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Name: Marc "The Shark" Sickerling Hometown: Bergneustadt, Deutschland Birthday: 10. Dezember 1970 Height: 1,80 m Weight: 77 kg Jet-Ski: Yamaha Superjet Jet-Ski seit wann: 1985 Discipline: Freestyle und Waveriding Sponsors: Big Star, Mormaii und Light Weight Occupation: Fashion Retailer (3 eigene Shops) Hobbies: Skilaufen, Malen, Wasserski (barfuß), Windsurfen, Mountainbiking, Rollerblading, Tauchen Titles: 5 times world champion IJSBA World Finals: 1st Expert Freestyle (1993) 1st Pro Freestyle (1994) 1st Pro Freestyle (1995) World Championship UIM: 1st Freestyle (1996) 1st Freestyle (1997) 1st Freestyle (2002) Entry in the Guinness Book of Records 2001: Marc Sickerling from Germany, who is active in the freestyle discipline, was awarded the European Championship title by the International Jet Ski Boating Association five times (1991-1994 and 1998), the Pro World Champion twice (1994 and 1995) and in 1993 was the Expert World Champion. Furthermore, he was awarded the World Championship title in 1996, the European and World Championship titles in 1997und in 1998 the European Championship title by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM). Source: Guinness World Records 2001 Guinness Verlag Founder of the legendary freestyle show team "The Piranha Brothers"

Potrait Photo: Sascha C. Schalthöfer www.scsphoto.de Photo: Sascha C. Schalthöfer www.scsphoto.de

Marc, tell us something about yourself. My name is Marc Sickerling. I was born on 10.12.1970 and live in Bergneustadt, in Germany. In all the publications you can read: Marc "the shark" Sickerling. How did you get this nickname? A number of well-known jet ski riders have got so-called nicknames in connection with their names or their styles. My team mate at the time, Jeff Richichi, who I went on the National Tour in the USA with, had this idea. He said SHARK rhymed with Marc and my style was similar to the many underwater manoeuvres and the precise order of movements of a shark. So a name was born. How and when did you start riding jet skis? A long time ago my father bought a Suzuki wetbike, which we often took with us on our summer holidays. There was always something wrong with it and so we went to the BOAT exhibition in Düsseldorf, where we exchanged this wetbike for a Kawasaki 550 SX. The dealer phoned me a few months later and invited us to go with him to Belgium to a jet ski race, and so in 1985 I took part in my first jet ski race in Vilvoorde, in Belgium. What was and still is the fascination of this sport for you? The unlimited possibilities that will continue to develop in the future. The individuality, that I can ride alone on the water with my jet ski, whether on a lake with calm water, in the surf of the sea or on a river with white water. Have you ever taken part in races? Yes, the first ten years I regularly took part in two racing classes and in the freestyle. Where you successful in the races? Never as successful as I am in freestyle, but I won a European championship title in 1991 and was ninth at the world championships. Why do you only still take part in freestyle? In 1995 I had the chance to go on the IJSBA BUD National Tour in America. At that time there were also the first jet skiers who specialised only in freestyle. I concentrate on freestyle to win and to hold my own against these competitors. You are now in your 15th season, which one was the best? That was 1996, when I founded the first and until now the only jet ski freestyle team (PIRANHA BROS.) with Jeff Richichi and Ken Wood and we went on the IJSBA BUD National Tour in the USA. We took part in all the competitions and also gave shows on the side and were often asked to give a show by the promoters. How many people worked in the team? Just we three, we were the mechanic, the truck driver, manager etc., all in one. Were you successful? Yes, Jeff won the tour and also the IJSBA World Finals in amateur freestyle. Ken came fourth and third in pro freestyle and I came second on the tour and at the IJSBA World Finals. Did you have any role models? At first it was David FLASH Gorden. He skied in the free section with such a high degree of difficulty, usually without mistakes, and that fascinated me. Now there are still skiers like Randy Lane, Rick Roy, Eric Malone and Jimmy Visser who I admire, but I would no longer call them role models. What the most exciting moment in your career? There were two unsurpassable moments. The first was the moment in 1994 when the judges at the IJSBA World Finals lifted up the points and I knew that I had won. It was an unbelievable feeling because I did not think that I would win. After this success some people maintained that it was only good luck, and so I was overjoyed when I was able to defend my title one year later in one of the most thrilling freestyle competitions of all time. How do you practice? During this winter I have worked very hard on muscle development in order to protect myself against another joint injury. I train muscle development and stamina four times a week, in the morning in the fitness club before work. At the weekend I practice on the water as often as possible. To keep fit I go mountain-biking, swimming and inline skating. Where do you prefer to practice? For freestyle training I prefer Lake Havasu City/ Arizona. In Europe I prefer Mirandella/ Portugal and Eindhoven/ Holland. For skiing through the surf I love Arcachon/ France and the Pacific coast of Mexico, there everything is so uncomplicated and there are hardly any bans on jet skiing. There you also find the best crayfish I know. But of course I practice most frequently on the Rhine, near Sinzig and in Welshap in Holland, because they are the nearest training areas for me. What is like to ski in the waves? It is fantastic. Skiing on the waves gives me the greatest pleasure. Waves are nature in a very beautiful and dangerous form. It demands a very high degree of skiing ability and also a lot of experience and the related knowledge about waves. It permit unbelievable jumps and an unbelievable feeling when you ski up a wall of water. It is jet skiing in its most beautiful form. Are you sometimes afraid in high waves? I would like to answer this question with a statement by Robbie Naish: "It is good to be afraid, in order not to be careless, but you must have your fear under control." What are your favourite tricks in freestyle and in the waves? In calm water I love technically difficult tricks, like combination tricks at the moment, for example a king kong followed by a monkey jump. In the waves I love the backwards somersault and in the future, when I can do the jump better, the re-entry barrel roll. Which tricks are you working on at the moment? On a lot of combination tricks and also on the re-entry barrel roll. What kind of food do you like? There are so many things I like to eat, it all depends on where I am and my mood at the time. I also enjoy trying everything once, for example I was in China last year and I ate a fish soup with water snakes. What kind of music do you prefer? For me it is the same as with food, it all depends on the mood I am in.  Have you got a mechanic? Of course, Martin Schaub has been looking after my jets for four years and he is the best mechanic I ever had. He is also the best "telephone mechanic" I know. Is there anyone else who helps you with your skiing? Yes, I have been working with Norbert Weber (Light Wight) for three years. He builds my carbon parts and strengthens my skis in the most important places. Norbert builds the most sensational carbon parts I know. My old school friend and design student Stefan Mostert looks after the painting of my skis. At this point I would also like to thank Peter Grötschel and his father (Paint Shop Schmale), where the paint-work is done. Which sponsors support you? My most important sponsor is the jeans brand BIG STAR, that has been behind me for many years. There has been a lot of talk about you not having been able to achieve the targets you set in recent seasons because you were injured. Is this sport dangerous? It all depends how you go in for it. In recent year the new tricks have become increasingly extreme and so also more dangerous. But I usually injured myself doing tricks that were not so extreme. Unfortunately it was always in the middle of the season, so that I was not able to complete the championships, neither was I 100% fit again for the world finals. Which trip was the best in recent years? That was last year. I was invited to China with some other freestylers to do some presentations on the occasion of their national holiday. It was an exceptional pleasure for me to get to know this great nation, the cities and the people. From there I flew to the world finals, that I unfortunately could not compete in because of my injury. Afterwards I went on to Mexico, to MEX RANGER 5. The best jet ski drivers in the world meet there and end the season with celebrations and jet skiing in the waves. Which countries did you visit in recent years? Cuba, Bahrain, China, Finland, Russia, USA and others. What are your plans for the 2001 season? This year I will be taking part in all the EJSBA races, in the hope of being able to compete again at the world finals as European champion after a two-year break. Until now I competed in the first two UIM races, and was able to win both of them. Here I would also like to compete in all the functions that fit into my time schedule. What is your future in the jet ski sport? As long as I am able to have a say in the development, I will remain true to this sport. Have you got a favourite web site? Here in Germany it is www.watercraft.de and internationally it is X-freestyle.com. Would you like to express your thanks to anyone else? Yes, to my parents. To my father, who made everything possible at the beginning of my career and who helps with a lot of preparations for my trips at present. And also my mother, who supports me with my shops and thus makes it possible for me to go to the competitions. I would also like to thank all the others who have supported me in the course of my career.

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