06/25/2026
As Rio Vista gets ready to host the Wild West Watercross races, we want to take a moment to recognize the people and organizations that helped make it all happen.
A huge thank you goes out to Johnny Barton and Eli Kemnitz of Ski Clinic in Antioch. Johnny and Eli, along with their wives and families, grew up spending their time on the Delta. Today, Eli and his family call Rio Vista home, while Johnny and his family reside out at Snug Harbor. Their passion for the water and the Delta lifestyle runs deep.
If you’ve seen someone out by the city launch ramp throwing backflips and pulling off unbelievable tricks on a jet ski, chances are you’ve seen Eli in action.
What many people don’t know is that this event started with a conversation between Johnny, Eli, and us right here at Hap’s Taps. That conversation turned into an idea, and that idea has brought Wild West Watercross to Rio Vista for the first time. Without these two and their vision for the sport, this event simply wouldn’t be happening.
We would also like to thank Mayor Edwin Okamura for sitting at the table from the beginning and supporting this event and its vision. Thank you to Tammy Mitchell, President of the Rio Vista Downtown Association, for the countless hours she has dedicated to chairing the event and helping bring all the pieces together. Thank you to the City of Rio Vista for embracing the opportunity and supporting an event that showcases everything we love about our community and the Delta lifestyle.
A special thank you also goes to Wild West Watercross for taking a chance on Rio Vista and making us one of the stops on the Road to Sparks and the championship. We are honored to welcome racers and their families from across the western United States and excited to show them what makes our Delta town so special.
It takes a village to make something like this happen, and this event is proof of what can be accomplished when passionate people, local businesses, community leaders, volunteers, and organizations come together.
From all of us at Hap’s Taps, thank you to everyone who has had a hand in bringing this event to Rio Vista. Come join us at Hap’s Taps for live music, cold drinks, and a good time all weekend long.
See you at the races! 🌊🏁🍻
