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Six-round tussle for V8 Jetsprint title

Wednesday 25 November 2009, 1:35PM

By Jetpro

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Jetsprinting's Super Boat champion Richard Burt and navigator Roger Maunder of Palmerston North will return to defend their title during the six round series that begins at Wanganui in late December.
Jetsprinting's Super Boat champion Richard Burt and navigator Roger Maunder of Palmerston North will return to defend their title during the six round series that begins at Wanganui in late December. Credit: Lance Hastie

New Zealand’s ever-spectacular 2010 Jetpro Jetsprinting Championship will again be contested over six rounds, including a night race for the vee-eight powered boat series.

Starting on 27 December 2009 at Wanganui’s Upokongaro venue, the series is spread across the North Island, finishing at the Wairarapa racecourse facility of Tauherenikau in late April. With roughly four weeks between rounds, Featherston is also the second (24 January), followed by Meremere (21 February), Hawke’s Bay (14 March), Wanganui (10 April) with a return to Featherston in the Wairarapa on 24 April.

Missing from the calendar, the South Island and spiritual home of the jet boat concept is replaced by a return to the farm-side ‘shelter-view’ venue of Wanganui – being held under lights at night.

Trialled earlier this year, its success for not only the competitors but family spectators, ratified inclusion in to the three-category championship.

Each of the competition classes are governed by restrictions to the engine and water jet pump that propels the aluminium hull boats. Lites are an entry level category, followed by the international Group A formula with the Superboats allowing greater development freedoms for the 1000 horsepower plus boats.

As a pre-cursor to the New Zealand season, ten New Zealand teams are contesting the 2009 UIM World jetsprint championship – being contested over two rounds in Australia, finishing this coming weekend (27-28 November).

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About jetsprinting:

Jet sprint venues are often set in a low-lying area where a water supply is available to maintain a stable track level. Excavated channels allow for a number of configurations, linked to create a track that takes just on a minute to accomplish at speed.

Each boat has a driver and navigator, who must complete the pre-determined course from memory and against the clock.

Following two practise attempts, teams’ enter an elimination cut-off, the eight fastest cut to four and then two for a final run-off. Times for each previous run are not carried forward and only count toward a personal best mark.

Championship points are awarded on the cut-off finish position in each of the three categories per round.

2010 Jetpro Jetsprinting New Zealand Championship – season racing calendar

Sunday 27th December 2009 – Rd 1 – Wanganui
Sunday 24th January 2010 – Rd 2 – Featherston
Sunday 21st February 2010 – Rd 3 Meremere
Sunday 14th March 2010 – Rd 4 – Hawke’s Bay
Saturday 10th April 2010 – Rd 5 Wanganui (under lights)
Saturday 24th April – Rd 6 Final – Featherston

For more information see www.jetpro.co.nz