Jet sprint championship season starts at Meremere early December

The six round 2012 Jetpro jet boat sprint championship season starts late 2011 with the first round held at the South Auckland Meremere location on 4 December.

A bumper entry of 37 teams’ has so far registered their intent to chase for title honours across three competition categories. Currently there are nine in the entry-level Jetpro Lites, 12 registered for the White Pointer Boats Group A and 16 in the Suzuki Superboat category.

Famed for on-the-edge racing, the water jet propelled boats navigate a predetermined series of narrow water channels against a ticking clock. Typically taking 40-50 seconds to complete the course, it’s the split second reactions that maintain spectator interest in anticipation of the result. That’s for the navigators too, who have to remember 29 distinct changes of direction for the Meremere event.

Contested as an elimination style event, teams’ get four practise and qualifying runs in the morning. The afternoon shoot-out starts with the top-16, which are cut to top-12, top-8, top-5 and the top-three run determining the round podium and winner positions.

Points are awarded respective to the finishing position.

Aside from the thrills and chance of spills, Auckland club member and White Pointer Boats Group A title contender Baden Gray says the first round is a clean slate for all the crews who will unveil their improvements in the quest for victory.

“A fair few have done work on their boats, engine work – as they always do. So there are a lot of unknown improvements. Everyone will be getting a measure of each other.

“Basically; the bullshit stops when the flag drops.”

The sport of jet boat sprint racing has taken a climb following last season’s visit by the touring Nitro Circus troupe led by American stunt-star Travis Pastrana. Taking a high-speed look at the sport from the navigator’s perspective, Pastrana said he’d never experienced the exhilaration or combination of g-forces on water:

“Everything I’m used to doing, you let off the gas when you wanted to turn; these you get on the gas even more so when you want to turn,” described 27-year-old Pastrana of his afternoon getting used to the Suzuki Superboat of Wanganui’s Duncan Wilson. “When you turn-in usually it takes a while for the vehicle to set. There is no setting in these – the boats just turn. I guess I could describe it as being like a really fast shifter kart that’s opposite on the throttle.

“I was laughing the entire way round. I was thinking we’re gonna die, we’re gonna die, we’re gonna die – and that was pretty much what I thought the entire time. But, it was awesome.”

All rounds count.

New for 2012, all six rounds count toward the final Jetpro Jetsprint championship points tally. Previously teams’ have been able to drop their worst result, adding an element of complication to tactics.

“Consistency will be even more important,” continues Gray.

“You won’t want to be going the wrong way or have any sort of error; it’ll really affect your championship hopes.”

Located quarter of an hour south of the Bombay hills, the Meremere Sprint Bowl is located just behind the Fram Autolite dragway off State Highway one.

Gates open at 9.30am on the Sunday 4 December with adult entry $20, under five’s free and family pass $50.

“There will be a few good drawcards,” adds Gray. “1NZ Suzuki Superboat Leighton and Kellie Minnell will be one benchmark a few will want to tip.”