Nev Wilson Memorial Race 2009

RECORD ENTRIES FOR THE TENTH RUNNING OF THE NEV WILSON MEMORIAL SKI CLASSIC.

With a mere 19 entries for the inaugural race back in 2000, this year smashed our previous record of 54 with a massive 85 entries, now having to be spread over two days.
This year we decided on a new format for the Saturday’s events, moving all the racing down to Tumbulgum and also running the Sub Juniors on Saturday afternoon. This format appeared to work well with only positive feedback from competitors and spectators. The Next Generation was the first to kick off on Saturday, and we had 12 of our finest up and coming stars putting on a great show and proving even with the added pressure of a mass start no one missed their start, well done to all who entered.
Novice Class was next up and it has not taken to many races for some of the competitors’ to start really getting up to speed, but it was the team from Bundy who set the early pace and taking out the win behind Hooter Hunter 9.34 with Colin Patterson skiing.
2nd place was Flaming Arrow 9.42 with Trevor Pronk getting a ski on again and doing well.
3rd place went to Rewind 12.25 with young Zac Boyce picking up his first trophy.
DRIVERS RACE was next and it was Greg Rootes getting a great start and leading from start to finish coming home in a time of 10.58.
2nd was Rewind 11.42 with Jason Davis really enjoying this class.
3rd was Phill Munro behind Two Radical 14.02 and good to see their drivers getting behind the boats again and enjoying them selves again.

With racing now completed for Saturday it was time to pack up all the gear and head across the road the Tumbulgum Tavern for a couple of quite ones and a bite to eat before the draw for Sundays events.
Sunday mornings out look was much more promising than in previous years with the start straight looking much better, with blue skies with very little wind we were looking forward to some very close racing. We dropped one class out of Sundays first race so we were expecting entry numbers to be slightly down, but this was not to be the case with most boats that usually tow one of the subbies now entering in a different class, so it was 36 boats to face the starter in race one.
The first two boats away in the first race were both in the Masters class and what a great tussel they must have had with only two seconds separating them at the turn around point, but it was Derek Mountney behind DUEL that they were chasing, but could not hunt down and Derek came away with the win in a time of 28.52.
2nd place in Masters went to Shane Arandale 30.02 behind Peter Walls boat LAB RAT who had a great run on both legs proving the time he has been spending on water training has really paid off well done Shane.
3rd was NO FEAR 30.25 with Greg Reason doing really well, coming up with that time even after a fall when he got a bit of unexpected slack rope when the quick release got him by surprise, good skiing greg.
JUNIOR CLASS and once again these youngsters never fail to impress with some red hot times the order of the day, but in the end it was SLINGSHOT(white) who took out the win with a smoking time on the return leg after being held up at one of the bridges on the way down, their time of 26.56 with Mason Ross skiing was just 6 seconds quicker than Ross Stephensons boat GAIL FORCE 27.04 with Adam Smidt also having a great run(rumour has it Adam may be having a break from skiing for a while to join the navy) good luck Adam look forward to seeing you back soon.
3rd place went to one of the most improved teams of last season in all classes, as there racing is one big family affair, and this class it was Coen Madle doing all the hard work out the back in a time of 34.41.
WOMENS CLASS was it usual tight affair with only one minute separating the first four boats and the next four not that far behind as well, but it was the twin rig of TWO WILD towing Suzie Cartwright 29.23 who took out the win proving her skiing in the world titles has made our rough water sections look like glass water to her.
But in saying that how good must our next two place getters feel with 2nd place ALPHA 29.54 towing Kate Kendale putting in better times ever race and 3rd place SLINGSHOT (red) 30.10 with Amanda Weaver skiing showing they are not far of the times of the girls in the Australia team. Another rumor I heard is Amanda might be retiring from skiing for a while hope this is not the case with her skiing so well at the moment.
SOCIAL CLASS (100kph) this is continuing to be one of the largest classes and also the most time consuming for the time keepers, as all gps’s have to be downloaded at the end, making the final time board a little late going up.
1st in SOCIAL was Coraki favorite son Col Shepherd driving SHOOTER, towing his son Brian in a time of 33.17 and I must congratulate most of the drivers with only three out of thirteen breaking over the speed limit.
2nd went to RAGE 34.06 towing Chris Hamlin in his first season out of Novice so well done Chris.
Rounding out 3rd place was ASSEGAI 34.13 with Dan Caldwell out the back enjoying the beautiful Tweed River.
With race one out of the way it was time to refuel the boats (and also the skiers) and get ready for race two, and with only a two boat wide ramp this took a little longer than we would of liked making the second race a little late starting.
UNLIMINITED OUTBOARD was a real battle between Flashpoint Two, Gail Force, Flaming Arrow and Slingshot (white) but in the end it was the return of Flashpoint Two proving to strong and taking out the win in a time of 26.43 with Nathan Seage and Adam Bail toughing it out in front of Gail Force 27.54 with Adam Smidt and Trevor Bray skiing and 3rd place went to Flaming Arrow 28.22 with Brady Forgacs and Adam Forgacs behind dads boat with mum observing, another family affair great to see.
INBOARD CLASS and what was going to be a ding dong battle between Cobalt and Dicking Around did not eventuate unfortunately with Dickin Around getting the slightly better run down only by seconds, then to be let down by a flat battery on the return leg leaving Cobalt to take out the win in a time of 29.25 with Nathan Walker and Rod Glenn teaming up.
2nd place went to Adam Sedgmans boat NEVADA SMOKE who’s hard work and long nights after having to replace both motor and gearbox paid off coming home in a time of 36.15 with Mark Best and Steve Madden doing their team proud.
A great weekend of racing was had by all and I would like to thank all our volunteers on the day as well as the lead up to the event especially our time keepers as this is a hard race to time so thanks to Richmond Abbott, Sunny Beevers, Bernadette Neeson, Wendy Davis, Sam Sparrow and Toni Johnson for all your hard work with the timing as well as all the course boats and jet ski personal, with out all your help these events can not go ahead. Also to our two new major sponsors Tumbulgum Tavern and Finance Friendz thank you very much.
Race four of the EAST COAST SKI RACE SERIES will be held at Woodburn on the 5th and 6th of December 2009 hope to see you all there until then safe skiing.

PETER MONGER