2024 NZ Jetsprint Championship In Wanaka This Weekend

Round 3 of the 2023/24 NZ Jetsprint Championship has the teams heading to the picturesque Apex Wanaka Aquatrack, Saturday 20 January.

The track is located in the heart of the southern Alps and is proud to host the only jetsprint round in the South Island.

Hosted by the Southern Jetsprint Club,the purpose built track is tight and technical, once again it will be down to who can keep the boats in the water.

Australia's Kyle and Tahlia Elphinstone are double driving Link ECU boat number 20 and American, Eric Werner - Jolly Rogers, is coming to race in Superboats. So two teams from the USA and 3 from Australia have come to compete and to get a look at the track prior to the 2025 UIM World Jetsprint Championship - Round 1 Wanaka 25/26 Jan 2025 and Round 2 Wanganui 01/02 Feb 2025.

Building King Superboats

PSP Sam Newdick & Shama Putaranui will be wanting to make it 3 from 3. David & Millie Simmons, currently sitting in P2 , have made the podiums the last two times they have raced at Wanaka and so will be looking to score good points to keep them in the championship race. Current 1NZ Rob & Ange Coley, Building King, will be hoping to have a good round after not having an ideal start to the season with two DNFs in the early knockout rounds. After a big crash at Wanganui , Reuben Hoeksema has fixed the damage to his boat and is on his way, also wanting to make up some points.

Debuting a new boat, Richard Burt and Jen Nairn in The X, the second 6 cylinder alongside Reuben to go head to head with the V8s

Sprintec Boats Group A

Current 1NZ PSP Ollie Silverton & Jess Sit will also be gunning for the win and Wanaka. Last season they had a massive crash in the qualifiers but still came out to take second. Hopefully this doesn't rattle. them. Bryce and Kylie Baron, LJ Hooker, didn't cause too much damage after ending up upside down at Wanganui and will be expected to do well. They are new to Group A and the new package is working well for them. This is an extremely tight class and it is anyone's guess who will end up on the podium.

MTW LS Class

There are 10 LS boats racing at Wanaka - it is great to see how this class is growing in popularity. Current 1NZ John Verry will be aiming to try and turn the tables on River Rogers on a track that he likes. Don't discount Southerner - David Hopkins, who has a stand in navigator Dana Doyle for this round, as Jackson Hopkins is having a go at driving at the home track. Who will come out on top in this father and son battle?

This is another close class and it will be interesting to see who keeps their cool and makes it through the knockout rounds.

MTW Group B

Southern Jetsprint Club President Andrew Craig has pulled his boat out of the shed to race at Wanaka. But the class will probably see another showdown between NZ1 Sam. Who will come out on top between Kris and Sam Gray and Kris Rasmussen

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