Cromie takes lead in jet boat marathon

Press, 23 September 1983, Page 32

Cromie takes lead in jet boat marathon

By FRANK DUGGAN Mark Cromie, of Rakaia, is the new leader of the 1983 Citizen Watch world jet boat marathon championship. Cromie, the 1980 world champion, and his five-year-old 454 cu in twin-turboed Chev-powered Commodore, yesterday finished second behind the Canadian, Fred Chrunyk, after 102 frightening kilometres of the Waiau River, but their time of lhr lOmin 3s was sufficient to give them an over-all marathon lead of 2min 27s after nine laps. The overnight leader, Howard Smith, of Christchurch, now lies second with his American designed 5.5 m Apollo hull and 350 turbo Chev-powered Guthreys N.Z. Tours, and it is something of a miracle that he has kept close to the pace as yesterday he had to nurse a motor likely to blow up at any second. Yesterday, Smith, who had previously led Cromie by 16s, finished fourth more than smin from the speeding yellow-hulled Canadian Club, which returned lhr 7min 31s.

own class by 27min.

Yesterday’s lap was one of contrast for the likeable Chrunyk, who, the day before had two horrific laps on the Rakaia River.

In the process he dropped the slender lead he had established on the North Island section of the championship and after Rakaia he had fallen to third place over all, Bmin away from the pace-setters. But a quite superb display yesterday and again the prospects of swollen rivers on the West Coast today and the Waimakariri River tomorrow should suit the hard-driving Canadian admirably. Tony Ward, of Tauranga, in the lesser Jockey class craft, Mr Kwik Kraft, was again polished in everything he did to keep his grip on the fourth aggregate with 9hr 2min 51s and leads his

If conditions on the Rakaia on Wednesday were the worst experienced by most of the jet boaters, the Waiau yesterday was almost twice as bad. All the leading drivers said the river posed the biggest problems they had ever faced. Running almost bankhigh in some areas, the water was particularly dangerous in the Waiau Gorge and that area of white water and vicious flow claimed an ever-increasing number of boats. Almost four hours after the start from near Spotswood at 11 a.m., boats were still struggling to finish at the confluence of the Hope River and Waiau River. Aggregate (after nine laps): Champion class: M. Cromie (Rakaia), Commodore, Bhr 25min 455, 1; H. Smith (Christchurch), Guthreys N.Z. Tours, Bhr 28min Ils, 2; F. Chrunyk (Canada), Canadian Club, Bhr 30min 365, 3; J. Heslop (Southbridge), Spirit of Southbridge. 9hr 6min ss, 4.

Jockey class: A. Ward (Tauranga), Mr Kwik Kraft, 9hr 2min 51s, 1; R. King (Palmerston North), Thystyme, 9hr 29min 475, 2; Rob Goldsmith and Steve Baird (Whakatane), Radio IXX, lOhr 36min 6s, 3; John McLachlan (Christchurch), Sellotape Big 100, lOhr 58min 475, 4.

1.H.1. turbocharge class: Peter Muff (Christchurch), Konvekta Air Conditioners, 9hr 31min 425, 1; D. Matterson (Belfast), Selleys Works, 9hr 36min 2s, 2; R. Harrison (Christchurch), Burnip Elliott and Co., 9hr 37min 41s, 3; Allan and Guv Sutton (Tauranga), N.R.M. Feeds, lOhr 21min Ils, 4.

Savage marine class: J. Borren (Palmerston North), Mr Altherm, lOhr 28min 245, 1; P. Quinn (Christchurch), Giddy Up, llhr 23min 30s, 2; John Watson (Christchurch), Motorgard 11, llhr 36min 48s (including a 3hr 17min penalty), 3. Hamilton class: B. Harvey (Queenstown), Top Priority, lOhr 55min, 1; M. Cox (Christchurch), Green Finger, llhr 31min 51s, 2; K. Frederickson (Inglewood), Dynamite, llhr 34min 20s, 3.