Media Updates - GOLDRIDGE HOTEL 2005 WORLD JET BOAT MARATHON 15th - 22nd October 2005 - South Island, New Zealand Media Updates from Kate Buchanan - Media Liaison 22 October 2005
21 October 2005 20 October 2005
18 October 2005 17 October 2005 16 October 2005 - Chasing the Holy Grail 12 October 2005 10 October 2005 04 October 2005 - Rocket on Water 03 October 2005 - Jet Boaters ProactiveGold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
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22 October 2005 Less than 24 hours after crashing his boat in spectacular fashion, Andrew Stuart is a world champion. The Christchurch sales rep today (Saturday) secured the Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon overall title by just 26sec over Canadian Karey Crawford. “I’m blown away,” Stuart said. “You just dream about winning a world marathon. There’s nothing you can do better in jet boating.” Looking at the smile on Stuart’s face as he crossed the finish line at Queenstown Bay, you’d be hard pressed to believe he rolled his boat on the Mataura River, near Gore, the previous day. “We were so down standing at the river looking at our boat sitting there upside down,” he said. “We were absolutely gutted.” But mentor and Jetboat.com owner Neil Ross and his team slogged away until 1am to repair the boat and keep Stuart in the running. “My spirits just lifted … to come back and win it is just unbelievable.” Getting back in the saddle after a crash is never easy but with just 2sec separating Stuart from Crawford heading into the final leg, the nerves were intense. “I was as nervous as a shaggy cat on a hot tin roof,” Stuart said. “At the top of the river I was really sucking in the air to be honest.” But he maintained his composure and overtook Crawford, aided by rough lake conditions which suited his boat better. Stuart also won the A-Class title by over 9mins from Canadian speedster Paddy Stratton. However, Stratton can claim the fastest time of the day on all three legs. James Murdoch, who was leading the overall stakes heading into the final day, was ruled out after breaking a flywheel just a few kilometres into the opening leg on the Clutha River. “That’s motor racing at its worst moment. I had it at arm’s reach and it flew away at a moment’s notice,” he said of the world title. Crawford took out the B-Class honours from Winton’s Garth McMaster by 15min to defend the title he won in Canada last year. “Our first job was to win B-class and I wasn’t going to do anything to risk that,” Crawford said. Nelson’s Rob Pooley secured the Unlimited Class title by 11mins over Greymouth’s Chris Campbell, with Queenstown’s Jason Scott third. “We came here to take out the number one slot but we’re grateful for everything we’ve achieved,” Pooley said. “We’ve got it and no-one can take it away from us.” In the C-class battle, Alexandra’s Gary Sutherland emerged as the winner, while Brendon Cameron, of Hamner Springs, raced consistently all week to win the D-Class title and Canada’s Brian Freeland took out the Sports Jet Class honours. Results: Overall: Andrew Stuart (Canterbury) 5.17.32, 1; Karey Crawford (Canada) 5.17.58, 2; Bonnar Anderson (Te Anau) 5.32.02, 3. Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class: Rob Pooley (Nelson) 5.22.13, 1; Chris Campbell (Greymouth) 5.33.00, 2; Jason Scott (Queenstown) 5.33.28, 3. Jetboat.com A Class: Andrew Stuart (Canterbury) 5.17.32, 1; Paddy Stratton (Canada) 5.26.48, 2; Bonnar Anderson (Te Anau) 5.32.02, 3. Hirequip B Class: Karey Crawford (Canada) 5.17.58, 1; Garth McMaster (Winton) 5.32.58, 2; Daniel Anderson (Te Anau) 5.39.16, 3. Christchurch Helicopters C Class: Gary Sutherland (Alexandra) 6.30.26, 1; Mark Allen (Canterbury) 6.36.55, 2; Bryce Idiens (Blenheim) 6.49.23, 3.. Christchurch Helicopters D Class: Brendon Cameron (Hamner Springs) 6.43.10, 1; David Howe (Invercargill) 7.51.31, 2; Duncan Storrier (Canterbury) 8.13.40, 3. Eagle Sports Jet Class: Brian Freeland (Canada) 7.21.14, 1; Lance Begbie (Canterbury) 7.21.53, 2; Ian Armstrong (Canterbury) 7.59.16, 3. Ends
Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
Press Release
21 October 2005 When there’s a world title up for grabs and just minutes separating the leading contenders, jet boat racing at its best is guaranteed. As the Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon hits the home stretch tomorrow (Saturday), James Murdoch knows complacency is simply not an option. At just 27 Murdoch is the youngest in the 61-strong field, but impressive driving skills have enabled him to stretch out a 4min lead over a chasing pack which includes a host of former world champions. And he’s certainly not naïve enough to take his advantage for granted. “I still have to push hard – you can’t relax,” he said. “At the speed you’re going, you have to remain focused.” Defending world B-class champion Karey Crawford, of Canada, is nipping at Murdoch’s heels in both the overall and class stakes. “We’re not done with the marathon yet – anything can happen,” Crawford. “We’ve got to go as hard as we can – there’s no tomorrow, it’s the last day and we need to take chances and give it everything we’ve got.” After posting some of the quickest times on the Mataura River today (Friday), Christchurch’s Andrew Stuart was also a strong contender for overall victory. However, he crashed his boat during the fourth and final leg of the stage. No one was injured in the accident, but the rest of the race was cancelled. “They obviously misjudged a corner and the boat rolled,” race controller John Macphee said. “It (the boat) was in the racing line so that meant it wasn’t safe to continue so we cancelled the leg.” Competitors had already completed 120km of racing. “While it would have been nice to have the other leg, safety is paramount,” Mr Macphee said. The boat was quickly retrieved, with the help of a local farmer’s tractor. Murdoch said he was disappointed for Stuart. “Where he was positioned, he would’ve been my biggest threat so my condolences go out to him,” he said. Stuart was also leading A-class, followed by Bonnar Anderson, of Te Anau, and Canadian Paddy Stratton respectively. Queenstown’s Jason Scott was firing on all cylinders and increased his lead in the Unlimited class to nearly 7min over Nelson’s Rob Pooley. “We were clocking 110mph on that run today so the power is there,” Scott said. Greymouth’s Chris Campbell moved up to third in the class, 8min adrift of Pooley, after successfully protesting against a time penalty awarded the previous day. However, Queenstown’s Neville Kelly remains within striking distance just 2min back. In the C and D-class ranks, Mark Allen, of Christchurch, and Brendon Cameron, of Hamner Springs, maintained their respective leads, while Brian Freeland, of Canada, snatched the lead in the Eagle Sports Jet Class. Tomorrow (Saturday) competitors will race a 92km leg on the Clutha River from Balclutha to Roxburgh starting at 8.30am, followed by two legs on the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers, which start and finish in Queenstown Bay. Results: Overall: James Murdoch (Canterbury) 4.03.55, 1; Karey Crawford (Canada) 4.08.32, 2; Andrew Stuart (Christchurch) 4.09.45, 3. Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class: Jason Scott (Queenstown), 4.04.37, 1; Rob Pooley (Nelson) 4.11.31, 2; Chris Campbell (Greymouth) 4.19.29, 3; Jetboat.com A Class: Andrew Stuart (Canterbury) 4.09.45, 1; Bonnar Anderson (Te Anau) 4.16.06, 2; Paddy Stratton (Canada) 4.23.04, 3; Hirequip B Class: James Murdoch (Canterbury) 4.03.55, 1; Karey Crawford (Canada) 4.08.32, 2; Garth McMaster (Winton) 4.14.39, 3; Christchurch Helicopters C Class: Mark Allen (Canterbury) 4.59.46, 1; Gary Sutherland (Alexandra) 5.05.08, 2; Bryce Idiens (Blenheim) 5.15.36, 3. Christchurch Helicopters D Class: Brendon Cameron (Hamner Springs) 5.12.37, 1; David Howe (Invercargill) 6.03.32, 2; Duncan Storrier (Canterbury) 6.16.49, 3. Eagle Sports Jet Class: Brian Freeland (Canada) 5.41.25, 1; Lance Begbie (Canterbury) 5.43.16, 2; Ian Armstrong (Canterbury) 6.01.41, 3. EndsGold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
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20 October 2005 Drama on the Dart today (Tuesday) saw the Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon leaderboard turned on its head. After leading the charge for two days, Gore’s Neil Ross was the latest to fall victim to mechanical gremlins with a “catastrophic” internal engine failure bringing his quest for world glory to an abrupt halt. “At the moment I feel robbed,” a devastated Ross said. “I think unexplained component failure is the cause which is extremely disappointing. “The motor was running perfectly until about five seconds before it stopped.” Ross had just finished laying down the gauntlet by posting the fastest time on the opening leg when he was ruled out of contention on the second of four stages. He last won a world title in Canada in 1995. “I would have liked to win one here in New Zealand but fate changed that today,” he said. A dynamic performance from Canterbury’s James Murdoch and his father and navigator Ross earned them a promotion to the top of both the overall and B-Class ranks with a total time of 3hr 04min 47sec. Murdoch, who returns to the racing scene after an accident ruled him out of the New Zealand marathon last year, started the day with a plan in mind. “This is one river that I really do like so I wanted to push things pretty hard on it … and have a really good crack,” he said. “That was probably one of the most challenging ones we’ve had so far. If you run aground, you’re out of the race.” Fellow Cantabrian Andrew Stuart snatched second overall, just 4min shy of Murdoch, along with the A-Class lead, where he is 3min clear of Te Anau’s Bonnar Anderson. However, Stuart’s charge in the overall stakes was at the expense of Canadian Karey Crawford who slipped to third overall and second in B-Class, where he has a 5min buffer over Winton’s Garth McMaster. The braided nature of the Dart tested even the most seasoned racers with several leading contenders left high and dry after taking the wrong channels. Just 29 of the marathon’s 61 entries remain in contention for overall honours after completing all of the 10 legs to date. Despite two mishaps, which relegated him from third to seventh overall, Queenstown’s Jason Scott clung to his lead in the Unlimited Class by 4min over Nelson’s Rob Pooley. Neville Kelly, also of Queenstown, moved into the top three although is 9min adrift of Pooley, who recorded the fastest times on the day’s two downward legs. It was Canadian Paddy Stratton who claimed the fastest time of the day, scorching up the 40km course in just 13min 05sec. Mark Allen, of Canterbury, stretched his C-Class lead over Gary Sutherland, of Alexandra, to nearly 9min, while Brendon Cameron, of Hamner Springs, still reigns supreme in D-Class. Canterbury’s Lance Begbie continues his dominance in the Sports Jet Class, but the battle for second continues with Canadian Brian Freeland stealing the place back from Ian Armstrong, also of Canterbury. Tomorrow (Friday) competitors will race four legs on the Mataura River, from Gore to Ardlussa and return twice, starting at 9am. Results: Overall: James Murdoch (Canterbury) 3.04.47, 1; Andrew Stuart (Canterbury) 3.08.04, 2; Karey Crawford (Canada) 3.08.36, 3. Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class: Jason Scott (Queenstown) 3.06.18, 1; Rob Pooley (Nelson) 3.10.41, 2; Neville Kelly (Queenstown) 3.19.19, 3. Jetboat.com A Class: Andrew Stuart (Canterbury) 3.08.04, 1; Bonnar Anderson (Te Anau) 3.11.12, 2; Neil Ross (Gore) 3.15.23, 3. Hirequip B Class: James Murdoch (Canterbury) 3.04.47, 1; Karey Crawford (Canada) 3.08.36, 2; Garth McMaster (Winton) 3.13.53, 3. Christchurch Helicopters C Class: Mark Allen (Canterbury) 3.44.04, 1; Gary Sutherland (Alexandra) 3.52.42, 2; Bryce Idiens (Blenheim) 4.04.18, 3. Christchurch Helicopters D Class: Brendon Cameron (Hamner Springs) 3.58.52, 1; David Howe (Invercargill) 4.37.03, 2; Duncan Storrier (Canterbury) 4.43.42, 3. Eagle Sports Jet Class: Lance Begbie (Canterbury) 4.12.08, 1; Brian Freeland (Canada) 4.21.37, 2; Ian Armstrong (Canterbury) 4.26.09, 3. EndsGold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
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18 October 2005 When it’s time to flex some serious jet boating muscle, the Clutha River is the perfect arena for shoving the accelerator to the floor. Competitors in the Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon ventured to Roxburgh to tackle the mighty Clutha for a 42km blast to Beaumont today (Tuesday), followed by a return leg in the afternoon. Racing was originally scheduled for the braided Matukituki River, near Wanaka, but organisers were forced to change locations after it was deemed not to have enough water in it to host the world fixture. Despite the stark contrast between the two rivers, drivers took the switch in their stride and seized the opportunity to post some speedy times. Gore’s Neil Ross and navigator Toni Chittock increased their overall lead to nearly four minutes over Canadians Karey Crawford and Martin Evenson, notching up the fastest time of the day in the process with 14min 53sec on the downstream leg. “I applaud the decision to change rivers – it was a good challenging test,” Ross said. A formidable competitor that’s hard to rattle, Ross stretched his Jetboat.com A Class margin out to nearly 10mins over Daryl Hutton, with Te Anau’s Bonnar Anderson still in third another 3mins adrift. But not everything went Ross’ way with Andrew Stuart, who is fourth in A Class, recording the day’s fastest time on the return leg with 16min 25sec, followed 4sec later by Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class entry Jason Scott, of Queenstown. Scott and navigator Paul Burgess, of Invercargill, were the big movers of the day, jumping from fifth overall to third, just two minutes shy of Crawford. “The Clutha was just a drag strip – with a couple of surprises every now and again,” Scott said. “Neil will be hard to beat but we’re only half way there so anything can happen.” Scott also increased his lead in the class ranks to 1min 37sec over Greymouth’s Chris Campbell, while Shaun Kelly, also of Queenstown, managed to cling to third despite not finishing the final leg. Scott’s success was at the expense of Ross Bailey, of Hastings, who was relegated to fourth overall. However, he managed to hold off a strong challenge from Winton’s Garth McMaster to sit second in B-Class. McMaster’s combined time for the two legs was 31sec quicker than Bailey and now just 1min separates the pair. “The boat seemed to have a lot of speed today … it just took off like a rocket,” McMaster said. In the Christchurch Helicopters C and D classes, Mark Allen, of Canterbury, and Brendon Cameron, of Hamner Springs, continued to increase their leads over their respective nearest rivals. While Lance Begbie maintained his lead in the Eagle Sports Jet Class, fellow Cantabrian Ian Armstrong established a 4sec advantage over Canadian Brian Freeland. After a lay day tomorrow (Wednesday), competitors will switch their focus to the Dart River, near Glenorchy, for four legs on Thursday. Results: Overall: Neil Ross (Gore) 1.58.22, 1; Karey Crawford (Canada) 2.02.17, 2; Jason Scott (Queenstown) 2.04.52, 3. Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class: Jason Scott (Queenstown) 2.04.52, 1; Chris Campbell (Greymouth) 2.06.29, 2; Shaun Kelly (Queenstown) 2.12.55, 3. Jetboat.com A Class: Neil Ross (Gore) 1.58.22, 1; Daryl Hutton, 2.08.04, 2; Bonnar Anderson (Te Anau) 2.11.34, 3. Hirequip B Class: Karey Crawford (Canada) 2.02.17, 1; Ross Bailey (Hastings) 2.06.08, 2; Garth McMaster (Winton) 2.07.08, 3. Christchurch Helicopters C Class: Mark Allen (Canterbury) 2.34.34, 1; Gary Sutherland (Alexandra) 2.40.53, 2; Bryce Idiens (Blenheim) 2.50.19, 3. Christchurch Helicopters D Class: Brendon Cameron (Hamner Springs) 2.45.21, 1; David Howe (Invercargill) 3.13.46, 2; Duncan Storrier (Canterbury) 3.16.01, 3. Eagle Sports Jet Class: Lance Begbie (Canterbury) 2.54.41, 1; Ian Armstrong (Canterbury) 3.04.41, 2; Brian Freeland (Canada) 3.04.45, 3.EndsGold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
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17 October 2005 Day two of the Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon proved to be a scorcher both on and off the water, with several racers seizing the chance to dominate their respective classes. New Zealand champion Neil Ross, of Gore, inherited the overall lead after mechanical woes forced Canadian Paddy Stratton to retire shortly into the day’s opening stage. But victory by default is definitely not Ross’ style. The experienced Southern campaigner posted the 66km leg’s fastest time of 26min 46sec to rightfully earn his spot at the top of the table. However, fastest honours for the day went to Nelson’s Rob Pooley with a time of 25min 22sec on the afternoon’s return leg. In the overall stakes, Ross boasts a two-minute lead over Karey Crawford, of Canada, with Hastings’ Ross Bailey a further three minutes adrift. In Jetboat.com A Class, Ross is 8min clear of Bonnar Anderson, of Te Anau. He was unfazed at now being the man to beat. “Catch me if you can,” he said. “Now we’re getting a little closer to our familiar rivers and I just hope I haven’t lost my happy knack. “I just keep the foot hard on it and back off a bit when it gets tricky.” Stratton’s misfortune was a reality of the sport. “That luck can strike any of us in the field at any time,” Ross said. Just 44 of the 61 entries remain in contention for the overall crown after completing all four legs so far. The absence of a powerful Unlimited boat in the top four reflects the competitive nature of the marathon. Bailey, who is also second in the hotly contested Hirequip B Class behind Crawford, said the competition was fierce. “In most marathon’s it’s normally B class that provides a lot of entertainment and close racing,” he said. “We’re just trying to stay in touch with the guys ahead and see what happens.” Just 3sec separates him from Canterbury’s James Murdoch, with Winton’s Garth McMaster just over a minute back in fourth. “We had a wee bit of a mishap and ended up on a bit of a back track … but on the return leg things were sweet,” McMaster said. Queenstown’s Jason Scott moved through the field to snatch the Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class lead from Chris Campbell, of Greymouth – albeit by just 21sec – and sit in fifth overall. “We’re pleased with the progress we made today, but tomorrow (Tuesday) is definitely going to be the toughest day of the event – the Matukituki is pretty unforgiving,” Scott said. Mark Allen, of Canterbury, has powered to a 5min lead over nearest rival Gary Sutherland, of Alexandra, in Christchurch Helicopters C Class, while Brendon Cameron, of Hamner Springs, has a 20min buffer over Duncan Storrier, also of Canterbury. Queenstowner Sam Strain’s dominance of the Eagle Sports Jet Class ended when he failed to finish leg four, handing the top spot to Lance Begbie, of Canterbury. Tomorrow (Tuesday) competitors will face the challenging and braided terrain of the Matukituki River, near Wanaka, for the next four legs of the marathon. Results: Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class: Jason Scott (Queenstown), 1.32.43, 1; Chris Campbell (Greymouth), 1.33.04, 2; Shaun Kelly (Queenstown), 1.34.43, 3. Jetboat.com A Class: Neil Ross (Gore), 1.26.56, 1; Bonnar Anderson (Te Anau), 1.34.41, 2; Daryl Hutton, 1.34.54, 3. Hirequip B Class: Karey Crawford (Canada) 1.29.19, 1; Ross Bailey (Hastings), 1.32.28, 2; James Murdoch (Canterbury), 1.32.31, 3. Christchurch Helicopters C Class: Mark Allen (Canterbury), 1.51.17, 1; Gary Sutherland (Alexandra) 1.58.13, 2; Bryce Idiens (Nelson) 2.11.57, 3. Christchurch Helicopters D Class: Brendon Cameron (Hamner Springs) 2.01.29, 1; Duncan Storrier (Canterbury) 2.21.16, 2; David Howe (Invercargill) 2.21.22. Eagle Sports Jet Class: Lance Begbie (Canterbury) 2.07.41, 1; Brian Freeland (Canada) 2.16.06, 2; Ian Armstrong (Canterbury) 2.16.28. Ends Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
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16 October 2005 CHASING THE HOLY GRAIL When Paddy Stratton travelled from Canada earlier this month he left enough room in his suitcase to take the World Jet Boat Marathon silverware home with him. On the opening day of the Gold Ridge Hotel-sponsored event today (Sunday, October 16), Stratton and navigator Donavon Yanke made their intentions clear, powering to victory in the opening two legs to lead both the overall and A-Class ranks. “This is the Holy Grail of jet boat racing,” Stratton said. “We’re giving it everything we’ve got to win.” From the outset the visiting Canadian teams showed they were a forced to be reckoned with. Racing from Queenstown Bay up the Shotover River to McGregor’s Pit, Stratton completed the 20km run in just 7min 2sec. Not to be outdone, fellow Canadian Spencer King was just three seconds adrift. Queenstown’s Neville Kelly was the fastest of the kiwi contenders, powering up the course in 7min 28sec, just two seconds ahead of Rob Pooley, of Nelson. However, leg two down the Waitaki River from Kurow proved a disaster for several leading contenders. Four times world champion King was forced to pull out of the marathon after blowing his second piston in a week. “We’re done – we’ve got no spare engine and we’ve used all our spare parts,” a disappointed King said. Kelly struck problems, finishing in 44.19, while Pooley was also off the pace with a time of 37.32. But Stratton’s luck continued as he blitzed the field by nearly two minutes, even managing to lay a few demons to rest on the way. Four years ago, Stratton sank on the Waitaki during the 2001 world championships while “venturing off into alligator hunting country”. “The monkey is off my back, so to speak,” he said yesterday. “This river is amazing to run from 100 mph – the boat seems to wind around and sometimes you think you’re going in circles. It’s a tough one.” Despite winning the title in 1999 on his home turf, the world crown has proved elusive in New Zealand for Stratton. “It’s far from over – we’ve only done 10 percent so it’s a long long race yet,” he said. New Zealand champions Neil Ross, of Gore, and navigator Toni Chittock, of Glenorchy, were in strong form yesterday afternoon, completing the leg in 27.03 to snatch second overall. Greymouth’s Chris Campbell and Lindsay Hughs finished the day sixth overall and leading the Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class by 13sec. Continuing the Canadian invasion, Karey Crawford was the quickest of the B-Class entries, recording a time of 35min 45sec to sit an impressive third overall. But a battle royale is looming in the Hirequip-sponsored class, with just 14 seconds separating Crawford, Garth McMaster, of Winton, and Ross Bailey, of Hastings, who are fourth and fifth overall respectively. In the Christchurch Helicopters C-Class, Canterbury’s Mark Allen boasts a narrow 15 second lead over Alexandra’s Gary Sutherland, while Invercargill’s David Howe leads D-Class. In the Sports Jet ranks, Queenstown’s Sam Strain is the leading contender, followed by Brian Freeland, of Canada. Competitors face the challenging Waitaki again tomorrow (Monday, October 17) with racing up to Kurow and back again. Results: Overall: Paddy Stratton (Canada), 32min 10sec, 1; Neil Ross (Gore), 34.41, 2; Karey Crawford (Canada), 35.45, 3. Hamilton Jet Unlimited Class: Chris Campbell (Greymouth), 36.20, 1; Paul Collings, 36.33, 2; Shaun Kelly (Queenstown), 37.28, 3. Jetboat.com A Class: Paddy Stratton, 32.10, 1; Neil Ross, 34.41, 2; Bonnar Anderson (Te Anau), 37.24, 3. Hirequip B Class: Karey Crawford, 35.45, 1; Garth McMaster (Winton), 35.55, 2; Ross Bailey (Hastings), 35.59, 3. Christchurch Helicopters C Class: Mark Allan (Canterbury), 44.41, 1; Gary Sutherland (Alexandra), 44.56, 2; Bryce Idiens (Nelson), 53.50, 3. Christchurch Helicopters D Class: David Howe (Invercargill), 51.12, 1; Brendon Cameron (Hamner Springs), 52.17, 2; Duncan Storrier (Canterbury), 54.05, 3. Eagle Sports Jet Class: Sam Strain (Queenstown), 44.45, 1; Brian Freeland (Canada), 47.36, 2; Lance Begbie (Canterbury), 47.53, 3. EndsGold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
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12 October 2005 Organisers of the Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon have gone the extra mile to mitigate the spread of didymo by banning racers from test-runs on rivers involved in the world course. Biosecurity New Zealand on Tuesday gave permission for the elite event to start as scheduled on Sunday October 15 after race officials agreed to exclude all rivers known to be affected by didymo. That came after parties had already agreed stringent decontamination protocols which will see all boats and trailers professionally cleaned as they leave each water catchment area during the week-long event. The organisers yesterday announced the pre-race ban as a third tier of protection. New Zealand Jet Boat River Racing Association president Ian Armstrong said decontamination played a vital role in the quest to halt the spread of didymo and jet boaters were taking a proactive stance. “Because there was no way we could control the decontamination process during pre-boating we have decided to cancel all pre-boating on any rivers that will be raced during the marathon,” he said. Mr Armstrong said he hoped the initiative would highlight the importance of decontaminating equipment for all river users. “Hopefully other organisations will follow suit. We all have to act responsibly.” Any jet boaters caught testing on the rivers before the marathon would be disqualified from the event. Officials personally contacted all 61 entrants last night to alert them to the new rule. “Ninety-nine percent of them were fully supportive of our decision,” Mr Armstrong said. With the upper Clutha and Oreti rivers now excluded, a new itinerary for the marathon has been announced. The marathon course now includes an extra leg on the Waitaki River on Sunday, October 16, two additional legs on the Matukituki River on October 18 and the Mataura River on October 21, and a 92km leg on the Clutha River from Balclutha to Roxburgh on October 22. Ends Back to top of pageGold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
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10 October 2005 After a horror run at last year’s New Zealand jet boat championships, Neville Kelly is hoping luck is on his side this year. Neville and navigator Brent Ward, both of Queenstown, have a few demons to lay to rest when the week-long Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon kicks off this weekend. Leading contenders in last year’s national event, disaster struck in the opening leg in the form of a jet unit malfunction. After a speedy repair, the duo was back in action setting lightening quick times on several legs. “We were the fastest by a long shot on every leg we did complete,” Brent said. But the gremlins reared their ugly heads again on day three of racing, with Neville and Brent involved in a dramatic crash on the Waiau River, which resulted in the boat being written off. However, the 572 Donovan motor, which produces 850hp, was salvaged and put into Neville’s trusty old hull, which he originally brought from former world champion Spencer King, of Canada, in 1997. “Last year was a wake-up call that you don’t have to push that hard,” Brent said. “You can push the limits and post good times but if you’re not there at the end of the day, it’s worth nothing.” Neville is a seasoned campaigner with a decade’s racing experience under his belt. Brent joined the team in 1998 and together they have racked up an impressive array of records over the years. They’re no strangers to world glory either, winning the A-Class title at the 2001 fixture. “This year’s field is really strong with 61 entries,” Neville said. “The rivers vary a lot from drag strips to braided rivers so there’s going to be a lot of driving skill involved, rather than brute speed.” EndsBack to top of pageGold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
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04 October 2005 ROCKET ON WATER When your boat’s named after an elite US fighter jet, it has a reputation to live up to. Reaching speeds in excess of 110mph, Jason Scott’s jet boat is like a rocket on water – one he hopes will blast its way to victory in this month’s Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon. The Queenstown builder joined forces with navigator Paul Burgess, of Invercargill, to design the ultimate weapon to contest the world event, which will be staged from October 15-22. Calling on years of jet boating experience, Scott spent six months designing the new hull, while Burgess utilised his mechanical skills to develop the powerful engine. “The aim was to keep the boat lightweight with the ability to reach maximum speed as fast as possible,” Scott said. “We’ve had it up to 108mph and we still had heaps up our sleeve.” The 704 cubic inch Chev-design Merlin engine is the equivalent of 11.5 litres, producing 950hp at 5500 revs. It’s the biggest engine in the 59-strong marathon field. Burgess developed the concept and enlisted the skills of Canadian engine guru Jim Richmond (who initially said it would never work) to turn it into reality. Proved wrong, Richmond now has three more orders for the engine from off-shore powerboat owners. “It’s definitely got some muscle – it kicks you back and you are pinned back in your seat,” Burgess said. “It’s awesome – I’ve never had so much horse-power before in my life. It’s definitely got more boot than we ever thought it would.” The duo, who won the New Zealand title in 2002, will spend this week extensively testing the new set-up. “It’s been great to do something different and give it a go,” Scott said. “The boat is really a combination of new things that I’ve always wanted to try.” While speed was a key factor in success, the boat also had to be reliable enough to complete the 900km marathon, which spans 18 legs on rivers throughout Central Otago, Southland and North Otago. Among the leading contenders heading into last year’s New Zealand marathon, running aground on the Dart River, near Glenorchy, put Scott and Burgess on the back foot from day one. “We had to play catch up from there,” Burgess said. While they never hauled in the deficit completely, the pair posted some lightening quick times on several legs, testament to their abilities. “You need to be able to keep in touch in case you need to pull something out of the bag,” Scott said. He rated this year’s field, which features several former world and New Zealand champions, as one of the strongest to hit New Zealand shores. “There are definitely several teams capable of taking out the title.” Team manager Jill Burgess said the boat, Dragon Lady, was named after the US Air Force’s U2 jets. “Our last boat was called Stealth so it’s really a continuation of that aviation theme,” she said. With mechanic Glen Brazier completing the line-up, the team is focused on securing its first world title – and having a lot of fun along the way. “It’s going to be an incredible event. We wish all team’s good luck and safe racing,” Jill said. EndsBack to top of pageGold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon
Press Release
03 October 2005 JET BOATERS PROACTIVE Jet boat racing officials are in talks with local councils and biosecurity experts to put in place preventative measures in light of the didymo outbreak. Gold Ridge Hotel 2005 World Jet Boat Marathon race controller John Macphee said jet boaters were passionate about preserving New Zealand’s pristine waterways. “We’re as concerned as anyone about the didymo outbreak. We’ll be doing everything in our power to ensure we don’t do anything to spread the problem,” he said. “We want to protect the rivers for the future.” The world marathon, to be staged on rivers throughout Central Otago, Southland and North Otago from October 15-22, has attracted 59 entries, including six from Canada. The invasive weed Didymosphenia geminate (didymo), also known as rock snot, was discovered in the Hawea and Upper Clutha rivers last week. It has also been confirmed in the Oreti River. Parts of the Clutha and Oreti rivers are scheduled to be raced during the marathon. “We’re aware that didymo is a problem in some of the rivers we intend to boat and we’re consulting the relevant councils about that,” Mr Macphee said. “We intend to act responsibly and plan to sanitize all boats and trailers as they leave any infected waters.” Jet boat racing officials contacted Biosecurity New Zealand immediately after didymo was confirmed in the Clutha River and are continuing to work with the organisation, as well as local councils. “At this stage we’re talking daily with the experts to make sure we’ve got the best possible measures in place come race day,” Mr Macphee said. Ends