New Zealand’s Jetpro Jetsprint Championship returns to the Oldfields Featherston Aquatrack this weekend (24 January), for the second of six rounds in the 2010 season that brings teams from both islands to the Wairarapa region to test their vee-eight powered configurations for competition supremacy.Set at the Tauherinikau race course, approximately halfway between Featherston and Greytown, a solitary point separates leaders in each of the Suzuki Superboat, Scott Waterjet Group A and Jetpro Lites classes from second place.
Suzuki Superboat champion’s Richard Burt and navigator Roger Maunder from Palmerston North are planning on Queenstown’s Chris Munroe and navigator Brent Scammell to provide potential for an upset after Burt had a comfortable first round win.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Chris run at Featherston. It’s going to be interesting to see how he goes in a new package – same too with Darryl Hutton – he’s likely to have a better time, along with Duncan Wilson and Leighton (Minnell) who has been guns a blazing”, said Burt of competition in the usually methanol fuelled unlimited boat category.
Although Burt says his team are expecting a better performance, following what he suspected was an engine fault at the opening round: “We found after Wanganui we had two blown head gaskets, so we should be much more competitive ourselves for Featherston.”
Scott WaterJet Group A stalwart Gary Smith of Featherston will have twice as much on his plate as part of the organising team for the event, following a sixth place finish at the Wanganui opening round.
“I struggle here actually. Organising the event on the day you tend to get a little bogged down in details, so I haven’t ever performed well on my own track to be honest.”
“I just try my best on the day; the key to the whole thing is its six rounds and that’s a long time. If you go on last year’s results you only had to get top-six at every round and you’d be a New Zealand champion. So it’s definitely a case of getting to the end as opposed to breaking yourself to win an event.”
“You’ve only got to look at Bevan Muir (current class champion) – last year he didn’t get a first placing until the last round and he got to be champion by finishing in the top-eight. So it’s a matter of being consistent and getting results at all the rounds but you don’t necessarily have to win them.”
Renowned for its thrills and spills, jet sprinting has many notable incidents – of which Smith has been a contributor. At last season’s final round Smith rolled multiple times, damaging his own event’s timing gear.
Eliminating himself and navigator Suzanne Shirtliff, he said it was all or nothing.
“The only way I was going to get a top result in the championship that day was to win that event – so we were just flat out – win at all costs and paid the price – cut too many corners.”
Performing on the limit and often a little beyond, Smith says the high-standard of boat, apparel and safety personnel allow teams to comfortably push their ability: “The New Zealand Jetsprint Association spend a lot of money on getting rescue crew trained and there, so your own safety is never a problem - they are only ever a few seconds away if something does go wrong.”
Auckland’s Bayden Grey and navigator Tanya Iremonger top the Scott Waterjet Group A standings, with Taupo’s Reg and Julie Smith second in a boat co-driven by Wellington’s Phil Wheelans and Darren Judd. Although defending champion Bevan Muir and Kathy Barker of Thames could upset the order.
Bulls team of David Stone and Steve Grieves annihilated competition in the Jetpro Lites category, with opposition in the entry-level class unable to match the defending champion.
With only one wrong turn needed to be eliminated from the time rankings, teams get up to five qualifying runs before cycling through for the top-16, eight, four and top-two final shoot-out.
Catering for family groups as well as individuals; tickets for the event are available at the gate from 9am, adults $20, children $10 or $50 for a family pass of two adults and children.
Jetpro Jetsprinting Championship points after round one:
Suzuki Superboat Class
Pos No. Name Navigator Points
1 97 Richard Burt Roger Maunder 30
2 47 Leighton Minnell Kellie Minnell 29
3 2NZ Duncan Wilson Jaimee Lupton 27
4 84 Darryl Hutton Jonny Schick 0
5 88 Jamie Cooper Glen Martin 26
6 74 Pat Dillon Steve Edmonds 24
Jetpro Lites Class
Pos No. Name Navigator Points
1 3NZ Dave Stone Steve Grieves 30
2 24 Ray Tompson David Toms
29 3 13 Graeme Jones Scott Jones 27
4 11 Gerry Linklater Hayden Wilson 26
5 14 Steve Fouhy Denise Wallen 24
6 22 Phil Mulvay Andrew Watson 0
7 21 Bill Swan Paul Brigham 23
Scott Water Jet Group A Class
Pos No. Name Navigator Points
1 3NZ Baden Gray Tanya Iremonger 30
2 30 Reg Smith Julie Smith 29
3 15a Sam Newdick Nic McIndoe 27
4 52 Blake Briant Jono Randall 26
5 51 Ray Fergusson Nicky Fergusson 24
6 41 Garry Smith Suzanne Shirtliff 23
7 30a Phil Wheelans Darren Judd 22
8 1NZ Bevin Muir Kathy Barker 21
9 43 Richard Murray Kesty Manning 19
10 111 Mark Newdick Ollie Silverton 18
11 18L Blair Gibbard Jo Bayliss 17
12 41a Mark Shirtliff Greg Fuge 16
13 36 Brian Donald Neil McDonald 15
14 49 Jeff White Stu White 14
15 39 Andrew Guthrie Janine Ingram 13
16 40 Shane Wood Craig Shaw 12