Power on water: ENZED 2018 Jetsprints Stadium Cup

14 January, 2018

It might just be New Zealand’s gnarliest motorsport event on water, and it’s back for 2018 — yep, we’re talking about the jetsprint circus returning to ASB Baypark in Mt Maunganui on Saturday, January 27, following a two-year hiatus. 

There is nothing quite like stadium jetsprints, in which these lightweight and crazily powerful boats race against the clock around a tight network of islands, with rounds completed in as little as 50 seconds. Now imagine that with covered stadium seating and up-close viewing of the purpose-built aqua track — and the noise is just unreal!

Watch as three classes of jetsprint boats battle it out for the ENZED 2018 Jetsprints Stadium Cup — that’s 30 or more of the best boats and drivers in the world squirting 745kW and more as they’re pushed to the limit, including current NZ SuperBoat champ Peter Caughey, and the likes of Rotorboat Racing’s quad-rotor boat on meth — and fitted with a supercharger set-up — alongside Stinger Sprint Boats’ twin-turbo VK56 example.

The kids will love it too, with the Altherm Window Systems Family FunZone providing a waterslide, bouncy castles, face painting. They’ll also have the chance to meet current superboat class world number one Glen Head and check out the Altherm Jetsprint Team’s twin turbo small block 1500hp menthanol-munching monster superboat up close.

This event has almost sold out in previous years and draws crowds of more than 15,000, so get in quick — find more info at jetsprintbop.com, and eventfinda.co.nz for pricing and to secure your ticket.

Motorman – advancing the skills

Of course we are all great drivers — definitely above average — until we find out we aren’t. And finding out in a safe way is clearly the major benefit of driver training and why almost all of us who use motor vehicles should experience it.
Driver training applies to all types of cars and commercial vehicles and logically it is even more applicable to high-performance specialist machines — at least for their drivers and passengers — and, of course, if you are not exploiting or understanding the abilities of your car you are not making the most of it.
When I attended the Porsche Experience Driving Centre in Australia more than 20 years ago, one participant told me, “I’ve had my Porsche parked in the garage for several years and have never known how to use it properly — until now.”