Sydney’s Hawkesbury River ready to rumble
by Bob Wonders on 20 Nov 2009
Jack Houston, son of veteran owner’driver of ’Stinga’ Greg Houston, will be behind the F2 boat ’Tuff E Nuff’. Ultimate Image Captures
More than 200 boats and upwards of 1000 competitors made up of drivers, observers, skiers and mechanics will descend on the Hawkesbury River this weekend for the annual running of ‘the great race’, the famous Bridge to Bridge.
It will be the 48th staging of the race, which sees Australia’s fastest ski racers jousting over the twisting, 112 kilometres course from Dangar Island to the Windsor Marine Stadium.
Thirty one classes will contest the event, from Under 10-years through to Veterans.
Twelve boats and crews have confirmed entry to the awesome Super Class, which sees skiers regularly reaching speeds in the 160km/hr (100mph) range.
Current race record holder (38:57:53), Greg Houston’s ‘Stinga’, last year’s winner ‘Hellrazor’,
Burnin’, ‘Blazin’, ‘The Gun’, ‘The B’, ‘The Syndicate’, ‘Argo’, ‘The Mistress’, ‘Merc Force’, ‘Superman’ and ‘Top Gun’ make for a hot Super Class field.
Veteran ski racer Rick Love, who managed Australia’s team at the recent World Water Ski Race championships in Belgium, will be out to defend his Over 40-years title he won last year.
Rick tips ‘Stinga’, ‘Hellrazor’ and ‘Blazin’ as the likely favourites for outright victory, with ‘Merc Force’ and ‘Superman’ capable of causing an upset.
At least 17 members of Australia’s successful team from the Belgian world titles will be on the river.
They include reigning Men’s Open world champion, Queensland’s Wayne Mawer and Junior Boys world champion, Sydney’s Jack Houston.
Mawer will be behind the Unlimited Inboard boat, ‘Juggernaut’ and Houston will be behind ‘Tuff e Nuff’ in Formula 2.
Other international ski racers from Australia’s team in Belgium competing include Chris Stout (Men’s Open 3rd place), Lauryn Eagle (Women’s Open 3rd place), Peter Proctor, Cara Jochinke, Bethany Pledger, Ben Hackett, Luke Keys, Kris Knights, Daniel Cotton, Richard Souwer, Melissa Tidswell, Kylee Jones, Maddison Bouyer, Sarah Teelow and Susie Cartwright.
Another veteran driver, a man who has probably had more starts in the race than some people have had hot dinners, is Pat Cole.
Cole will tow son Brad Cole and American ace Kurt Schoen, with the highly experienced Rory Brown observing in the Belgian-built Bernico boat, ‘Bernico Racing’.
It’s the same boat in which top ski racer Peter Eagle was killed in a tragic Sydney Harbour accident in March last year.
'I had my doubts about ever using the boat again,' Pat Cole said, 'but friends of both mine and Peter’s said it was time to move on and several had a hand in repairing the damage sustained in the accident.
'I’m sure Peter would have wanted to see it back in action,' he added.
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