NZ Race News 

2^nd Round “Thundercat National Championships” at Waihi on the 3^rd January 2005

GOOD Weather, GOOD Crowd, GOOD Racing, GREAT DAY, water condition small waves and swells with the odd good set rolling in kept things interesting. The weather was just perfect, bringing thousands to the beach allowing us to entertain and have fun at the same time.

 The crowd were giving it lots of OU AHH EHH while watching the boats getting a bit of air, Diesel and Sam in the Cow boat being the crowd’s favourites.  I think they may be practicing for the Big Air Trophy.  By getting huge air off fairly small waves or was Diesel just breaking in his new co-pilot?

             The first race saw first round leader 0800FORHAY get a shocking start lying 8^th after the first lap, then Greg and Kevin in the Waikato Finance Boat had a spectacular barrel roll during the second lap on “C Buoy” allowing Robert and Simon from 0800FORHAY to make up ground and finish fourth.  Later in the day Mathew Coyn and Ben Gilbertson crew of the PCI Electrical boat had the same barrel roll as Greg and Kevin in exactly the same place was this a coincidence or a hole in the water, I wonder!  We had some great racing from the top four ranked boats with only a 34-point difference after a days racing. Bay of Plenty Finance 1^st, Hydraulink Racing 2^nd, Reaction Screenprint 3^rd, 0800FORHAY 4^th. 

A joint first place was on the cards but a close finish in the final race saw Waz and Flash from Hydraulink Racing accidentally hit two boats on the finish line causing a points penalty edging them into second place for the day.

            Competitors helping each other on the beach after flips was great to see with a feeling of camaraderie around the event.  A fitting slogan on the back King Drilling Boat “Go Hard or Go Home” fits our sport to a “T” Go Thundercats.

            To all the marshal boats and boats taking people for rides after the racing thankyou this I believe lifts the sport and will help us grow.

            Officials that make it all happen THANK YOU ALL      

             Race report by, Alan Astrop - Race Director

Results

Pos.     Name.                                      Points

1^st        Bay of Plenty Finance             381

2^nd       Hydraulink Racing                  366

3^rd        Reaction Screen Print              354

4^th        0800FORHAY                        345

5^th        ATNZ                                      274

6^th        The Cow                                 226

7^th        Waikato Finance                     219

8^th        Heritage Tiles                         206

9^th        Dirty Dog                                178

10^th      Jungle Coffee                          177

11^th      More FM                                 149

12^th      Hydraulink                              120

13^th      Spaceship                                116

14^th      Takapuna Panel Beaters          104

15^th      Nail It                                      79