N.Z. to have 8 boats in Balsas race

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33944, 10 September 1975, Page 18

N.Z. to have 8 boats in Balsas race

i By

LES BLOXHAM)

Eight jet boats will now represent New Zealand in the five-day international marathon on the Balsas River in Mexico, in November.

The team manager (Mr Dick Farrant) confirmed last evening that two privately financed late entries — one from Christchurch and the other from Dunedin — would join the New Zealand Jet Boat Association’s official team of five.

i The eighth boat which will carry the New Zealand flag is (being built in the United (States. 1 The late entry from ChristIchurch will be skippered by Bruce Snow and crewed by I Colin Hannah and an Auckland man, Jack Balemi. Bert Iwiel will be the skipper of the Dunedin entry, with Stan I Hansen and Lex Cameron as (crew. The skippers of the association’s sponsored boats are: (Bob Stour (Featherston), Rod [Coleman (Wanganui), Neville (Sutherland, Howard Smith, and Peter Phillips (all of [Christchurch). The Americanbuilt boat will be jointly enitered by Mike Sandeman I (formerly of Christchurch) and Ralph Brown (an American who lives in Queenstown). Mr Farrant said he was: trying to arrange for a support boat to follow the team' down the river. This would] be driven by George Davi-j (son, of Christchurch, who,! [with Ralph Brown, was a

.member of the New Zealand | Zaire River expedition last [ year. New Zealand’s determination to win the marathon for the third successive year has already attracted sufficient ; bookings from crews and (supporters to fill a quarter of an aircraft. Mr Farrant has 54 confirmed bookings and 'expects more. Television One will send a four-man camera (team to cover the event. I The venture is a costly one. Air fares, accommodation and sea freight for the boats so far exceeds $lOO,OOO. A further $lOO,OOO is represented in the total value of the boats. Crews this week have been making last-minute adjustments to their boats before shipping them to Vera Cruz next week. The Christchurch entries will be on show on the Waimakariri River, near the motorway bridge, early on Sunday afternoon.