Start — Long Beach
Race teams launch from Long Beach Harbor and push out into the channel.
Race Day Broadcast
The channel goes loud at 9:00 AM.
August 1, 2026 · Live coverage from Long Beach to Catalina and back.
The Race
The World’s Greatest Open-Ocean Ski Race.
The Catalina Ski Race is a full-throttle offshore water ski race from Long Beach to Catalina Island and back. Boats, skiers, observers, drivers, and crews battle open ocean, wake, swell, wind, speed, and endurance across one of the most legendary races in the sport.
Catalina Turn
Crews cross the San Pedro Channel, make the turn, and prepare for the run home.
Finish Back Home
The final charge brings teams back toward Long Beach for the finish and awards.
Race Weekend
Race Weekend Schedule
Friday, July 31, 2026
- 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Registration & Skier Gear Safety Inspection
- 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM Team Sign-In
- 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Mandatory Race Boat Inspections
- 4:30 PM Driver / Observer / Navigator Meeting
Saturday, August 1, 2026
- 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM Ski Team Parade & Check-In
- 9:00 AM Race Start
- 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Participant Bags Distribution
- 4:00 PM Trophy Presentation
- 8:00 PM Live Music
Race Day • August 1, 2026
Watch the Crossing Live.
Follow the Catalina Ski Race live from the water, the finish line, and official race coverage. These buttons go directly to the active live and social channels.
Get Involved
Put Your Brand in the Race.
Sponsor the 62-mile open-ocean crossing and the XWR livestream to reach racers, boat teams, waterfront spectators, livestream viewers, and the Long Beach / Catalina watersports community.
Sponsor Exposure
Race-day crowds, livestream reach, and monthly social visibility.
XWR's 2025 livestream built a measurable broadcast platform around the race, with verified watch-time performance and race-day spectators at Hotel Maya.
- 15K+
- Total Livestream Views
- 3,989
- Total watch hours
- 93%
- Positive like ratio
- 57%
- TV viewership
- 9
- Countries reached
- 1,000+
- Hotel Maya spectators
Race-weekend broadcast plan.
- Friday, July 31: Pitwalk and team interviews
- Saturday, August 1 at 7:00 AM: Live parade coverage from the Hotel Maya boat dock in Long Beach, CA
- 8:00 AM: Invocation and National Anthem
- 9:00 AM: Race start
- 9:00-9:50 AM: Live race coverage with announcers, GEO Racing GPS trackers, sponsor highlights, and fan engagement
- ~9:50 AM: Race finish coverage at the Queen Mary and Victory Dock from Hotel Maya
- ~Noon: Post-race interviews
- 3:30 PM: Awards show
More cameras. More moments. More sponsor visibility.
- Dedicated operators and expanded camera coverage for key race moments
- Dedicated hardline internet at Hotel Maya for production and streaming
- Fan engagement with sponsor shout-outs, fan interactions, social media outreach, viewing parties, and VIP experiences
- Post-show athlete interviews, race recaps, and sponsor call-outs beyond the finish line
- In-boat live cameras for real-time coverage and tracking
- Camera and drone expansion at Breakwall, Queen Mary, Avalon Casino, and Long Beach Marina
Main Race Sponsorship
Main Race sponsor opportunities.
Nordic Boats is the confirmed title sponsor. Remaining race-weekend sponsorship options are available through the sponsor request form.
Official Title Sponsor
Presented by Nordic Boats
Proud Title Sponsor of the Catalina Water Ski Race.
XWR Livestream Sponsorship
Broadcast sponsor packages.
All XWR packages support the livestream production and sponsor visibility across the broadcast experience.
Tier Benefits
XWR livestream sponsor benefits.
Custom packages are available for brands that need a tailored race-day visibility plan.
| Benefit | Commodore | Captain | First Mate | Crew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top billing across all sponsor listings | Yes | |||
| Premier logo on all event signage and materials | Yes | Yes | ||
| Logo on event banner at venue | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Production crew shirts branded with your logo | Yes | |||
| Custom branded banner in a prime location | Yes | Yes | ||
| Dedicated feature posts before and after race day | Yes | |||
| Dedicated social media feature post | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Broader social-media visibility: 150K+ monthly social-media views | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VIP yacht watch party with on-the-water access | Yes | |||
| Racer swag bag inclusion | Yes | Yes | ||
| Logo on racer team graphic featured in livestream | Yes | |||
| Logo featured throughout entire broadcast | Yes | |||
| Dedicated commercial or live ad read | Yes | |||
| 30-second commercial spot aired during broadcast | Yes | Yes | ||
| Ad read with logo during broadcast | Yes | Yes | ||
| Verbal recognition repeated throughout broadcast | Yes | Yes | ||
| Verbal mention during broadcast | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Logo in livestream sponsor roll | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Livestream Support
Support the broadcast.
Not ready for a full sponsorship? XWR accepts livestream-support contributions of any size.
Venmo: @XWRacing
Sponsor Request Form
Send a Catalina sponsor inquiry.
Choose a Main Race or XWR livestream sponsorship option. Sponsor inquiries should be sent to extremewatersportsracing@gmail.com.
Commodore Sponsor$20,000
Captain Sponsor$5,000
First Mate Sponsor$1,000
Crew Sponsor$1,500
Media
Photos and Videos — Right Here.
Twenty race photos and twenty race videos are available directly on this page. Photos are web-optimized, and videos load from Google Drive only after a visitor chooses one, keeping the website fast and reducing unnecessary data use.
20 Photos
Race Photo Gallery
Select any image to view it full size without leaving the website.
20 Videos
Race Video Gallery
Select a video to play it in an on-page viewer. The video file is not loaded until selected.
More Than a Race
CSR Children’s Foundation
The CSR Children’s Foundation brings families, volunteers, and kids together for water-related activities, food, entertainment, and community — with activities adapted to each child’s abilities.
Visit CSR Children’s Foundation