The Helipro 2008 NZ Jet Boat Marathon, 20-27 September 2008

Day Five, Friday September 26 - Legs 9 & 10: Waimakariri River

 

Overall Results.

No. Cl Driver. Boat Name. Criterium Up Waiau Dn Waiau Up Rakaia1 Dn Rakaia Up Rakaia2 Up Waitaki Dn Waitaki Up Waimak Dn Waimak Total
1 301 U Rob Pooley Just Mussels 30:06 42:39 21:47 18:25 18:20 19:42 27:50 26:36 33:55 34:26 4:33:46
2 353 A James Murdoch Carlton Hotel 28:22 39:48 21:34 21:05 17:30 20:50 26:12 25:35 32:43 40:21 4:34:00
3 25 B Daniel Anderson The Ranch 28:38 43:11 23:38 18:34 17:17 19:05 31:36 25:10 33:24 1:00:15 5:00:48
4 626 U Chris Campbell Ahaura Transport 30:33 44:53 21:38 20:27 19:03 21:20 29:28 31:00 47:58 43:32 5:09:52
5 367 U Roger Preston Booth AG 30:48 49:22 32:06 19:47 18:24 20:27 41:33 28:11 40:22 35:31 5:16:31
6 777 U Regan Williamson Daddy Kool Racing 30:42 43:56 22:56 26:54 18:05 19:50 29:44 26:59 43:37 56:12 5:18:55
7 216 A Malcolm Jenkins The Hairy Mussel Company 30:36 55:45 21:25 42:40 19:12 21:23 29:51 27:35 35:46 35:08 5:19:21
8 66 C Kruse Davidson Bannickburn Fruits 33:46 57:23 24:31 23:12 18:45 22:40 38:14 28:58 39:40 37:52 5:25:01
9 638 C Andrew Stuart Keystone Decorators 33:02 1:14:29 33:29 20:54 18:38 20:37 32:51 29:32 38:35 35:36 5:37:43
10 107 D Aaron Morrison Steath Racing 34:39 55:45 27:26 22:53 23:26 23:50 35:56 32:14 43:36 41:04 5:40:49
11 41 A Paul Collings Jet Stream Services 33:38 44:58 21:21 48:22 19:46 20:32 31:17 28:27 39:20 56:29 5:44:10
12 109 B Ryan Ringer Outlaws 34:34 48:44 21:44 39:43 19:24 22:26 34:26 30:24 40:28 54:47 5:46:40
13 70 D Callum McKenzie D70 Racing 35:35 57:51 23:40 23:23 20:44 23:08 36:34 43:13 44:58 39:57 5:49:03
14 134 D Brendon Cameron 37:48 54:04 22:51 24:05 20:47 24:02 37:56 39:18 59:44 39:10 5:59:45
15 38 B Bryce Idiens Smack Face 30:29 49:37 22:36 23:12 19:21 24:26 1:05:17 28:03 1:00:26 38:34 6:02:01
16 307 U Shaun Kelly Kawarau Jet 29:19 44:19 25:13 18:51 18:11 25:12 48:58 39:27 1:01:03 1:18:40 6:29:13
17 388 A Spencer King Sunset Shaker 30:05 43:28 22:23 53:12 27:40 29:56 43:47 39:49 50:04 56:29 6:36:53
18 35 R Tony O'Laughlon 43:41 1:05:28 27:34 30:34 25:18 30:31 49:18 40:05 55:12 46:27 6:54:08
19 91 B Byron Campbell Desparado 35:15 55:48 38:46 43:41 27:09 26:52 1:11:48 35:56 46:03 47:24 7:08:42
20 77 R Craig Robertson 41:23 1:05:30 52:19 42:47 35:25 33:34 50:18 36:17 49:54 49:41 7:37:08

U = Edge Parts & performance A = SSS Engineering B = Carlton Bar & Restaurant C = Farrington Tavern D = Hornit R = Adelphi Motel

Continuous underline = penalty, broken underline = credit.

COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPUTING BY CHRISTCHURCH AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

Class Results.

Edge Parts & performance Class Results.

No Class Driver Boat Name. Criterium Up Waiau Dn Waiau Up Rakaia1 Dn Rakaia Up Rakaia2 Up Waitaki Dn Waitaki Up Waimak Dn Waimak Total
1 301 U Rob Pooley Just Mussels 30:06 42:39 21:47 18:25 18:20 19:42 27:50 26:36 33:55 34:26 4:33:46
2 626 U Chris Campbell Ahaura Transport 30:33 44:53 21:38 20:27 19:03 21:20 29:28 31:00 47:58 43:32 5:09:52
3 367 U Roger Preston Booth AG 30:48 49:22 32:06 19:47 18:24 20:27 41:33 28:11 40:22 35:31 5:16:31
4 777 U Regan Williamson Daddy Kool Racing 30:42 43:56 22:56 26:54 18:05 19:50 29:44 26:59 43:37 56:12 5:18:55
5 307 U Shaun Kelly Kawarau Jet 29:19 44:19 25:13 18:51 18:11 25:12 48:58 39:27 1:01:03 1:18:40 6:29:13

SSS Engineering Class Results.

No Class Driver Boat Name. Criterium Up Waiau Dn Waiau Up Rakaia1 Dn Rakaia Up Rakaia2 Up Waitaki Dn Waitaki Up Waimak Dn Waimak Total
1 353 A James Murdoch Carlton Hotel 28:22 39:48 21:34 21:05 17:30 20:50 26:12 25:35 32:43 40:21 4:34:00
2 216 A Malcolm Jenkins The Hairy Mussel Co mpany 30:36 55:45 21:25 42:40 19:12 21:23 29:51 27:35 35:46 35:08 5:19:21
3 41 A Paul Collings Jet Stream Services 33:38 44:58 21:21 48:22 19:46 20:32 31:17 28:27 39:20 56:29 5:44:10
4 388 A Spencer King Sunset Shaker 30:05 43:28 22:23 53:12 27:40 29:56 43:47 39:49 50:04 56:29 6:36:53

Carlton Bar & Restaurant Class Results.

No Class Driver Boat Name. Criterium Up Waiau Dn Waiau Up Rakaia1 Dn Rakaia Up Rakaia2 Up Waitaki Dn Waitaki Up Waimak Dn Waimak Total
1 25 B Daniel Anderson The Ranch 28:38 43:11 23:38 18:34 17:17 19:05 31:36 25:10 33:24 1:00:15 5:00:48
2 109 B Ryan Ringer Outlaws 34:34 48:44 21:44 39:43 19:24 22:26 34:26 30:24 40:28 54:47 5:46:40
3 38 B Bryce Idiens Smack Face 30:29 49:37 22:36 23:12 19:21 24:26 1:05:17 28:03 1:00:26 38:34 6:02:01
4 91 B Byron Campbell Desparado 35:15 55:48 38:46 43:41 27:09 26:52 1:11:48 35:56 46:03 47:24 7:08:42

Farrington Tavern Class Results.

No Class Driver Boat Name. Criterium Up Waiau Dn Waiau Up Rakaia1 Dn Rakaia Up Rakaia2 Up Waitaki Dn Waitaki Up Waimak Dn Waimak Total
1 66 C Kruse Davidson Bannickburn Fruits 33:46 57:23 24:31 23:12 18:45 22:40 38:14 28:58 39:40 37:52 5:25:01
2 638 C Andrew Stuart Keystone Decorators 33:02 1:14:29 33:29 20:54 18:38 20:37 32:51 29:32 38:35 35:36 5:37:43

Hornit Class Results.

No Class Driver Boat Name. Criterium Up Waiau Dn Waiau Up Rakaia1 Dn Rakaia Up Rakaia2 Up Waitaki Dn Waitaki Up Waimak Dn Waimak Total
1 107 D Aaron Morrison Steath Racing 34:39 55:45 27:26 22:53 23:26 23:50 35:56 32:14 43:36 41:04 5:40:49
2 70 D Callum McKenzie D70 Racing 35:35 57:51 23:40 23:23 20:44 23:08 36:34 43:13 44:58 39:57 5:49:03
3 134 D Brendon Cameron 37:48 54:04 22:51 24:05 20:47 24:02 37:56 39:18 59:44 39:10 5:59:45

Adelphi Motel Class Results.

No Class Driver Boat Name. Criterium Up Waiau Dn Waiau Up Rakaia1 Dn Rakaia Up Rakaia2 Up Waitaki Dn Waitaki Up Waimak Dn Waimak Total
1 35 R Tony O'Laughlon 43:41 1:05:28 27:34 30:34 25:18 30:31 49:18 40:05 55:12 46:27 6:54:08
2 77 R Craig Robertson 41:23 1:05:30 52:19 42:47 35:25 33:34 50:18 36:17 49:54 49:41 7:37:08

 

Please note :- Continuous underline = penalty, broken underline = credit.

Day Five, September 26, 2008 - Legs 9 & 10 – Waimakariri – S.H.1 Bridge – Woodstock & Return After the lay day on Thursday, competitors rolled up to the launch ramp area on the Waimakariri river ready to do battle on the penultimate legs of the marathon. On the previous Wednesday night , the Waimakariri had flooded reaching a maximum flow of just in excess of 900 cumecs, but the volume of debris coming down the river was such that the Environment Canterbury officials considered it a threat to the safety of the old highway bridge and closed it to peak traffic flows. The organizers of the marathon were beginning to think of the alternatives available to them should the river remain high but thankfully it dropped quickly so that on Friday morning, while still very discoloured, the flow had dropped back to a very manageable 190 cumecs.The marathon was developing into a three horse race for overall positions. James and Ross Murdoch in Carlton Hotel had worked their way into an overall lead of just over 5 minutes ahead of Rob and Mike Pooley in Just Mussels. Daniel Anderson’s The Ranch was ready to pounce on the smallest mistake that either of the boats ahead of him might make and sat just a minute and a half or so behind the leading boats. Further back, Regan Williamson in Daddy Cool Racing had put in consistent times but lay well back in time.Murdoch was the first boat away at 1000 hours and he had a clean run through the discoloured braids of the Waimakariri and passed under the gorge bridge more than two minutes ahead of the Pooley boat. He went on to complete the 85km upstream leg to the Waimak Alpine Jet facilities close to Woodstock in the fastest time of the day of 32:43.Rob and Mike Pooley did not have a perfect upstream run having to turn out of a deadend stream in the lower stretches, but they quickly recovered to cross the finish line in second position in a time of 33:55. Daniel Anderson was right on Rob’s jetstream tail and since he had started one minute behind, had made up some ground. His time of 33:24 was commendable given his engine size of 6 litres.Malcolm and Edward Jenkins in The Hairy Mussel Company had a clean run to the top recording a good time of 35:46 while C class racer Andrew Stuart in Keystone Decorators was making up for his disappointing run in the Waiau where he gave away heaps of time thanks to water ingress following a clout of a rock. His time of 38:35 was almost one minute quicker than fellow C class racer Kruse Davidson who, while no longer eligible for overall results, still holds first place in the class.In D class, Aaron Morrison was driving Stealth Racing consistently and had a clean run to Woodstock in a time of 43:36 and he comfortably leads the class ahead of Callum McKenzie, D70 Racing and Brendon Cameron who was issued a 15 minute penalty for an allowed engine change over the lay day after his first Lexus V8 had overheated on the Waitaki river section following a lack of cooling water.Ryan Ringer did a great job in bringing his essentially standard ZZ4 Chev powered Eagle Steptech boat Outlaws up the river in a time of 40:28. Unfortunately the river claimed a couple of other competitors. Paul Collings sustained fuel pressure problems and he was unable to complete the leg. Bryce Idiens in Smack Face had a grounding that took some time to recover from although he duly completed the leg in a time of 1:00:26. Chris ‘Turbo’ Campbell sustained a loss of steering that resulted in not only a grounding, but also another quote for the day: Turbo Say – “Man who loose steering make man mad and woman madder!”The return journey down a discoloured Waimakariri was always going to be a stern test of man and machine and so it proved to be. Right from the start James and Ross Murdoch seemed to be on the back foot by taking a longer track soon after the flag drop that allowed the Pooley boat to overtake them before they reached the gorge bridge. Further down the river, James admitted to an episode of brain fade when he went into a pressure wave too fast, spun up and put the boat aground requiring a push back into deeper water. The incident tore off the starboard side wing and stoved in the sponson up front on the same side. They were able to resume the race but gave way their hard earned lead over the rest of the field recording a time for the leg of 40:21.Meanwhile the Just Mussels team had discovered their flex plate on the rear of the old 520 Chev had worked itself loose on the upstream run, but only as the boat was being launched for the down leg. Rob had no time to try and effect repairs so elected to run down hoping the engine would stay together and that he would not need to restart it enroute. He was quick to capitalize of James’s misfortunes and steered a direct route down the Waimak (as only Rob does so well) with Daniel Anderson hard on his heels again. However while diving down one particular goat track, Rob managed to bulldoze his way through while Daniel, perhaps just a little too close behind, found himself without sufficient water and ran heavily aground. Rob and Mike Pooley continued their merry way down the river eventually finishing first across the line in a time of 34:26 while the flex plate flopped around in the breeze.Daniel and his crew had a big push and once they got the boat floating, they were unable to get it up on the plane due to the grill being clogged with debris. With no option, Daniel dived under the boat to clear the grill but to no avail. He was going nowhere and his very real challenge for the National Title had evaporated. The Ranch had to be towed back to the ramp and a penalty time of 1:00:15 allocated. Such are the disappointments of marathon racing.Ryan Ringer made a strategic decision at the start of the down leg that to anyone aware of it, seemed very sound. He would tuck in behind former World Champion and master of the braided river, Andrew Stuart and watch the master at work. Good thinking. In practice however, things did not turn out so good for the visiting American. Stuart and his red bow tie wearing navigator, Dan the Man Lysaght found themselves in another of the prevalent goat tracks that abound on the Waimakariri in these conditions. As things went from bad to worse and the track got thinner and tighter, Stuart’s long Impala reveled in the tough going being as it can happily run through the thinnest of water at speed while Ringers deeper vee’d Eagle began to scrape the bottom steadily filling the grill with gravel until it would go no longer. The crew had no option but to get out and push into deeper water, then clear the grill before getting back under way. They eventually finished in a time of 54:47 while the ‘master’ finished some 19 minutes ahead….nevertheless, it was a sound plan.Regan Williamson had been going very well but the engine started to haemorrhage oil on the downstream leg forcing him to back right out of the throttle and he cruised home in a time of 56:12 to preserve his now third place overall.So, at the conclusion of the days racing the top positions on the leaderboard had changed significantly. The new leader going into the final day was the Pooley boat Just Mussels with a slim 14 second lead over the Murdoch boat Carlton Hotel. Regan Williamson’s Daddy Cool Racing had moved up into third nearly 45 minutes behind and just 26 seconds ahead of Malcolm Jenkins. Andrew Stuart had recovered from last place overall at the end of the Waiau leg to move into fifth place overall going into the last day of competition.The National Champion will be determined over two criterium races on the lower reaches of the Waimakariri on Saturday where anything can happen and probably will.Reports / Images - if you would like to submit a Race Report or Race Photos - please email HERE