2026 Winter racing in Florida is coming back to Lake Alfred Lions Park!
The Address for the venue is 175-N N Nekoma Ave, Lake Alfred, FL 33850
Dates- February 20-22, February 27-March 1
Friday Feb 20th and Friday February 27th practice 11-4pm
****NEW****Buoy 101 class held on friday the 20th! free of charge hosted by Cardone Race Corner- scroll to bottom to review details!
Saturday and Sunday both weekends riders meeting @8:30am followed by practice at 9am, then right into racing!
Weddings scheduled at the Adams Estate for 4pm so our quiet time is 4pm for all of the days we are there and we must be good neighbors so we need to make sure racing stays on time!
HOST HOTEL- We will post a link for booking as soon as we get it…in the meantime if you call and tell them you are with ECW you save %15 on your stay!
Staybridge Suites Winter Haven – Auburndale
No booking link yet, call and tell them you are with ECW and you will receive 15% off!
Office: 863.229.5145
Mobile: 815.690.6462
305 5th St. NW Avenue D
Winter Haven, FL 33881
Tentative Class list- if we have 4 or 5 entries we can create any class!
– Junior X2
-Junior ski (depending on turnout we can break up into IJSBA junior age classes)
-Junior WX1050 AJSA RULES
-Junior Four Stroke Ski Lites
-Junior Sport Spec
-Vintage Ski 550
-Vintage Ski OPEN
-Superchicken
-Pro/am Sport GP
-Pro/am Sport Spec
-Pro/am Runabout 1100 Limited
-Nov Runabout 1100 Limited
-Beginner Runabout 1100 Limited
-Womens Runabout 1100 Limited
-Pro/am Runabout 1100 Open
-Pro/am Ski lites
-Pro/Am X2 Open
-WX1050 (AJSA rules)
-Pro/am runabout four stroke (open rules)
-Pro/am Runabout Rec Lites
-Pro/am Ski Stock
-Pro/am Four stroke ski lites
-Pro/am Ski GP
CAMPING ON SITE ALLOWED- Working on verifying that we will be allowed to camp all week long in between race weekends so you folks traveling far can make a vacation out of it! we will also work on allowing folks to leave trailers on site if you need to fly home to get back to work for a few days between the races, we have a fenced in area that can be locked and we will have local police keep an eye on things as well as a good amount of people staying the week on site providing the city signs off on the plan…we are just waiting on final approvals to be on site for the week
Camping will be $100 per weekend paid on site per rig whether thats a trailer, camper, truck or van.
If Anyone needs to get trailers down to FL before too much snow flies we have a property available to us in orlando area courtesy of Sean Hagen- email me to coordinate.
LAKE ALFRED LIONS CLUB will be providing us with breakfast and lunch on site friday to sunday on both weekends and will also be hosting a friday night pit party each friday! complete with Pulled pork, baked beans, Mac n Cheese, and strawberry shortcake for only $20!!! oh yea and A CASH BAR!!! The lions club building is right on site so it couldn’t be easier and it goes to support a great cause! They may even have Bingo Saturday night if you are feeling lucky! Check them out at www.lakealfredlionsclub.com
SATURDAY FEB 28 AMA SUPERCROSS Daytona ON THE BIG SCREEN IN THE PITS!!! We will bring a projector and tie into our stereo system and project the race on the side of the stacker trailer! bring a chair and hang out and watch the pros race!!
PRE REG LINK BELOW FOR EACH EVENT-
2026 Winter Series Lake Alfred
2026 Winter Series Lake Alfred
BUOY 101 Training Details
ECW Winter Series – Buoy 101 Training Course
Lake Alfred, Florida | Friday, February 20, 2026
East Coast Watercross is proud to host the Second Annual Winter Series in Lake Alfred, Florida, and we’re excited to introduce a major addition for 2026 — the Buoy 101 Training Course.
Designed for racers looking to step up their skills or for those brand new to jet ski racing, Buoy 101 provides a structured, welcoming environment to learn the fundamentals of watercross racing the right way.
Hosted By Industry Leaders
The Buoy 101 Course will be hosted by Bobby Cardone, owner of Cardone Race Corner, in conjunction with Pro Watercross.
Cardone Race Corner — a Florida Native with a podcast and voice within the jet ski racing world — will serve as the Title Sponsor of the Buoy 101 Course, reinforcing the program’s focus on education, safety, and racer development.
Joining the program will be Steve Hotchkiss, IJSBA Region 8’s resident Technical Inspector, who will provide a dedicated Safety Tech 101 session to help racers better understand race-weekend technical requirements.
Additional experienced riders and professionals will be on hand to assist throughout the day, ensuring hands-on instruction across all skill levels.
Who Is This For?
Buoy 101 is open to all classes, including:
- Stand-Up
- Runabout
- Beginner through Pro/Am
Whether you’ve never raced before or want to clean up your racecraft, this course is built to help you become a safer, smarter, and more confident racer. If you are a junior parent or sibling and want to learn how to help your racer more this is also for you!
Course Schedule
On-Land Instruction (FREE)
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
This on shore session is free of charge and open to anyone who wants to attend — no race registration or membership required.
Topics include:
- Race etiquette & sportsmanship
- Safety expectations and procedures
- Required gear & setup tips
- Line choices and course strategy
- Holding techniques and communication
- Working with other racers and holders
- What officials are looking for on the course
Anyone interested in learning about watercross racing is welcome to sit in.
On-Water Training
12:00 PM – 4:00 PM (during scheduled practice sessions)
The on-water portion allows participants to apply what they learned in real-time during official practice.
Requirements for on-water participation:
- Must be a registered racer
- Must be a current IJSBA Member
- Must have paid the $40 practice fee
This portion focuses on:
- Course flow and buoy approach
- Starts, spacing, and traffic management
- Real-world race scenarios
- Controlled skill-building with guidance from experienced racers
Why Buoy 101 Matters
Buoy 101 is about:
- Growing the sport the right way
- Improving safety on the racecourse
- Helping new racers feel confident
- Elevating overall competition
By investing in education, East Coast Watercross continues its commitment to building stronger racers and a stronger racing community.
Event Details at a Glance
📍 Location: Lake Alfred, Florida
📅 Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
🏁 Before: Winter Series Round 1
🎧 Title Sponsor: Cardone Race Corner
💰 Cost:
- On-land training: FREE
- On-water training: $40 practice fee (registered racers only)