Aqsa Sutan Aswar (JP/Seto Wardhana)

Host team Indonesia is upbeat about the 2019 Jetracer World Championship, which started on Wednesday, as it has its aces Aero Sutan Aswar and Aqsa Sutan Aswar locking their sights on the podium.

Aero, the elder Aswar brother, said he did not want to waste the opportunity to show his best before a home crowd as it would be the first time Indonesia hosted the world championship.

“I hope we’ll win in each category we’re in. At least, we can finish on the podium,” he told journalists on the sidelines of Wednesday’s opening ceremony at the tournament venue, the Jetski Indonesia Academy in Ancol, North Jakarta.

Aero said he was optimistic, hoping his team would encounter no technical difficulties in the championship that is to end on Saturday.

The Aswar brothers are Indonesia’s favorites in the sport as they’ve collected a number of prestigious titles, including 2018 Asian Games gold and bronze medals by Aqsa and a silver by Aero.

The 2019 Jetracer World Championship is part of the International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) calendar. The championship is a two-round event, with the first round being held in Jakarta and the second in Morocco from Nov. 14 to 17.

Twenty-two teams from 14 countries, including France and Germany, are to take part in the championship, which features Pro F1 Open, Pro F1 Open — the Normally Aspirated and Amateur F1 Open (Grand Tourismo) categories.

In the Jakarta round, the race is to start on Thursday.

Meanwhile, an official with the Indonesian Jet Sport Boating Association (IJSBA) said he hoped the country would be able to host the event again in upcoming years. The country, which built the jet-ski facility for the 2018 Asian Games, needs to hold events continuously to maintain it.

Scott Frazier of the IJSBA said the event in Jakarta would provide a perfect opportunity to promote the sport, as well as the host country, to the world. He also praised the newly built Ancol facility.

“I’ve seen the love of the Aswar family in developing the sport. New people are getting the opportunity here to come up and be stars themselves one day,” Scott said.

Racer Nicolas Chamand of France, a member of the Pasterello Competition team, said he was all set for the race, adding that he had undertaken proper preparations that included in-water and out-of-water exercises.

Chamand said he was excited to be competing for the first time in Indonesia, where he would also race for a new team. Nevertheless, he said he would not think about his target, but focus on his performance instead.

Chamand revealed that he hadn’t had the chance to test the venue yet as the organizers decided to undertake work on it on Thursday morning.

During a visit to the venue on Wednesday, The Jakarta Post observed that no buoys had been set up in the water course. Some workers were seen preparing ballast to anchor the buoys.

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