SOUTHERN 80 -  2008

Fri: 8.2.08

  The “Stinga” Crew attended the "Breakfast with the Stars" at Port Echuca, where we were well received with plenty of interest in our boat and crew. It was great to have a couple of our supporters both from NSW and VIC present me with some great photos that they had taken from last years Southern 80, as well as some from the Sydney Bridge to Bridge. The display attracted a great crowd and we gave away posters which were very popular with the kids as well as the Dads. We were interviewed by Win TV for Friday nights news and also were interviewed by Q Media for the official race video.

That evening the “Stinga” team were invited by the Moama Ski Club to the Southern 80 Launch which was held at Vic Park, :Stinga” again was put on show and she looked beautiful under the lights. The food & drink was excellent, but Boylo was in Aw of the entertainer who used to be a regular on Hey Hey its Saturday  “The Music Man” he sang and performed his cover song and Boylo who was at the rear of the venue was singing along with him knowing every word.

Sat: 9.2.08

The morning of the Bakers Blitz, Grunta, Booney & Boylo came over  to our accommodation and we all went about our business in preparing our gear and “Stinga” for the Bakers Blitz” I cleaned the dust of her from the previous evening and fitted our Helmet Cam to my helmet as I thought it could come in handy next year to help me familiarise myself with the coarse.

Every thing was ready and we headed down to Five Mile ramp to get a good spot and prepare ourselves for the grueling hit out up 20klm of the Murray River that has 25 Corners between the start and finish. You have to think about every one of the corners and short straights and you know if you want to be up the front of the main race every thing has to fall into place today.

Another interview before the start a short briefing and then all the boats are in the water, followed by a quick and short warm up.

For us it is really hard to have to go into one of the fastest races of the year with out the opportunity to be allowed a practice run up this tight and winding section of the river. It has only been the last three years since they introduced the Short course racing that the teams have not been allowed to have a controlled closed river run up the Blitz Coarse so drivers and teams can get their set ups right for the Bakers Blitz and Main Race. I hope this will change back in the future as it is really a safety issue.

Well Ten minutes to start we are ready and the green flag drops the boys drop in the water and we quickly run out 300 feet of rope, The Australian flag drops “Stinga” launches into the air and we are away chased by helicopters and cheered on by the 100’s of spectators. The first right hander out of the way boats was a bit loose but I put on plenty of trim and hit 109mph up the first straight, not to bad Corner 2 a left hand corner again a bit loose but Ill get better on the next one, next straight I see 111mph on the GPS, every things going well, Corner 3 a Right hander again a bit loose but following this corner we have a longer straight 115MPH now I am happy.

Coming out of Corner 8 we get on to it back up to 115Mph but a fair bit of wind chop I adjust the trim a little and before I know it we are into Corner 9 a hard Right hander

I back off probably a bit to much the speed drops quickly to 99MPH on GPS as we are going around the corner and Bang both me and Boylo are doing synchronised air ballet with a hard landing in to the Murray. Its the first time in 35 years of ski racing I have spun out or been thrown out of a boat. 

We are lucky if you can call it that, Spectators from the bank swam out to us and helped pull “Stinga” off the course, Boylo has swam up to the boat and climbed on board and turned the bilge pump on, a lot of water was in the boat. I finally swam with Booney back to the river bank and Grant was now helping Boylo out of the water concerned with his injuries, he had a badly sprained wrist with some bone fractures in his hand and two bad cuts to his ankles. I had some heavy bruising to both shoulders as I hit the water backwards, not much fun I can tell you that much. But the biggest effort of all was watching 6 guys carrying Boylo up one of the steep banks on the Murray so they could get him to hospital. What a great bunch of guys and girls. Thanks heaps for all of your assistance especially Tony.

Back to the motel evaluate the damage and get to work to make some quick and rough repairs so we can race the next day, Off to Neville Freeman’s to repair the observers seat, Super Cheap Autos for race tape to tape up the damaged windscreen, find a scrutineer to check the repairs, drop into hospital to see Boylo and see if he will be any good tomorrow and then back to town to find a replacement as Boylo thinks he might sit the next day out. Shane Helson better known as Japs puts his hand up to sit beside me and I could think of nothing better he is one of my best mates and a former skier from the old days behind “Stinga” we borrow a set of helmets as mine are a bit wet and a fire suite to fit Japs all we need now is a good nights sleep to be ready for tomorrow.

I would like to thank the following people for their hard work, assistance, sponsorship and support, if I miss any one please let me know but our team and my self cannot thank you all enough.

Garret Turbos - Bosch – Faber – Manley –  Coldys – Newby Engineering –

PFM (Mal Priest) – Greg Houston Plumbing – Moama Sports Club Ski Race  Committee –  Murry River Resort and staff –  Race and class sponsors – All The “STINGA” Supporters who are the “BEST SUPPPORTERS IN THE WORLD” and of coarse my Team, Observer Kevin (Boylo), Skiers Grant (Grunta), Daniel ( Boonie), and now Japs Team Promotions Ashley (Stacky), Boat bitch Turtle and of coarse  Family and friends.

SKI RACING IS THE GREATEST SPORT IN THE WORLD.