August 2016
Racer’s Edge SEASON 2016 - 2017 Major Events Preview Part III
The official Ski Racing Australia publication
In this issue Directors Deck..................................6 New season preview........................8 Southern 80.............................10 Robinvale/Euston...................12 Mildura 100..............................14 Barry Carne Challenge.........16 5 Minutes with Mick........................19
Major Events 2016/17 AU G U S T
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Hawkesbury 120, NSW.....................................August 27-28
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Grafton Bridge to Bridge, NSW...........................October 1-2 Barrie Beehag, VIC..............................................October 15 Murray Bridge 110, SA...................................October 29-30
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Ted hurley Memorial Classic...........................November 12-13 Bridge to Bridge 2UP, NSW............................November 26-27
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Australian Championships, NSW.......................January 11-15
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Southern 80, VIC...........................................February 11-12
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Robinvale/Euston Ski Race, VIC...........................March 11-12
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Mildura 100, VIC................................................April 15-16
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Barry Carne Interstate Challenge, NSW..................May 13-14
Directors Deck A new season & opening up SRA membership options CEO Wes Lloyd gives us an update on what is happening at SRA HQ, as we head towards a new season, there is plenty of racing to come! It’s hard to believe that more than 2 months have passed since I took up my role with SRA, and at the time of writing this column, the first races of the 2016/17 have been run and won! No doubt there are plenty of eager members who took to the water over the weekend (August 13-14) in NSW. From there it isn’t a long wait to our first major event of the year, the Hawkesbury 120 on August 27-28, which is shaping up to be huge after last year’s event was cancelled. I can tell you it will be big, because I have seen the large volume of membership applications all over our SRA membership manager Sue’s desk for the event, and it is great to see! For those that haven’t yet got their act together, make sure you turn that around soon. Or if you’re not racing, be sure to pencil in a trip to the mighty Hawkesbury area for that weekend. If you need any extra encouragement, I can vouch for the large number of Victorian teams making the trip north and I encourage members in South Australia, Queensland and other regions of NSW/ 6
ACT to get along to the event too. It has been a long winter down south, and I know I will be joining the Victorian teams in welcoming a bit of warmer weather in NSW. Fortunately too, summer is coming. With the warm weather on the horizon, and a new season on the cards it is also exciting to have a number of new styles of SRA memberships on offer. We’ve made a particular focus on bringing people back to the sport, or helping encourage those who have always wanted to try it, but never got around to it, to have a go. Everyone has that friend who has been “forever wanting to have a go”. Well now, you can let them know that our sport is encouraging them too, and we’ve made it easier to enter the sport with an official membership, and a little less commitment so people can test the waters, so to speak. With various membership options now, send your friends our way. In season 2016/17 it is all about getting off the bank and into the water. I’m looking forward to seeing a few new faces shine in the sport. I will leave you with a great slogan from MG cars – “Safety Fast”! (Have a think about that one).
Wesley lloyd SRA CEO
Ever thought about giving Ski Racing a go? If that’s a YES Ski Racng Australia has several different types of
memberships!
From beginner to advanced, there is an option for you!
Call our membership team 03 9681 7058
email: memberships@skiracing.com.au
Let’s get you on the water!
SEASON
2016 - 2017
The new season of major events is on our doorstep, and it promises to be nothing short of outstanding with 11 key events taking place between late August 2016 and May 2017. While the upcoming season is as important as any other for competitors to notch up victories, it will also precede the next iteration of the World Waterski Racing Championships to be held in Seattle, Washington from July 26 to August 6, 2017. With the lure of world titles on the 8
line, expect the standard of skiing for our season to step up another level. The 2016/17 calendar will again be highlighted by the Australian river classics season, with Australia’s most well-known event, the Southern 80 again being the centrepiece and race that everyone wants to win. Joining the great race on the mighty Murray River are the Robinvale/Euston and Mildura 100 events, while early in the
Major Events Preview PART III season the Ted Hurley Memorial Classic and Barrie Beehag will remain among favoured events for competitors. Of note is the reinstatement of the Grafton Bridge to Bridge event in early October, while at the end of that same month is the South Australian River Race, the only race in South Australia.
er and former winner of the Southern 80, Mick Kelly. In tis edition, we cover the final four races of the impending season, including the most popular race of the season, the Southern 80.
With the beginning of major events just a short time away, take a look at each of the major events in detail with insight from our own columnist, world champion observ9
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Emotion spilled over at the 2016 Southern 80 as the crowd stood and applauded, as did competitors and officials as The Mistress broke a 26-year hoodoo to win the Southern 80.
blemaker took the 6 litre expert race win.
A few up and comers also got their name on the board in Echuca as skiers Jack Harrison and Cameron Osborne placed 12th overall with Se7enF1, but pleasing did enough to win the 16-19 boy’s expert category, Triple 666 F1 claimed the 16-19 There were more than 200 boats in action, girls title. but in the moments after Leo Welch, Brian Griffin, Dylan Stevenson and Zac Welch crossed the finish line, there could have just been one boat on the water, such was the impressive time they laid down early on. Finishing the 80km course from Torrumbarry to Echuca/Moama in just 30 minutes and 26 seconds, The Mistress outclassed Merc Force and 99 Psycho Clowns to win the event. However it was a landmark race for 99 Psycho Clowns too, with their driver Jessica Pearse becoming the first female to win a place on the Southern 80 podium. Racing in the other classes kept the crowd on their feet for the remainder of the day as Pigs Arsenal edged out Burnin’ to a mere 7.6 second victory in the Unlimited Inboardexpert class, while Ultra Trou10
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This is the race you want to win; it’s the biggest race in the world. As a youngster growing up, this was the only race that I was interested in. There are so many elements that make it great.
that have the driving/observing in order and who have tactically good skiers. It isn’t about having super fit guys here who can just barge through, because those arduous straights are not there to tire you out.
Essentially, you wouldn’t dream of missing this race.
Sometimes there is politeness on the river and you each run your own line and carry on.
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I guess one drawback for some is the Blitz. If you have a bad run in that, it can For starters, the sheer crowd, you just cost you the race. Having said that, you won’t see anything like it. The river is bal- need to turn up with a crew that can quallistic, easily the coolest bit of river in the ify and race. If you do have a poor run in world due to its narrow size, the corners the Blitz and catch the boat in front, you – everything about it is so unique to Echu- can get caught up in their wash and disca. rupt the momentum of your race.
It’s also a race where the drivers really need to come into their own. In some classes you can have the best skiers in the world, but if you can’t pedal a boat down the river, then their talent can be a bit lost. As I get older (and lazier), I like that there aren’t as many taxing long straights to deal with. The crews that tend to do well are those
What it comes down to is that it is one of those races where a lot of things can happen. The race brings special things out of people and they get a result, but for every good story, there are three or four unlucky ones. Like all racing, local knowledge is key, but this race has a history of seemingly unlikely winners and it is good for that. It really does open up the playing field. 13
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With smiles from ear to ear, Merc Force made it rain in 2016, with their first river classic victory in seven years!
seat sliced two seconds off the previous best finish in class. On race day they finished a further 60 seconds clear of Elm Street and more than 90 seconds clear of Stalker.
It was a throwback to years past for the wily Don Gulley, whose previous victory before this one, back in 2009, had coincidentally also been in Robinvale. This time the team beat 99 Psycho Clowns who recovered from a less than ideal run at the Southern 80 a month prior. Superman came charging home in third.
Next up on the records list was Merc Force F1 breaking the women’s expert class record by 11 seconds. The team of Chelsea Blight, Ellen Jones, driver Trent Souwer and observer Christian Apps built on their formidable season.
The 5.2 Litre Inboard Expert class was a mixed bag as both crews slashed time off However the story of the day was all the record. V8 Supercar stars Todd and about record breakers, and there were Rick Kelly broke the record aboard Mojo, four of them on Sunday March 13, 2016 in only to have Monopoly better their time by Robinvale. 36 seconds. Those guys were not mucking about. The first record came in the Unlimited Inboard class as Pigs Arsenal driven by The final record broken belonged to SeChris Stevens with son’s Sean and Jack riously Gro Up clocked a smooth time to on the skis, Mark Boyer in the observers beat the record in Stock 6 Litre Expert. 12
IMAGE CREDIT: Shaun Williams
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This is a race I love, it’s really good! It is the right mixture of Echuca and Mildura with good corners and decent straights; it really does lend itself to a range of skiers. For the uninitiated it can be deceptively difficult. In this race you need to have a crack over two legs and put two good runs together to win it. So while it is a good middle ground where you can get away with not being great in corners, or not being super fit like you need to be in Mildura or Grafton, it isn’t for the faint hearted. This is also one of the races where the Supercar boys, Todd and Rick Kelly normally come along (after the Southern 80 and before Mildura) and it’s cool to race them. They engineer a lot of the parts for their
boat too, so it is always worth checking out. But I think the real positive of having them there is that they make what we do relatable to the everyday person, people understand how difficult this sport is when they have a reference like a supercar to compare it to. They also make some wicked vids and just love their racing; it’s great for the sport! For those that know Robinvale well, they know that the Sunday night activities are not to be missed! It’s a great race with everyone camping together and hanging out. But it’s also cool to see random people camping along the river too. Funnily enough I broke down at the same spot three years running, and ended up making friends with the people that camped out at that same location every year. Hopefully there is no more breaking down, but it is a great location! 13
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The Sapphire team had the ultimate redemption in Mildura, winning the event in emphatic fashion as they romped to a 58 second victory ahead of Superman and the perennially fast finishing Pigs Arsenal, who were third overall and first in the Unlimited Inboard expert class. The race wasn’t without heartbreak though. Merc Force had looked to be the closest challenger to Sapphire throughout the running, but it wasn’t to be. They had been victors two weeks prior in Robinvale, but in Mildura they suffered a retirement, ending their season and any hope of being named the King of the Murray for this season. However it was the Unlimited Inboard Expert class winner who impressed, Pigs Arsenal remaining unbeaten in that class during every race on the Murray for the 14
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season. Pleasingly, the final triumph came at their home race, no doubt the training done on the river playing off for the family crew. Also proving to be perpetually quick, and victorious again in the Women’s Expert class were Merc Force F1, with Ellen Jones and Chelsea Blight on the skis winning their third race in a row to enter the season break as the team to beat. Earlier in the weekend the social skiing finished with Reactor on top of the charts. Pleasingly there were 86 teams who took on the challenge of 100km on the Murray River, proving just how popular this race is.
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A very cool, but very difficult race this one.
Everything you love about ski racing can be found at this race, but it is also so tough that all those things you love, very quickly become things you loath. It can stop being fun really quickly because it is just so physically demanding. The long straights are a killer here and it is similar to Sydney and Grafton in that vein. But the difference is that unlike those races, it is quicker because it is on a smoother bit of river so you can feel compelled to go faster. In the other two races you can stage the race a little better. This one is a flat out sprint and it isn’t easy. We also have the two-up race start format here, and for me personally it is a lovehate relationship but I guess it comes
down to preference. If you’re someone that needs to be pushed it’s really good, if not then it can have the opposite effect. Essentially it is amazing for hungry competitors. Not to remind everyone too much, but you also have the start right in front of the crowd here. What the race is great for though is a bit of side-by-side racing. The river is wide enough for everyone to get down together, except for a few parts that tighten up a little bit. It’s also the last of the big social races. Echuca, Robinvale and Mildura are the big ones when it comes to social racing so it is the last chance for us to have a crack at that. The whole town gets behind this race. 13
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It was a familiar face that took out the Barry Carne Interstate Challenge this year, Daniel Graziano skiing to victory with a Superman team that also included driver Darren McGuire and observer Brett Armstrong. The final race had been made all the more tantalising when 2015 winner Lloyd Woolman and the Sapphire team of Tim Pickford and Christopher Gelle drew the pole in the unique hat draw. Unfortunately for that team, it all ended in retirement. In the Women’s Expert class it was a familiar story as Merc Force F1 claimed victory with Trent Souwer driving, Christian Apps observing and Chelsea Blight on the skis. However the one story of the weekend that might have people watching ahead 16
of the new ski season was the form of Kristofer Knights who won the Unlimited Inboard Export class and the Open 2UP (with Jack Stevens), both times skiing behind Merc Force. Just months earlier Knights had undergone a knee reconstruction, his returning to the water coming quickly and successfully.
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I’ve actually never been to this race, but it has a bank start, which I think is awesome!
Basically with those bank starts it is a case of getting the rope out and starting as fast as you can. There’s time to be made up with these ones, but also a chance you can lose a little bit as well. It’s the only race that still uses this type of start, so if you’re a spectator it is great to get there and watch it all unfold. It also seems to be a race that once only brought NSW and Victorian races together, but now it unites everyone a bit more and people travel further to get here.
Some skiers and teams might possibly turn up here in the hope of putting an unwanted season of results behind themselves and get a good result; it might be a bargaining tool for the next season if you are looking to jump ship. You also need to know what you are doing and qualify for this event and then they go old school and draw the starting order from a hat. It gives a chance for anyone that might be the last place qualifier to have a run at the front.
As far as the type of racing, this is probably the biggest lake circuit race and a good opportunity for those that aren’t river specialists to get out there and have a crack. 13
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18
5 Minutes With Mick!
Name: Ben Hackett Age: 23 Team: Tr marine, thanks mum Years Racing: 8 years Years Skiing: 20 years Mick Kelly: Hey mate, cheers for spending five minutes with me – now where do we start?? What about Muz? Your old boy is a deadest legend, off and on the skis – how much influence has he had on your life? Ben Hackett: Muz and Kev have always steered me in the right direction of what to do with ski racing and what not to do, I have been lucky growing up skiing with some great teams and some of the best drivers / observers in the world the world. Meet Mick kelly A world champion observer, former winner of the Southern 80, top racer, menter to newcomers - at time outspoken (but always with good intentions) - mick’s always up for for a chat! In each edition of Racer’s Edge, Mick puts one of our members under the spotlight for an in-depth chat. They’re not always famous, nor prolific winners, but each person is committed and loves the sport...that’s what turns Mick on. Sit down, have a breather and spend 5 Minutes, With Mick! 6
MK: Has there ever been a desire to have to one up him? Have you done it yet skiing? Because I’ve seen some gym stuff and I reckon he’s still got you! BH: Plenty of times he had always said you will never beat my time in Grafton Bridge to Bridge. We where close one year. So he kept bragging about it and the next year, when we took a couple minutes off his time, he went quiet and we haven’t heard a word since. Funny that! MK: You’ve raced worlds, classics, nationals, states, series days, and everything in between – what do you prefer? BH: I like all kinds of racing but I really do enjoy racing series days. They give me a chance to observe and ski. MK: You’re pretty bloody good at what 19
you do – just luck, or does a lot of prep go into it? Any good stories come from that season?? BH: There a lot of hard work and preparation behind the scenes. BH: We have plenty of stories from wire traces, direction issues. Then there’s the MK: You are more a Pidgeon body type ones about you and Ibeing chased by the than a Pete Proctor – reckon it helps with Loch Ness Monster at Mildura. And then the centre of gravity and balance?? It’s all there’s the welder issue.... (sorry Johnnphysics… right? sy). I will never forget the look of your face running through the water as that thing BH: I prefer a rounded figure to keep my jumped out at us. You legged it straight body centred. Thin may be in but fat is for the boat, I went bush and of course where it’s at!! ran straight into a heap of Thorn bushes. MK: You grew up and spent a lot of your racing life with Jack Houston, skiing engine class, against him at worlds and age races, and then finally behind the legend that is the Stinga team – pretty good ride or what?
MK: Everyman for himself!! Sorry out that pal - you were on your own! What the hell was that??
BH: Of course, I cannot forget that golf swing of yours. Teeing of, with a log as a gold club, and just as you teed BH: It was a great experience and fantas- of it snapped and went flying! Then it tic opportunity smashed into the side of the boat. How it didn’t put a hole in the boat I will never MK: Why’d you boys split? I know in my know. case I can relate as I grew up racing with Pidge, but then he got good and ditched MK: I don’t recall that... me (and/or broke something… whatever) – but you boys had a bloody good team Could you get a job at a ski company going on, just time for a change or what? making handles or what?? BH: The rumours make a better story then BH: Let’s just say it hasn’t been a good the truth. I had an arm injury and then year for handles for me. There are a couthey needed to move on. ple of pairs somewhere in the Murray River. Just for the record, you cannot make a MK: Yeah, they always do. Lucky there is handle out of a tree in Robinvale. no shortage of good rumours in ski racing. MK: There was talk of a long-standing bunny hop comp with push-ups as penalWe can’t not talk about eight litre last year ty – photo evidence is sketchy but you’re – surely a highlight of your career skiing claiming the win right?? behind Johnnsy with sambo in the boat?? BH: Well how I could I possibly forget BH: I can honestly say this is one of watching you doing your 10 push-ups on the funniest years I’ve had an I cannot the deck of Sportspage at the end of the thank these fellas enough for giving me dash in Robinvale? a chance to ski with the legend himself, Mick Kelly. They are a really great crew. MK: They??? That doesn’t include me? 20
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MK: Yeah that sucked! BH: We were unsure when we got halfway at Robinvale so we called it even. That only meant that on the return leg it was double or nothing, and I was determined not to do those 20 push-ups. So I gave it my best shot. But I did have a great time skiing with you and the Sportspage team, there was never a dull moment. MK: It was all a bit of fun – but do you think it was a bit irresponsible? Bad influence on the kids and such??
MK: Where would you like to see ski racing evolve to? BH: Ski racing is a great sport and hope to see it grow and see people having fun with the sport as it grows MK: Any final thoughts?? BH: I wouldn’t be where I am today with out the help from dad, Kevin Boylan, Danny Cropper, Brent Wismantel, Craig Boswell, Jason Walmsley and always a big thanks to Andrew Fyfe for training with me and pushing me!
BH: It was a lot of fun but I wouldn’t recommend it for kids or adults. It’s not a good look when it goes south. Plus your team my not be to excited. MK: What’s up this year? BH: I’m going to team up with the new boat TR marine with Ben Clark MK: What’s your take on racing? Good clean fun, or all about the winning? BH: Yeh it’s great fun winning, but at the end of the day it’s a trophy and if your not having fun it’s not worth doing if you ask me. But I am competitive. MK: You’re about one of the most fun, laid back guys out there – ever think about changing your attitude and going all edgy? Dark and moody is the new black yeah? BH: Nah where’s the fun in that ?? But you’re right up there in the laid back terms too, Mick. You kept the nerves away come race day for me and made ski racing so enjoyable. I couldn’t do it if I wasn’t having fun. 21
August 2016
Racer’s Edge