AquaX Champion, Eric Lagopouls

Eric Lagopoulos claimed his second consecutive AQUAX series championship on a Sea-Doo GTR 215.

The championship was not determined until the final moto of the final race of the six event series, a year where the GTR 215 was the most popular model of the 250 class, Lagopoulos piloted the #361 consistently to podium spots an ultimately his second AquaX title.

After dozens of titles from around the world, Eric Lagopoulos has little to prove other than he can still win and win riding a Sea-Doo taken from the showroom floor against competitive factory supported teams. Lagopoulos has been in the sport of watercraft racing for over 20 years yet carries the youthful enthusiasm and drive to compete at the highest level of professional watercraft racing winning on what is fast becoming the sport’s biggest stage. We caught up with him to get some insight on his 2015 run.

Eric Lagopoulos aboard the #361 Sea-Doo GTR 215

OnBoard: Can you describe your 2015 AquaX season in one sentence?

Lagopoulos: “It was an incredibly exciting season filled with ups and downs but when it  came down to who was destined to be on top the season ended in pure satisfaction with the X-TEAM’s second championship in two-years!”

OnBoard: Why was the GTR 215 your craft of choose for the 250 class?

Lagopoulos: “The Sea-Doo GTR 215 is nimble in the surf and great in the flat and handles both with precision while being forgiving at the same time. It’s fast too and the reliability obviously helped us finish every race up front which is what you need to win championships over a grueling Aquacross season.”

OnBoard: Does the GTR 215 have an advantage over competitor models in regard to AquaX?

Lagopoulos: “I’ve had so much success on the GTR 215 in regards to Aquacross because of the different conditions each round. I mean is good in every condition. The GTR 215 is good in the flat water, good in chop, and good in the big surf races. It’s a watercraft that you can ride hard no matter where its ridden.” 

OnBoard: What was the most memorable moment of the year, other than the last moto of the season?

Lagopoulos: “I had a really cool moment Sunday before the races as a ladybug landed on my arm and I knew it would be my weekend!”

Onboard: That isn’t exactly what we were looking for… so lets go straight to the dramatic moment Sunday. Can you tell us what was going on in your head in the last moto when you knew you had to beat one person to win?

Lagopoulos: “I really love the mental side of the sport, so knowing I had to beat one rider for the overall championship was really exciting! I pushed the entire race from the drop of the green flag to the beautiful checkered flag and my second Aquacross championship in a row! It was a tight race figuratively and literally. The GTR 215 simply proved it’s the better overall watercraft.” 

Onboard: What’s next?

Lagopoulos: “I’m considering some really cool new opportunities in racing that I will be announcing in the near future so be sure to follow me on Facebook and on Twitter @Lagopolous and Instagram @lagopoulos1!”