Hungarian thunder
He is young, he is super fit, he develops his own race parts, he makes his own race boats and he is undefeated for two years in a row. His name is György Kasza and he is from Hungary.
Words:Vasilis Moraitis
Photos:www.jetskiworld.gr
Back in 2015 György Kasza won his first IJSBA World title in Pro Runabout Open and cursed all the bad moments he had in the past with any kind of failures. His speed was phenomenal and his race boat one of a kind. He returned back in Havasu in 2016 to defend his Number 1 plate and he proved to be unstoppable. He has a great team, he is dedicated to what he is doing and most of all he is very respectful. He is not a poser or one of those athletes that would make anything for other people to notice him. He will park his skis and set up his tent somewhere that no one will notice him and he will work quietly.
At the World Finals in 2016, in second Moto he was given a penalty, to start with a dead engine since the course marshal thought that he made a jump start. Although, he was the last one to leave the start line he managed to win the Moto in a class of his own proving that he not only builds the fastest Runabout in the world but also he is capable of riding 110% until the race is finished.
His workshop is situated in Hungary, nearby a lake. So testing his boats and his customer’s skis does not take much of a time. He does not like to talk much about the parts and accessories that he is making or even to advertize them. His customers know exactly who is he and they know what they are ordering. Jetskiworld.gr has been communicating with the Hungarian Thunder very often and decided to post a profile story for him. Welcome the Hungarian Thunder.
When were you born and where?
György Kasza: I was born in Budapest, Hungary, on 21 October 1982
Are you involved to other motorsports too? For example do you like motorcycles, dirt bikes, etc?
György Kasza: I am interested in every kind of technical sports. Earlier I tried drifting, drag racing with motorbikes, etc, but now I only have time and energy for jet-ski racing.
How many years have you been jet skiing?
György Kasza: I have been jet-skiing and racing since 2009.
When it was your first time on a jet ski?
György Kasza: I think I was about 6 years old when I first tried to ride a jet-ski.
When did you start racing jet skis?
György Kasza: I started racing in 2009.
What were the reasons that made you start making your own hulls?
György Kasza: I started producing my own hulls because other hulls that I bought broke, thus I thought it is needed to have a custom made hull.
You also make some other special parts for drive line and engine. Do you want to list those parts and tell us why they are better than oem or other aftermarket parts?
György Kasza: Me and my team develop stronger parts that last longer. We have our own drive line, turbo system and pump.
The weak point in the horsepower game on every jet ski is the pump. Have you ever considered to design and make a pump that would be more efficient?
György Kasza: We produce our own pump for 3 years.
Would that be a reason to have less horse power on the engine so it could be more reliable?
György Kasza: No, it is not necessary to reduce horsepower.
Where do you practice when you are in Hungary since most of the time the weather is very cold in your country?
György Kasza: My workshop is located on a lake, so I have plenty of opportunity to train on test on this lake. There are only like 2 months, when it is freezing cold and the lake might be frozen. Otherwise I wear a neoprene wetsuit or drysuit if necessary and do what I have to.
Riding a jet ski is physically very demanding. Do you do any specific training in order to improve your stamina and endurance for racing? How often do you train?
György Kasza: I train every day 1-2 hours.
Your race crafts are very expensive, how do you keep up with this kind of cost? Do you have your own sponsors who support your team?
György Kasza: My sponsors and the selling of jet-skis or parts help a lot to keep up with the costs.
How much money do you spend on your two (GP and Open) race crafts every year?
György Kasza: I don’t know.
How often do you have to change some parts?
György Kasza: It is not so frequent to change something, only when it is broken. But we go with a new engine to every bigger race.
What are the parts or things that you want to improve more on your boats?
György Kasza: Currently I am satisfied with the technical stuff we have.
What is your occupation? Does your job let you spend enough time for your skis and the Hull business?
György Kasza: Currently I only focus on this jet-ski business. Everything else is in background.
Have you ever raced stand-ups?
György Kasza: I raced for one season in the Hungarian Championship, but often I had bad pain in my back, so I stopped it.
Would you consider making your own hull for a stand-up and what would that be?
György Kasza: Yes, maybe later.
Do you get any financial support from BRP? How does the Canadian company support you? Does this support come from BRP Europe or Canada?
György Kasza: Sorry, but this is not public information.
You won back to back in Havasu. Which year was the toughest one?
György Kasza: Last year 2015 or 2016? 2016 was more difficult, as I had to win the 2nd moto from the back.
Was the race even tougher in King’s cup or not?
György Kasza: King’s Cup was tougher. I think it might have been the toughest race of my life.
In Thai you raced your Yamaha powered ski or your Sea-Doo engine one, the one I tested in Havasu?
György Kasza: I raced the Yamaha powered jet-ski.
Do you follow a particular diet in order to keep fit? What is your favorite food and drink?
György Kasza: Pizza and coke are the favorite.
What are your plans for the future? Are you building something new?
György Kasza: I am currently looking for teams whom I can support with my knowledge and experience. I would like to withdraw from racing in the future and participate at the races as a team manager and helper/tuner but not as a professional athlete also.
Please list all your sponsors and supporters.
My sponsors are Jettribe Racing, Jettrim, Solas, and Ski&Sea Slovenia.
In 2015 and 2016, Gyorgy Kasza managed to win:
five Hungarian national titles (4 Runabout and one Ski category) in 2015 and five Hungarian national titles in 2016 (4 Runabout and Runabout Spark)
the IJSBA European Championship in Nysa, Poland (Runabout GP) in 2015
Jetcross World Cup in Doncaster, England (Runabout GP) in 2015
and the Pro Runabout category at the World Finals in Lake Havasu City, Arizona and the Runabout Open Slalom both in 2015 and 2016
IJSBA World Finals
IJSBA WF Runabout Open Slalom 1. 2012
IJSBA WF Expert Runabout Open 3. 2012
IJSBA WF Runabout Stock 3. 2012
IJSBA WF Runabout Open Slalom 1. 2013
IJSBA WF Expert Runabout Open 1. 2013
IJSBA WF PRO Runabout Open 4. 2013
IJSBA WF Runabout Open Slalom 1. 2014
IJSBA WF PRO Runabout Open 3. 2014
IJSBA WF PRO-AM Runabout GP 5. 2014
UIM Runabout Slalom GP1 1. 2014
IJSBA WF PRO Runabout 1. 2015
IJSBA WF Runabout Open Slalom 1. 2015
IJSBA WF PRO Runabout 1. 2016
IJSBA WF Runabout Open Slalom 1. 2016
King’s Cup Thailand
Runabout GP 1. (2016)
European Championships:
IJSBA Pro Runabout GP 2. 2013
IJSBA PRO Runabout GP 6. 2014
IJSBA PRO Runabout 1. 2015
IJSBA PRO Runabout 4. 2016
Alpen Adria Cup series
2011 PRO-AM Runabout GP 1
2011 PRO-AM Runabout Stock 1
2012 PRO-AM Runabout GP 1
2012 PRO-AM Runabout Stock 1
2013 PRO-AM Runabout GP 1
2013 PRO-AM Runabout Stock 1
2014 PRO-AM Runabout GP 2
2014 PRO-AM Runabout Stock 3
Hungarian Nationals
2008 Novice Runabout 1.
2008 Novice Men Slalom 1.
2008 Runabout Formula 1.
2009 Runabout Formula 1 3.
2010 Runabout Offshore F1 3.
2010 Runabout Formula 2 1.
2011 Runabout Formula 1 1.
2011 Runabout Offshore F2 1.
2011 Runabout Offshore F1 2.
2011 Runabout Formula 2 1.
2012 Runabout Formula 1 1.
2012 Runabout Offshore F1 1.
2012 Runabout Offshore F2 1.
2012 Runabout Formula 1 1.
2013 Runabout Formula 2 1.
2013 Runabout Offshore F1 1.
2013 Runabout Offshore F2 1.
2013 Runabout Formula 1 1.
2014 Runabout Formula 2 1.
2014 Runabout Offshore F1 1.
2014 Runabout Offshore F2 1.
2014 Runabout Formula 1 1.
2015 Runabout Formula 2 1.
2015 Runabout Offshore F1 1.
2015 Runabout Offshore F2 1.
2015 Runabout Formula 1 1.
2016 Runabout Formula 2 1.
2016 Runabout Offshore F1 1.
2016 Runabout Offshore F2 1.
2016 Runabout Spark 1.
2016 Honours of the Hungarian Jet-Ski Federation
CONTINUAL HUNGARIAN CHAMPION OF JET-SKI SPORT (2013)
5X JET-SKI SPORT’S RACER OF THE YEAR (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
In 2015 Gyorgy Kasza received an award of the Hungarian Olympic Committee for his activity in jet-ski sport. They awarded 35 athletes from 22 sport fields, that are not Olympic games.
