Immense horsepower and accurate navigation paid off at the Wānaka Jetsprints on Saturday (January 17).

Thirty-five race teams and seven NextGen drivers lined up for the Golden Homes Round 3 of the NZ Jetsprint Championship at the NOVUS Glass Wānaka Aquatrack near Luggate.

“The Wānaka track has tough challenges for drivers and navigators,” NZ Jet Sprint Association president Julia Murray said.

“It was awesome to watch so many teams improving throughout the day. All classes delivered close exciting racing and that’s what we like to see.”

Early qualifying highlighted the importance of going the right way, with many teams forced to backtrack after taking a wrong turn.

Reuben Hoeksema and navigator Suzi Katavich won the Southern Jet Superboat final with 46.362, and Sam Newdick and navigator Shama Putaranui were second with 46.363 seconds.

Simon and Sarah Gibbon were expected to be first but mechanical trouble kept their boat on the trailer and they had to be satisfied with third place.

In three rounds of fiercely contested racing, Group A featured three identical podiums.

Matt Hareb and Hayden George ran a ferocious 48.500 to take their third win of the season, while defending champions Ollie Silverton and navigator Amanda Kittow were second with 48.895. Kris Rasmussen and Holly Sutherland got part-way through their final run before parking on the grass and positioning themselves for third place. 

With the largest field, MTW LS Class was won by rookies Conner Nairn and navigator James Tuckey in their third jetsprint competition. Second-round winners Paddy Haden and Jay Haden took second place, with first-round winners John Verry and Grace Alder third.

Rookie Gemma Johnson and navigator Richard Currie won MTW Group B with a 54.610, more than 1.5 seconds quicker than any other Group B team’s best time for the day. Hamish Clarke and Lisa Seator were second and Greg Wilson and Katie Wilson third.

Cooper Silverton recorded the quickest elapsed time in the NextGen training session, and earned the right to practice a victory lap flying the chequered flag.

The next round of the the NZ Jetsprint Championship will take place in Stratford on February 14.