Three rounds into the 2025 to 2026 New Zealand Jetsprint Championship, the season has hit full stride. After opening at the Kiwispan Jet Sprint Track in Featherston in early December, followed by high speed racing at the Shelter View Jet Sprint Track in Wanganui just after Boxing Day, the championship has now crossed Cook Strait for its southern showpiece.
NOVUS Glass Wānaka Aquatrack
Round 3 at the NOVUS Glass Wānaka Aquatrack marked the first championship racing of 2026 and the only South Island round on the calendar. Set beneath the Southern Alps and less than ten minutes from the alpine lake town of Wānaka, the Aquatrack delivered a unique mix of spectacular scenery and intense competition.
Long regarded as one of the most technical tracks in the country, Wānaka demanded absolute accuracy, commitment, and trust between driver and navigator.
Already a close championship
Heading into Wānaka, the championship picture was already finely balanced after two northern rounds.
In the Southern Jet Superboats, Sam Newdick and Shama Putaranui led the standings on 59 points following Wanganui, tied with Reuben Hoeksema and Suzi Katavich. Mike Hessell and Shaun White sat third on 53 points, with David Simmons and Pip Thompson close behind on 52, leaving the top four separated by just seven points.
Group A was equally tight. Matt Hareb and Hayden George arrived as the leaders on 60 points, chased closely by Ollie Silverton and Amanda Kittow on 58. Kris Rasmussen and Holly Sutherland followed on 56, with Ross Travers and Jackie Hawker still within striking distance.
In the Mikes Transport Warehouse (MTW) LS Class, John Verry and Grace Alder topped the standings on 59 points. Conner Nairn and James Tuckey, along with Paddy and Jay Haden, on 54, with Jackson Hopkins and Dana Doyle just one point further back.
MTW Group B saw Hamish Clarke and Lisa Seator leading on 60 points, followed by Gemma Johnson and Richard Currie on 58. Greg Wilson and Katie Wilson were tied for third with Andrew Craig and Scott Gouman on 54.
Round 3 results
Wānaka delivered a dramatic shift in momentum.
The Southern Jet Superboats final was decided by just 0.001 of a second. Reuben Hoeksema and Suzi Katavich produced a flawless run under pressure to take the win for the 2JZ Jetsprint Team. Sam Newdick and Shama Putaranui finished a close second for Systems Racing, reinforcing their season long consistency, while Si Gibbon and Sarah Gibbon completed the podium for Novus Glass.
The razor thin margin reflected the challenge of the Wānaka course, where competitors tackled a demanding sequence of 34 numbered turns from start to finish.
Group A saw Matt Hareb and Hayden George continue their strong form, taking the win for No Limits Racing. Ollie Silverton and Amanda Kittow finished second for Systems Racing, with Kris Rasmussen and Holly Sutherland securing third for Venom. Once again, the leading championship contenders finished closely grouped, keeping the title battle wide open.
In the LS Class, Conner Nairn and James Tuckey claimed a crucial win for Never Fold. Paddy and Jay Haden finished second for Skitso, while John Verry and Grace Alder added another podium finish in third for the Link ECU Jetsprint Team.
Group B produced another standout performance, with Gemma Johnson and Richard Currie taking the win for Black Forest Jet Sprint Team. Hamish Clarke and Lisa Seator followed in second for Loud N Thirsty, while Greg Wilson and Katie Wilson rounded out the podium for No Idea Racing.
Up next: Mountain View Jetsprint Track in Taranaki
With three rounds complete, Hoeksema and Katavich have converted strong northern form into a critical South Island victory, while Newdick and Putaranui continue to apply pressure. In Group A, Hareb and George remain the benchmark, but Silverton, Kittow, Rasmussen, and Sutherland stay firmly in contention.
The LS Class continues to have no clear runaway leader, and Group B remains tightly contested.
With the Wānaka round complete, attention now turns north. Round 4 of the New Zealand Jetsprint Championship will take place at the Mountain View Jetsprint Track in Taranaki on Saturday 14 February 2026.
