I wasn’t sure what to expect driving north to Grantsburg, WI, the heart of winter snowmobile trail riding. What would a “snow” event be like in the summer?
Then I heard the engines in the pits and saw the sleds lined up on the beach. I watched as they raced out onto the water at speeds of 30 mph plus—skimming the surface. They ran laps around buoys, getting caught up in traffic and trying to battle for position.
Watching the racers lean into the turns, some sleds slowed down too much, or lost their momentum and quickly sank to the bottom of the lake. Once the sleds sunk it was important that the driver kept their cool, waved their arms and stood on their sunken sled so other racers could see them.
It was amazing to see the modified pontoon boats retrieve the sleds, scooping them up from the bottom of the lake and bringing them to shore. Where they were greeted by an ATV driver with a trailer that pulled the waterlogged sleds back to the pits.
In between races, sleds would skip at full speed across the water and land next to the announcer stand to sign autographs for the fans. I even saw a few fans get invited to join the racers for a couple thrilling laps on the water.
This is an annual event for the city of Grantsburg. They welcomed racers and fans to the 44th Annual World Championship Snowmobile Watercross.—four days of excitement. On Saturday there were 114 oval races in eight hours in a variety of classes: Pro Open, Semi-Pro Open, Sports Open, Pro Stock, and Semi-Pro. And in the evening, vintage snowmobile drag racing—sponsored by Dennis Kirk— for the amateur sled enthusiasts. These rare nostalgic sleds had their moment in the sun… until dusk set in.
Vendors and products were available to spectators. And campgrounds filled with campers traveled by shuttlebus to catch the action each day. The word on the street was that in the past (pre-COVID) there were fireworks and a street dance later in at night—maybe next year.
This was a great way to spend the day. The weekend atmosphere was filled with a new and exciting experience. I would recommend it to anyone that appreciates sledding or anyone that loves the excitement of a competitive race.
I’m hooked… I’ll be back next year!
Next… off to catch the excitement of the grass drags, yet another summer sled event.
- Set Yourself up for Summer Side by Side Trail Riding Success - August 5, 2026
- 3 Harley Upgrades That Won’t Void Your Warranty - August 3, 2026
- How to Check Harley Belt Tension the Right Way (And the Old-School Way) - July 31, 2026