June 2016
Racer’s Edge
SEASON 2016 - 2017
Major Events Preview Part I The official Ski Racing Australia publication
Upcoming
season news!
www.skiracing.com.au
In this issue Directors Deck..................................6 Around the Buoys............................8 New season preview.......................10 Hawkesbury 120..........................12 Grafton Bridge to Bridge..........14 Ted Hurley Memorial Classic....16 5 people to watch......................18
Major Events 2016/17 AU G U S T
2 0 1 6
Hawkesbury 120, NSW.....................................August 27-28
O
2 0 1 6
c t o b e r
Grafton Bridge to Bridge, NSW...........................October 1-2 Ted Hurley Memorial Classic, NSW...................October 15-16 Renmark 90, SA.............................................October 29-30
N
o v e m b e r
2 0 1 6
Barrie Beehag, VIC.............................................November 12 Bridge to Bridge 2UP, NSW............................November 26-27
J
2 0 1 7
a n u a r y
Australian Championships, NSW.......................January 11-15
F
e b r u a r y
2 0 1 7
Southern 80, VIC...........................................February 11-12
M
a r c h
2 0 1 7
Robinvale/Euston Ski Race, VIC...........................March 11-12
A
p r i l
2 0 1 7
Mildura 100, VIC................................................April 15-16
M
a y
2 0 1 7
Barry Carne Interstate Challenge, NSW..................May 13-14
Directors Deck UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
Ski Racing Australia has announced the appointment of Wes Lloyd as CEO. Following an extensive recruitment and rigorous interview process, Wes was offered the position in early June, which he graciously accepted. His time with SRA commenced on Tuesday June 14. The speed and sound of ski racing will not be a shock to Wes, who comes from an extensive background in motorsport management, following his work over several years with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, and brings with him an incredible amount of experience in risk management, health and safety and working with volunteers. He is an enthusiastic supporter of our sport and has a strong boating background. Once his feet are under the desk and he is settled with the position, he will get around and meet with members and our various stakeholders. On another important note, our membership and operations manager Sue Harris has unfortunately suffered a broken leg and will be incapacitated and away from the office for a number of weeks. Sue has however graciously offered to work from home and continue to have the SRA Office phone diverted through to her mobile until Wes is comfortably up and running. We thank her very much for this ‘above and beyond’ effort and ask that members be mindful of this when dealing with both the office and with Sue. Finally thanks to everyone who has assisted through this transition period without a CEO, and in helping Sue to work from home. It’s the volunteers in this sport that truly keep the wheels turning.
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NEXT MONTH One on One interview with
Incoming CEO Wes Lloyd 7
Around The Buoys Barry Carne lights up Wagga The annual rivalry that is the Barry Carne Interstate Challenge between NSW and Victoria has been run and won on Lake Albert in Wagga Wagga, NSW, with Daniel Graziano skiing to victory behind Superman, helped by owner/driver Darren McGuire at the helm and Brett Armstrong in the observers seat. Originally named the ‘NSW vs. Victorian Water Ski Challenge Shield’, the event’s name was changed following the inaugural running in 1976 after Barry Carne passed away following a fall while competing. Carne had been regarded as an experienced skiing campaigner with both Australian and Victorian titles to his name and had a class title in the 1971 Bridge to Bridge (B2B) classic. While the one hour and 19 minutes it took for Carne and his ski partner Lee Knopp to win the B2B was fast, nowadays the winners take less than half that time. While time, speed and safety have all progressed significantly over the past 40 years, the appeal of the interstate challenge has not lost its verve. This 1UP racing event sees the skier start on the riverbank with the starting positions for the final being determined by a ‘luck of the draw’ system the night before racing. It was with this system that the 2016 open final was given a tantalising boost when 2015 victor Lloyd Woolman drew the pole. However the pole meant little come the end of race day when Woolman and his Sapphire Racing team, that included driver Tim Pickford and observer Christopher Gelle, failed to finish due to mechanical dramas. With the race thrown wide open it was Superman who secured the victory ahead of Superbad who had Brian Farrell driving, Daniel Rigg observing and Cody Rigg on the skis. Coming in third was the ever reliable Don Gulley and his Merc Force team of Kevin Boylan in the observer’s seat and Jake Tegart on the skis. Both Superbad and Merc Force performed brilliantly after starting 12th and 14th respectively. While the open final may create the most fanfare with the unique qualifying system, there was plenty of racing across the weekend, in numerous classes of note. 8
In the open women’s class it was an all too familiar story with Merc Force F1 claiming top honours with Trent Souwer driving, Christian Apps observing and Chelsea Blight skiing, the latter the sole skier from the successful team present on the weekend, with her normal partner in crime Ellen Jones preparing for the CrossFit Games to be held in the USA. Pleasingly for Blight she also pieced together a convincing victory in the women’s social race, this time skiing behind Pigs Arsenal and driver Chris Stevens. Following in Blight, just under seven seconds later, was Shantelle King who had teamed up with driver Greg Houston and observer James King to form the Stinga F1 team, with Superman Racing bringing home skier Milana Long for third place. Another skier to enjoy a strong weekend was Kristofer Knights, who in early 2016 underwent a knee reconstruction that had ruled him out of skiing for the remainder of the river classics season. In his first time back on the skis, Knights managed to collect two first place positions, both behind Merc Force in the unlimited inboard class and in the open two-up with Jack Stevens skiing alongside. Ironically, it was Stevens who Knights had beaten to victory in the 1UP event. Apart from the usual class racing and awards, the event also awards a trophy for the fastest lap, which was eventually awarded to Cody Rigg, who managed to produce the quickest circuit while skiing behind SuperBad in the 20 - under 30 men’s event, despite eventually being disqualified for exceeding laps. Impressively it was Knights whom Rigg beat to the fastest lap award, the difference between the two a minor three tenths of a second.
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SEASON 2016 - 2017
Major Events Preview Races 1-3 10
It may only be June, but lurking in the depths of the cool winter months is a new season that 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 edition 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 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 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 Renmark 90, the only major race in South Australia. With the beginning of major events just a short time away, take a look at each of these races in detail, with insight from our own columnist, world champion observer and former winner of the Southern 80, Mick Kelly. 11
2015 SUMMARY Not even the best scriptwriters could have put pen to paper and come up with a more dramatic opening to the 2015/16 River Classics season.
was inundated, including Windsor and Pitt Town, with the water level at the Windsor Bridge reaching 19.2 metres – up from it’s usual 1.5 metres.
With the ski racing community preparing for what is always a challenging event on the Hawkesbury, it was eventually the weather that held the aces as the race was cancelled following an extraordinary amount of rain in the Sydney region.
In 1990 the Windsor Bridge again bore the brunt of the weather and flood conditions when the water level reached 13.4 metres.
For the first time since 2013 Sydney’s Warragamba Dam overflowed, and had further rain arrived the threat of flooding to the Hawkesbury/Nepean Valley was all too real. While the Hawkesbury is a water skiing haven in NSW, its prime location is a double-edged sword with the river at the mercy of wild weather in the basin. History shows that in 1867 a 200 square kilometre area of north-western Sydney 12
So with Warragamba Dam spilling and the possible threat of more rain and a damning history of dangerous floods in the region, the organisers of the Hawkesbury 120 were forced to firstly postpone, then cancel the first race of the season. With two years passing since we last had a winner of the Hawkesbury 120, 2016 will be a welcome return for the event.
Event 01 H aw k e s b u ry 1 2 0 Location: Windsor, NSW 2015 WINNER: The Weather 2016 Race: August 26-27
MICK SAYS I personally have strong feelings about this race, it isn’t my favourite and at the end of the day it is always hard and cold. In saying that, this race is often a lot more unpredictable than the others and that gives it a really exciting edge for the beginning of the season. As the first race competitors often come into it with a new team and they’re learning the ropes or teams are a little underdone in the preparation. So it can be really difficult to say who will and won’t be on their game from the get go.
racing and gets the season rolling, but to do well here you need to be prepared physically for it. Those that find momentum fastest are those that have done the training through winter. It’s the only way to do it, and getting out in the dark to do the hard yards will pay off. For a lot of teams this race can be a great chance to grab momentum. Some teams will come in unchanged, and consistency will be a great asset, but really the winners will be those that hit the ground running.
For many people, the last race they have done is the Mildura 100, so with a big break in the middle it can be hard to feel like you’re in the swing of things, but it also presents an opportunity to try new things too. This race also precedes a lot of the state based races and that adds to the unpredictability. Historically, this race fills a gap in the 13
2015 SUMMARY Running as an unsanctioned event in 2015, Grafton returns to the SRA calendar for this season and will be among the races that many will look forward to, especially after shaking out the bugs of the off-season at the Hawkesbury 120 a month earlier. Last year proved to be a tough one for the ski racing community as they farewelled good mate Jared Coey who succumbed to injuries sustained at the event. However in the toughest of times the true mettle of the ski racing community was evident as competitors, their families and members old and new came together to support Jared’s young family as a more than $100,000.00 was raised to support them.
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G r a f t on
Event 02 Bridge to Bridge Location: Grafton, NSW 2015 WINNER: Non SRA Event 2016 Race: October 1-2
MICK SAYS I love this race, some people hate it because it is long, straight and wide, but the challenge is great!
Grafton has a good record of winners coming from back in the pack. You can get away with an average qualifying and still have a good race because everyone This is one of those races where you can’t has to deal with the choppy water. The just come and have a crack at it, you river is also so big and wide that you can need to be prepared, your team need to choose a good line, there are plenty of know the best lines to take and the enoptions. tire crew needs a plan to ensure that you don’t go too hard too early. I think inevitably this race favours the experienced heads. Too often the young Grafton is a difficult course, but it also fellas come to the race and by half race isn’t because it is predictable and easy. distance they realise they have gone too It’s also become really fast and somehard too early, which means there is hope times you sit back and wonder how peofor the old blokes! ple are pulling 36’s (36 minutes) like Superman did to win the event in 2014. For me, I love what the community do away from the contest on the river too. What sets this race apart from others is There is a real community feel with the that the two ends of the course can be parade and everything happens in the so different, especially with the weather, centre of town, it really does bring peowhich can be totally different at each end. ple to the town. It’s a great chance to be It’s also a challenge coming back down somewhere else in the country and you the course against the wash of other just know that when you arrive in Grafton boats. This is also part of the reason why that it is ON! 15
2015 SUMMARY With a false start to open the Australian river classics season in 2015/16, it was the Ted Hurley Memorial Classic that inherited the first official race of the season and it didn’t disappoint!
pole, Merc Force the second boat home. Pigs Arsenal were third, their early season form an indicator of what was on the horizon for the Mildura locals towards the end of the season.
Social class racing opened proceedings on day one and quick times were laid down in the unlimited inboard social class, while the SMOC and limited classes also proved that they were ready to hit the ground running at the first major competition of the year.
A sunny sky and light breeze greeted competitors at Wentworth for race day, and ready to put an exclamation mark in the form of victory next to their qualifying speed was the Superman team of Darren McGuire (driver), Brett Armstrong (observer), Daniel Cotton and Daniel Graziano (skiers).
Anticipation had built up throughout the day ahead of the afternoon’s qualifying session that saw each team complete the full race course, with the two main skiers taking on either out or return leg, their combined times determining the seeding. In what was inevitably on omen for the main event the next day it was Superman who stormed to a one minute, 38 second victory margin in the shootout to claim the 16
With the top two spots on the day going to Superman and Merc Force, a real highlight of racing was the eventual battle for third overall, which was duked out between two unlimited inboard expert teams Burnin’ and Pigs Arsenal the former claiming the bottom step on the dais and first in class, despite a hard charge to the finish line by the latter.
T ed H urley
Event 03 M emorial C lass i c Location: Wentworth, NSW 2015 WINNER: Superman 2016 Race: October 15-16
MICK SAYS I’ve never done this one – but 2016 is the year! Having said that, I did run half the course during Mildura and it was REALLY good, a mix between Mildura and Robinvale. From all reports it is a bit tighter and more fun than Mildura, which can suffer from being a wide open course that just keeps going and burning legs out. The big guys there don’t slow down for corners too much and so they are tougher.
here. In terms of distance, as a skier you bust out 50km on the Saturday and then need to back it up on the Sunday, which is really hard and probably has more skiing in one weekend than most other events.
At this race the drivers really need to be able to look after their skiers in both the 1UP and 2UP formats and be able to pick a good line. I don’t think we will well and truly know the strong teams here, So with a course that flows a little more as some may or may not turn up. But of and no heartbreakingly long straights, this those that are there, I would suggest that is one that is meant to be more enjoyable! the top 10 in Wentworth would be the guys we see jostling for the top spots for Another thing I love here is the format. the rest of the season. Each team gets a full shot at the course on the Saturday with their skiers both having a chance at qualifying, before running it all over again on Sunday. Qualifying has a big influence with both skiers needing to perform. History will show that those with two strong skiers will really excel 17
M i c k K e l ly 5 P eople
18
to watch this season , ed .1
1
Tim Pickford Timmy absolutely drives the wheels off anything, and I would say he is arguably the fastest driver out there at the moment. I’ll be interested to see who ends up skiing with him this year!
2
Daniel Graziano Daniel has been one of the fastest we’ve had in years, he won the Beehag and the Barrie Carne. I have no doubt that he will continue to come on string and he doesn’t have a lot of weaknesses. He’s the kind of guy you never want to see pull up next to you in a race!
3
Shantelle King Shantelle is absolutely skiing the house down at the moment. There’s very little difference between the girls at the moment. Someone like Chelsea (Blight) has always been fast and while she is getting older, she has an unrivalled hunger for success. Shantelle is young and an absolute animal on the skis. I wouldn’t go up against any of the girls!
4
Pigs Arsenal Boys The Stevens’ have really started delivering in the past 12 months, and their results over the past season have really been outstanding. They’re young and keen, put in the hard yards and not just smooth water specialists. Do not discount these guys!
5
Team Stinga Greg Houston is a guy who has had a lot of success in the sport, and with a few up and comers on his hands last season, the team made some massive inroads. If they keep improving at that rate they will be hard to beat. Consistency is key. Images credit: Shaun Williams
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June 2016
Racer’s Edge