HydroDrag Fall Nationals Wraps 2009 Series Jeff Hemmel November 10, 2009 Shares Comments Photos Duke Zorn claims Unlimited win at Fall NationalBlustery weather was on tap for this past weekend’s RIVA Racing HydroDrag Fall Nationals, but competitors quickly showed the real storm was on the waters of Florida’s C-54 Canal. Despite winds up to 25 mph and white caps on the normally glass-calm canal waters, racers still put on a show of speed for spectators, relying on not only speed but skill to take the overall titles in the final HydroDrag event of the year. Duke Zorn captured the weekend’s premier classes, battling through double-elimination heats before edging out Stan Hightower for the HydroUnlimited class title, and posting the fastest top speed of 88.1mph in the Speed Alley top speed competition. Though the speed runs were conducted with the wind, chop on the course negated any advantages, and kept speeds well below the 100mph mark touched this spring by Puerto Rico’s Julio Rivera. Nevertheless, Zorn’s conversion Yamaha/Sea-Doo craft proved the fastest of the weekend. While Zorn captured the biggest crowns, Stan Hightower would earn the designation of most-decorated racer on the weekend, taking second in HydroUnlimited to Zorn, capturing the win in HydroLimited, and taking the runner-up spot again in HydroStock aboard a Sea-Doo RXP-X. The latter win went to Troy Snyder, also aboard an RXP-X. Eric Lagopoulos would capture the HydroVintage crown atop a Sea-Doo SPX. Duke Zorn battles Jonathon Nieves in HydroDrags Unlimited. Overall series titles were claimed by Dan O’Keefe in HydroUnlimited, Hightower in both HydroLimited and HydroStock, and Lagopoulos in HydroVintage. Two riders go head-to-head in the C-54 Canal. A new addition to the final series weekend was the Fishbowl Freestyle Nationals, staged under the lights at Interchange Square in Palm Bay, FL. Local rider Jeremy Parr took the popular win, while former IJSBA champ Lloyd Burlew came out of retirement to capture second. Orlando’s Johnny Leftly captured third. RIVA Racing HydroDrag Fall National Results Speed Alley HydroVintage Result Name Home Town Manufacturer Speed 1st Brandon Ferro Orange, TX Yamaha 68.4 mph 2nd Eric Lagopoulos Sarasota, FL Sea-Doo 68.1 mph Hydro-Box Stock 1st Kristian Ichozio Margate, FL Yamaha 68.3 mph HydroStock 1st Jeff Dyckowski Rydel, GA Sea-Doo 77.7 mph 2nd Stan Hightower Lindale, GA Sea-Doo 77.5 mph 3rd Troy Snyder Bradenton, FL Sea-Doo 75.9 mph HydroLimited 1st Dustin Charrier Orlando, FL Yamaha 85.5 mph 2nd Doel Antonmarchi Jacksonville, FL Sea-Doo 79.2 mph 3rd Stan Hightower Lindale, GA Sea-Doo 77.7 mph HydroUnilimited Two-Stroke 1st Ross Niemoeller St. Pete, FL Yamaha 78.4 mph HydroUnlimited 1st Duke Zorn Titusville, FL Yam/Sea-Doo 88.1 mph 2nd Chris Caputo Lanoka Harbor, NJ Sea-Doo 87.4 mph 3rd Stan Hightower Lindale, GA Sea-Doo 81.5 mph HydroDrags HydroVintage Result Name Home Town Manufacturer 1st Eric Lagopoulos Sarasota, FL Sea-Doo 2nd Brandon Ferro Orange, TX Yamaha Hydro-Box Stock 1st DK Ledgerwood Cartersville, GA Sea-Doo 2nd Jeff Dyckowski Rydel, GA Sea-Doo 3rd Kristian Ichozio Margate, FL Yamaha HydroStock 1st Troy Snyder Bradenton, FL Sea-Doo 2nd Stan Hightower Lindale, GA Sea-Doo 3rd Jeff Dyckowski Rydel, GA Sea-Doo HydroLimited 1st Stan Hightower Lindale, GA Sea-Doo 2nd Dustin Charrier Orlando, FL Yamaha 3rd Dean Charrier Orlando, FL Yamaha HydroUnlimited 1st Duke Zorn Titusville, FL Yamaha/Sea-Doo 2nd Stan Hightower Lindale, GA Sea-Doo 3rd Jonathon Nieves Orlando, FL Sea-Doo FishBowl Freestyle National 1st Jeremy Parr Titusville, FL Yamaha 2nd Lloyd Burlew Melbourne, FL Yamaha 3rd Johnny Leftly Orlando, FL Yamaha Related Reading100 mph Barrier Falls at HydroDrag Spring NationalsHightower, Okeefe dominate HydroDragsSea-Doo racers shine at HydroDrags Share Share Subscribe Like PersonalWatercraft.com on Facebook Comments Most Popular Remembering the Sea-Doo XP March 16, 2016 2024 Kawasaki Jet Ski STX 160X Review June 14, 2024 2025 Yamaha JetBlaster PRO 2-Up Review August 22, 2024 2013 Yamaha VXR Review January 29, 2013 2017 Yamaha VXR Review February 21, 2017 Top Guns: Sea-Doo RXP-X 300 vs. Yamaha GP1800R SVHO July 4, 2022 Latest Stories 2025 Sea-Doo FishPro Apex Review 2025 Yamaha JetBlaster PRO 2-Up Review The Toys Of Summer Kemimoto 4 Bow Bimini Top and Boat Bumper Review Repowering Your PWC Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Newsletter