Yesterday’s racing featured a fast-paced series of three back-to-back legs. Leg 14 ran 30 miles (48 kilometres) from Peace Island Park to Happy Hour; Leg 15 reversed the route. Leg 16, the shortest of the three, comprised three laps around Peace Island Park totalling 18 miles (30 kilometres)—a loop designed to test boat handling and endurance one final time.
Final stretch begins: Kiwis still in the fight as UIM World Jet Boating Championships near endgame
Heading into the final day, four New Zealanders remained in the competition, all in contention within their respective classes. Kevin Hyde (MPH Racing) sat second in the Unlimited Class and second overall; Regan Williamson (Unicorn) was third in the Unlimited Class. Tom Kelly (A377) was holding fourth in the A-Class, and Justin Hill (Aftershock) was still within striking distance of the CX-Class leader.
By the end of Leg 16, Hyde and Hill had solidified their positions, while Kelly and Williamson—so strong earlier in the championship—succumbed to ongoing technical issues that had plagued them since the tail end of the previous week.
Unlimited Class: consistency pays
In the Unlimited Class, Canadian Gord Humphrey (Unnatural Disaster) put on a masterclass from start to finish. Fast, precise, and relentless, he won not only his class but also the Overall Standings competition—the fastest boat across all categories. His final time: 4:46:16.
Kevin Hyde was the standout Kiwi performer of the event. Across 16 punishing legs, he remained steady and composed—avoiding DNFs and DNSs that wiped out many top competitors. He sealed second in the Unlimited Class and second overall, with a final time of 5:10:44. An outstanding effort, especially considering the attrition rate: of the 35 boats that started the championship, only 14 made it into the Overall Standings at the finish.
Regan Williamson, despite an aggressive and competitive start, was eventually undone by mechanical gremlins. A DNF in Leg 10 was followed by DNSs through the final legs—ultimately ending his hopes of moving up the table. Nonetheless, his early speed meant he held on to third place in the Unlimited Class (5:33:26), an achievement in itself given he only completed 10 of the 16 legs.
A-Class: a promising campaign cut short
Tom Kelly, driving A377, had been one of New Zealand’s strongest class contenders through the early stages, racing close behind Canadian leader Spencer King (Sunset Shaker). But after a DNS in Leg 13, Kelly was unable to start any of Sunday’s final legs. His drop in the rankings was sharp, ultimately finishing fifth in A-Class—a tough end for a campaign that had shown so much potential.
Spencer King proved unstoppable. With a final time of 5:35:27, he won the A-Class and claimed third in the Overall Standings—a remarkable result from a boat running in a lower-displacement category.
CX-Class: Hill keeps the heat on
The tightest battle of the championship came in the CX-Class, where Kiwi Justin Hill gave Canadian Tanner Froelich (Reverse Elevation) everything he could handle. Hill was only seconds behind Froelich in Leg 14, then ten seconds behind in Leg 15. In a remarkable turn, both drivers recorded identical times in Leg 16—an illustration of how closely matched the pair were.
In the end, Froelich held onto the CX-Class win with a total time of 5:55:48, but Hill was a breath behind on 5:58:56. Hill’s tenacity over the final weekend kept the class contest alive until the very last lap and earned him second in CX-Class and fifth in the Overall Standings—a result that speaks volumes about his racing composure and mechanical reliability across the event.
Canadian Denny Mayne (Hi-Mayntenance) finished third in CX (6:04:15), placing sixth overall.
FX-Class
The FX-Class, less crowded but no less gruelling, saw American Kyle Johnston (Rip’N’Tear) take the win with a final time of 7:03:40—notably, the only FX boat to make it into the Overall Standings.
Kiwi wrap-up: pride in performance
New Zealand finishes the 2025 UIM World Jet Boat Championships with three podium finishes:
- Kevin Hyde – 2nd in Unlimited Class, 2nd Overall
- Regan Williamson – 3rd in Unlimited Class
- Justin Hill – 2nd in CX-Class, 5th Overall
While Tom Kelly’s early speed and sharp racing deserved more than a fifth-place class finish, and Williamson’s forced exit was an undeniable blow, the Kiwis can hold their heads high. Across three classes, they showed pace, professionalism, and grit—carrying the New Zealand flag deep into one of the most demanding motorsport events in the world.
Boating New Zealand congratulates all the Kiwi teams on a strong showing and will continue to follow their progress as preparations begin for the next UIM World Jet Boat Championship.
