Carnage at Shelter View Jetsprint Track

January 4, 2024/NZJSA

After an actioned packed day of racing, like no other, at the Shelter View Jetsprint Track on Wednesday 27th December the most apt comment must have come from the commentator Caveman (Tim Barrot) with the quote “Well folks if you didn’t enjoy that, check your pulse, cause you must be dead!”

Qual 4 and the Top 9 had the boats topple like dominos as one after the other went on over land excursions, fortunately with no serious injuries, although it was certainly keeping the Ambulance Officers and Rescue Crew on their toes and what a great job they did!

Round 2 of the New Zealand Jetsprint Championship had the crowd of just over 2000 on the edge of their seats with nail biting racing seeing the PSP Racing Team of Sam Newdick & Shama Putaranui taking out 1st in Building King Superboats and Ollie Silverton & Jess Sit coming out on top in Sprintec Boats Group A.

The course with its double hairpin rotation proved tricky with several boats crashing in spectacular fashion. Crash of the day went to Reuben Hoeksema /Jacob Wood in NZ2 Superboat. The boat launching through the timing loop and ending up in the catchfence. Crew were ok but the boat will need repairs before Round 3 in Wanaka next month

Building King Superboats

PSP Sam Newdick set the early pace in qualifying, breaking through the 50 sec barrier and posting the fastest time of the day – 48.492 in the Top 9. Broken Arrow Chris & Toby Edmonds were the other superboat team to go sub 50 and were pushing hard but retired in the top 3 with engine issues. Wired Aaron Hansen & Julie-Anne Shanks were the other crew to get to the top 3 unscathed as the competition crashed out. But in the end they couldn’t match the pace of Newdick, who makes it 2 from 2.

Sprintec Boats Group A

The Top 9 was carnage for this class. LJ Hooker Bryce & Kylie Baron clipped an island and ended up upside down in the water. The rescue team were straight there but Bryce had got himself out and quickly pulled Kylie up out of the water. Dug Twist and Brodie McGuire were on the best run of their day when they bounced off an island a had a very hard hit into the tyre wall. Two other teams also did not finish, No Limits Matt Hareb and Hayden George and Rookies Michael Stephens and Jayne McDonald.

TNT Brett Thompson & David Toms were charging hard all day and looked to be in the hunt until they spun out in the Top 3. . Wanganui Locals Ross Travers & Amanda Kittow kept cool heads to come home in second. But it was PSP Racing Ollie Silverton and Jess Sit who took the win, with a faultless performance through the knockout rounds.

MTW LS Class

The young American River Rogers made it two in row winning in style. He didn’t put a foot wrong all day ably assisted by stand in navigator Katie Munro. Current 1NZ John Verry was pushing River hard but had a rotational error in the top 6 ending his day. The final came down to two in the end, with Paddy & Jay Haden, Skitzo racing, taking second place.

MTW Group B

Rookies Hamish Clarke and Vanessa Philips were wrapped to secure their first podium, coming in third. Once again Venoms Kris Rasmussen and Nine Lives Racing Sam Gray, battled all day, at times separated by 100th of a second, but it was Kris who took the win making it two from two.