NZ Race News (Archives)

 

        

        

          
Home

        

        

          

        

        

          
NZ
            Race News

        

        

          
NZ
            Race Results

        

        

          
Club Newsletter

        

        

          
Archives

        

        

          

        

        

          
            
Race
            Calendar

        

        

          
Next
            Race Meet

        

        

          
Team
            Profiles

        

        

          
            
NZ
            Champs Log

        

        

          
Photo
            Album

        

        

          
For
            Sale

        

        

          

        

        

          
            
Club
            Contacts

        

        

          
            
Associates
            & Links

        

        

          

        

        

          
Updated
            Pages Index

        

      

    
      
            
            
June 28th, 2003
            - Whangamata Beach

            
            
Whangamata Challenge Cup

            

Saturday morning 5.30am - my first thought for the
            day was will anyone turn up and should I drive
            the 2-½ hours to Whangamata?  After rubbing my eyes then
            having a good fart, scratch and a pee, my second thought of the day
            was hey we are Thundercaters and 30knot on shore winds, 3-4 metre
            white water, & bitterly cold conditions would not stop the crazy
            people dedicated to this sport from doing their thing. 
      
      

      
            
The beach set up was a pain with “B” buoy
            refusing to grip.  After five attempts using a very long rope,
            the anchor finally hooked, but caused problems throughout the day
            with four or more boats getting hooked up.  At the end of the
            day we still managed to loose the anchor with the rope breaking
            (bugger!).

            
Thirteen
            boats took up the challenge.  It was
            great to see our new members mucking in and helping - it’s much
            appreciated and makes my
            life easier as RD.

            
The key to the day's racing was to keep the nose
            down at all costs.  Co-drivers should have been paid overtime
            rates with some classic saves and alot of O-O-O we're upside down
            again.  

            

      
      
      

        
Tony Vercauteren & his new
            co-pilot Matt heading out to “B” buoy, stood the boat up
            vertical, twisted 90deg, and saved it - only to have the next wave
            pick them up, hold them for several seconds, then wham bam upside
            down.  

        
Diesel's 'balls-to-the-wall' style had Johno in
            the water more than out of it.  

        

            
            Paul popped his boat taking a buoy out - man was that a big hole but
            in true sportsman like style Dave loaned his Cooltech boat and Paul
            came first on the day (with drinks on Paul at the Palms Tavern
                afterwards!)

        
The water was so wild even 'velcro-bum' Matt was
            falling all over the Waikato Sandblasting boat with James giving him
            the odd kick up the arse, telling him 'stop sitting on my knee - I'm
            not like that!'.

      

      
      
            
 
            

            
Boats hitting the brick wall waves were being
            driven backwards, swamped and would lose up to fifty metres or more
            during a race, hence the lead was changing constantly. The
            rookie team of Aaron Lang & Shane McGrail
            in the yet-to-be-named Blue/Yellow boat came second on the day
            with no flipping - look out you guys, these boys mean business. 

            

              

                1
                Matamata Motors
                (P. Collins/M. Moore)
                330
              

              

                2
                Blue & Yellow 
                (A. Lang/S. McGrail) 
                240
              

              

                3
                Heritage Tiles
                (D. Blackford/W. Blackford) 
                200
              

              

                3
                Waikato Sandblasting
                (J. Astrop/M. McKain)
                200
              

              

                5
                Lowrance Matrix
                  (S.
                  Aitken/A. Aitken)
                196
              

              

                6
                Cow 
                (D. McConnell/J. Salisbury)
                164
              

              

                7
                Armour Linings 
                (W. Pilcher/G. Vandy)
                158
              

              

                8
                CRC
                (S. England/L. Haycock)
                130
              

              

                9
                Aquapro
                (M. Irvin/S. Mortensen)
                104
              

              

                10
                Team Aquarius Racing 
                (G. Powell/M. McKain) 
                100
              

              

                11
                Cooltech
                (D. Williamson/T. Archer)
                52
              

              

                12
                Ezy Coupons
                (T. Vercauteren/Matt)
                40
              

              

                12
                Now Couriers
                (M. Ungerer/M. Dibb)
                40
              

            

            
The day started
            with thirteen boats and finished with only
            five - gear failure and some minor injuries being contributing
            factors.  Thanks to all our helpers and the few spectators that
            braved the weather, special thanks to Amy, Amber, Rodney, Bruce,
            Wayne, Kelvin and anybody I forgot.  Also a big thank you to
            Graeme Logan at the  Whangamata Palms Tavern for bartab prizes.

            
For
            those interested Bartley Internet and Graphics took photos of the
            day you can have a look at the proofs and then
            order from their web site www.big.net.nz

            
 

            
Alan Astrop

            Race Director

            
 

      
      
        		
  



  

    
      


       Top

    		
    
  
Copyright © 2002 TRA-NZ 
  
all rights reserved

      

    
Revised: June 30, 2003