World champions dominate Hastings jet sprint round

2012 Jetpro jet sprint championship: third round review – Crownthorpe, Hawke’s Bay, 4 March 2012.

Issued on behalf of Jetpro – promoters of the New Zealand jetsprinting championship series. www.jetpro.co.nz

For immediate release: 4 March 2012.

World champions dominate Hastings jet sprint round

Today’s fourth round of the 2012 Jetpro jet sprint boating championship has seen both husband and wife world title category winners atop the podium after a clean-sweep at the Riverside jet track near Crownthorpe in the Hawke’s Bay.

Setting fastest time of the three classes chasing New Zealand titles, Wanganui’s Leighton and Kellie Minnell blistering run of 46.874sec further extends their lead in the Suzuki Superboat category. Second fastest in the top-three final was Wanganui’s Steve Bron with another Wanganui team, Pat Dillon, in third. The Minnell’s were the only team to break in to the 46 second bracket around the 23-turn spring fed water course and now have a lead of 12 points over fellow local Rob Coley.

Finishing just over 1/10 second faster than Whitepointer Boats Group A leader Sam Newdick, Taupo’s Reg and Julie Smith claimed yet another round win. Clawing back a solitary point on the advantage enjoyed by Hamilton’s Newdick, the difference between the defending champions and series leaders narrows to three points.

“Like we said before the event, finishing on the podium was the priority where at least the points between places aren’t too great,” said Newdick.

“Throughout the day we were getting faster and faster, trying to find that happy medium between getting to much wash and going too slow. The hairpin was definitely easier coming from one direction and I think I was a little too cautious in the final and that’s where I lost that tenth

“Obviously Reg had to pull one out of the bag to try narrowing that gap I had on him as we head to the final two rounds – it’s a credit to him.”

Third fastest was Wanganui’s Richard Murray and navigator Kesty Manning, six points behind Newdick on 111.

Dominating most of the elimination heats in the Jetpro Lites category, Piopio’s Brett Thompson and navigator Megan Brodie were overtaken by series leader Denis Crene in the final, to secure the Whangarei electrician’s second win of the season.

Starting the day with a point between the pair, Crene now has a two point advantage over Thompson.

“I had a bit of a rough one in the last heat, bogged it in the hairpin on the home run, so that was it,” said Thompson.

“There isn’t a hell of a lot in it really, now we’ve got the night event to see if we can change things. I navigated for my dad there last year and didn’t find it too bad so we’ll see how it goes – as I don’t want to wreck his boat!”

Third fastest was Wanganui’s Gerry Linklater and navigator Hayden Wilson.

The fifth and penultimate round for the 2012 championship returns to Wanganui’s Shelter view jet sprint track where teams will race under lights on Saturday 31 March. A recent addition to the series, Wanganui is the only track in the country with lighting to enable night racing.

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Setting fastest time outright put Wanganui’s Leighton and Kellie Minnell atop the podium for today’s fourth round of the 2012 Jetpro jet sprint championship held near Hastings. Photo: Ian Thornton
http://www.jetpro.co.nz/media/r4/450_JS12-Rd4Minnell.jpg

Recent winner world title winner Reg and Julie Smith from Taupo took their second round win in the Whitepointer Boats Group A category in today’s fourth round of the Jetpro jet sprint championship held in the Hawke’s Bay. Photo: Ian Thornton
http://www.jetpro.co.nz/media/r4/875_JS12-Rd4Smith.jpg

2012 Jetpro jet sprint times – round four, Hastings, Sunday 4 March (top-three elimination positions)
Suzuki Superboat
1, 66, Leighton Minnell/Kellie Minnel, Wanganui, 46.874
2, 69, Steve Bron/Jared Fletcher, Wanganui, 48.297
3, 74, Pat Dillon/Steve Edmonds, Wanganui, 50.583

Whitepointer Boats Group A
1, 4, Reg Smith/Julie Smith, Taupo, 48.195
2, 50a, Sam Newdick/Glenn Mason, Hamilton, 48.308
3, 43, Richard Murray/Kesty Manning, Wanganui, 49.312

Jetpro Lites
1, 20, Denis Crene/Steve Crene, Whangarei, 53.441
2, 2NZa, Brett Thompson/Megan Brodie, Piopio, 53.625
3, 07, Gerry Linklater/Hayden Wilson, Wanganui, 54.509

2012 Jetpro jet sprint championship points (top-three after four rounds) - provisional

Suzuki Superboat
1, Leighton Minnell, Wanganui, 120
2, Rob Coley, Wanganui, 108
3, Peter Huijs, Wanganui, 102

Whitepointer Boats Group A
1, Sam Newdick, Hamilton, 88
2, Reg Smith, Taupo, 84
3, Richard Murray, Wanganui, 83

Jetpro Lites
1, Denis Crene, Whangarei, 85
2, Brett Thompson, Piopio, 84
3, Ray Thompson, Whangamata, 81

2012 Jetpro Jetsprinting Calendar
Sunday 4 December 2011 - Meremere
Tuesday 27 December 2011 - Wanganui
Sunday 22 January 2012 - Featherston
Sunday 4 March 2012 - Hastings
Saturday 31 March 2012 - Wanganui (under lights)
Saturday 21 April 2012 - Featherston (finals)

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