action racing of personal watercraft (also known by some by the specific brand name of Jet Skis).

Racers from the western states will compete on a closed race course to determine the best racers in California. Numerous classes of both standup and sit-down Jet Skis will be racing with some obtaining speeds of up to 80 mph on the course.

Closed course qualifying is Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by freestyle competition from 1 to 1:45 p.m. From 1:45 to 5 p.m. are the finals for the Jettribe “Best of the West” series.

Then from 7 to 10 p.m. the NorCal/SoCal Shoot Out Under the Lights billed as the California State Championships will take place.

 Sunday will feature races staged by the Diablo Jet Ski Action. Heats start Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The second heats are at 12:20 p.m. and the final heats at 2:30 p.m.

It is on the same Mossdale Rock Quarry lake where wakeboarding competition has taken place for the past two years. It is accessible by taking the Manthey Road exit off of Interstate 5.

Saturday marks the third interstate event held over the past 10 years that will pit Northern California and Southern California racers against each other on a “very challenging and technical race course.” Northern California currently holds the 5-foot tall Interstate trophy, after narrowly outscoring Southern California at the two previous “shootout races” held at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Marine World) in Vallejo, and at Salt Springs Valley Reservoir in Copperopolis.

Promoters promise “fast action, incredible racing, and spectacular freestyle events. The freestyle event is always a crowd favorite, where amateur and pro freestyle competitors perform incredible jumps, tricks and back-flips. Racing during the day on Saturday will serve as qualifiers for the first ever “Shootout at Night”, taking place under the lights on Saturday evening.

Closed course buoy racing is handle bar-to-handle bar competition putting rider and machine. Reaching top speeds of more than 80 mph; closed course racing features a buoy-marked, ½- to ¾- mile track that is designed to keep the competition tight and fans close to the action. The start of the racing begins with up to 20 boats on the start line, and all accelerating to the first turn.  Each racer’s skill, strength, and stamina are challenged as they race against others in their class. All events for this weekend will be available to watch in real time on the Web via “Livestream,” at  http://www.DJSARacing.com.