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Tanner Froehlich, CX Division, Hay River, NWT
Growing up in Hay River, Tanner Froehlich spent most of his free time watching jet boat races and his passion for the sport quickly grew as he got older.
“I grew up watching Spencer and Russell King, who were seven-time world champions,” said Tanner. “I always thought it would be amazing to get involved and try it out for myself.”
Keen to get on the water and race, it didn’t take long for Tanner to trade in the family boat for a jet boat and give racing a shot.
Starting out in the FX class, Tanner went on to win the 2019 World Jet Boat Championships, which is still his most memorable moment today.
“Winning the Worlds with my navigator, Derek Mundy, is still one of my favourite memories,” said Tanner. “It was such an amazing feeling.”
Tanner’s passion has continued to grow, and he is now heavily involved with a great group of people who are eager to bring back the races to Hay River in 2024.
The last set of races were held in Hay River in 2011, and Tanner believes they can successfully host them again.
“We’ve had a lot of meetings to bring the races here, and it’s been a lot of fun planning with my buddies and connecting the dots to make it happen,” said Tanner. “We’re getting pretty excited about it all.”
Having raced in both the United States and Canada, Tanner has gained valuable racing experience and thoroughly enjoyed his time in the US.
“Racing in the US is fun and welcoming, there are so many spectators and people act like it’s Nascar,” said Tanner. “The atmosphere there is lively, and everyone is always willing to help out.”
When it comes to what he loves most about racing, Tanner says it’s the community that makes it worthwhile.
“You become a family with the other racers, and it’s unreal,” said Tanner. “Everyone is there for each other, and we get to bond in different ways. It makes it fun to compete and be around everyone.”
Learning the ins and out of racing can be tough at the beginning, but Tanner has some advice for those just starting out.
“Try not to listen to everybody all at once,” said Tanner. “But, if you really want to know the tricks of the sport, pay attention to the other races when they’re having a few drinks, that’s when all the best information comes out.”
Having a strong mindset is key and Tanner wants new racers to know that sometimes you just have to tune people out in order to succeed.
“People can ruin it by being too aggressive, but you just have to learn to phase them out, do your own thing and enjoy it,” said Tanner.
As he prepares for the season ahead, Tanner plans on keeping it simple and fine tuning his skills.
“My goals are to try and have a good year, add more speed and get ready for the Worlds,” said Tanner.