Strong Superboat lineup boosts Kiwis' chances

Ten New Zealand teams are heading to Australia for the two-round 2009 UIM World Jetsprint Championships, which start tomorrow.

These include defending World Superboat title champion Peter Caughey, of Christchurch.

Having won the New Zealand-based Worlds title at Featherston in Wairarapa in January, Caughey and navigator Karen Marshall are joined by Kiwi representatives in the international Group A and Superboat categories for the two-weekend competition.

Each round is contested over two days, starting from 10am tomorrow at Australia's newest water-sprinting venue, Temora, in New South Wales, about halfway between Sydney and Melbourne.

As dominators in the sport of jetsprint racing, New Zealand's title chances are boosted with a strong lineup of Superboat competitors contesting the Australian-hosted event. Although runner-up in the Worlds title and New Zealand Superboat champion, Richard Burt, of Palmerston North will be an outsider for the title. Having been given a drive in an Australian boat quite different from the white-pointer hull he is used to, he is the only Kiwi not to have shipped a boat, for financial reasons.

Along with Caughey (Rangiora) and Burt, Leighton Minnell (Wanganui) finished third in the Worlds title last season, ahead of fourth-placed Phil Dixon (Australia). Pat Dillon (Wanganui) and Duncan Wilson (Wanganui) also add pressure from the Kiwi entrants to the mainly Australian lineup in the Superboat category.

Australian former V8 Supercar driver Nathan Pretty holds the title in the Group A class, and will be up against Kiwis Reg Smith (Taupo), Phil Wheelans (Wellington), Baden Gray (Auckland), Bevan Muir (Thames), Andrew Guthrie (Levin), and Blair Gibbard (Levin).

Keeping the title out of New Zealand hands for the past two years, defending champion Pretty and former champion Slade Stanley (Australia) topped last season's table, ahead of Peter Briant and New Zealand class winner Bevan Muir.

Beginning the two-weekend series, practice and qualifying will take place tomorrow, while on Sunday there will be successive elimination runs to find the top two for a runoff in each of the Group A and Superboat classes.

A week later, on November 28-29, the teams will repeat the format, moving to the Melton jetsprint track, 35 kilometres west of Melbourne, before returning to start the New Zealand series on December 27.

Facilitating the journey for the New Zealand contingent to contest the world title has been a team effort, guided by journeyman Reg Smith.

"We have managed to get the boats to Australia and back, at very little cost to the competitors – almost cheaper than going to a local event," says Smith, an executive member of the New Zealand Jetsprint Association.

"The boats (sent over in shipping containers) are all sitting in Phil Dixon's depot in Melbourne with tow vehicles and helpers supplied by the local competitors.

"It proves the trans-Tasman relationships still have good standing in our sport.

"The Australians are laying on a big event, with all sorts of displays and have put a lot of work and money into it.

"They are expecting big numbers to attend, and we are all proud to be a part of it."

SERIES CALENDAR 2009

UIM World Jetsprint Championship Series

Round one: Temora, NSW, November 21-22.

Round two: Melton, Vic, November 28-29.

Information: see v8superboats.com.au

- © Fairfax NZ News