V8 Super Boat Speedboat Racing High Speed New Zealand Editorial Image

One of the competitors in the Jestsprint V8 New Zealand Championship 2017 round One, at the Methanex Aquatrack in Waitara, New Zealand. Jetsprint racing was recognized as an organised sport first in New Zealand in 1981 and has grown in popularity worldwide. This photograph was taken at the Naki 500 Jetsprint New Zealand V8 Championship, Round One of racing at the Waitara course held on 10 December 2016. The jetboats accelerate up to 130 kph in under 25 seconds.The Super Boats and Jet Boats run on either methanol or aviation fuel. The course is made up of man made dug out channels of water that have 25 to 30 changes of directions in each course and a race lasts 45 to 60 seconds. The water in the channels is less than 1 metre deep and the hull of the boats are only up to 4 metres long or 13 feet. It is an exciting, exhilarating sport that is wild fun for both the spectators and the entrants.