In early 2025, New Zealand was gearing up for something truly epic in the world of jet boating: the NZ Marathon. A race that would stretch from the West Coast to the East Coast, a gruelling test of skill, speed, and guts. But just weeks before the event was set to begin in March, the organisers made the tough call to postpone the event due to some brutal weather conditions. A dry, relentless high country meant river levels were lower than usual, making some stretches too risky for safe racing. It wasn’t a decision made lightly, but it was the right one for the racers and their teams. And while the main event was on hold, the crew behind the scenes weren’t about to let the momentum die.
Instead, they threw down a new challenge: the Bagrie Memorial race on the Rakaia River.
With just two weeks to go, excitement started to build. Names like Andrew Scott (NZ1), Roger Preston (NZ2), and Justin Hill (248) were on the entry list, promising a weekend of intense competition. The format was set: four short legs on Saturday and a full Rakaia run on Sunday. The Rakaia was going to be “sporty,” as they say, and this was no easy race. The river was expected to throw up challenges, but these drivers thrive on overcoming them. And with an international driver in a turbine-powered boat also making the cut, it was clear the race was about to bring the heat. The community of river racers was ready. With a few tweaks to the schedule, it was all systems go. Despite the setback, the action on the Rakaia was going to be something truly special.
The first day of racing at the 2025 New Zealand Jet Sprint Championship, held last Saturday, (March 22nd), saw four thrilling short legs across four classes of boats: Unlimited, A Class, CX-Class, and FX-Evo. The competition was fierce, with racers battling not only against each other but also the conditions of the course.
In Leg 1, Richard Foster took the lead in the Unlimited Class with a time of 0:11:11, closely followed by Andrew Scott at 0:11:13. The A Class was led by Justin Hill with 0:11:48, while Adam Wilton’s CX-Class came in at 0:12:45, and Byron Campbell’s FX-Evo Class rounded off the top positions with 0:14:47.
The second leg mirrored the intensity of the first. Richard Foster again led in the Unlimited Class with a 0:11:10 finish, with Andrew Scott trailing just behind at 0:11:14. Nick Sullivan of the A Class posted a time of 0:13:32, while Adam Wilton secured another top spot in CX-Class with 0:12:17. The FX-Evo Class saw a start, but Byron Campbell was unable to finish.
By Leg 3, it was Andrew Scott’s time to shine, posting the fastest time of 0:11:04, with Richard Foster close behind at 0:11:11. Roger Preston’s 0:11:26 and Gord Humphrey’s 0:11:28 rounded out the top four in Unlimited. Justin Hill held on to his position in A-Class with 0:11:54, while Adam Wilton continued his strong performance in CX-Class.
In the final leg, Richard Foster finished in the lead again with 0:10:49, securing his dominant position. Andrew Scott and Roger Preston followed, and in the Unlimited Class, the top four places remained unchanged.
After the day’s four intense short races, Richard Foster led overall, followed by Andrew Scott and Roger Preston. The top five positions were all held by Unlimited Class racers, with Adam Wilton and Brad Monk leading the CX-Class, while Justin Hill and Callum McKenzie completed the top ten in A-Class and CX-Class respectively.
Sunday (March 23rd) brought the second day of racing which featured two longer, more gruelling legs, bringing a new level of intensity to the competition.
In the 85-kilometre Leg 1 stretch, from Rakaia Lagoon to Rakaia Gorge Bridge, Roger Preston led the Unlimited Class with a time of 0:29:05, closely followed by Andrew Scott at 0:29:43. In the A Class, Justin Hill posted the fastest time of 0:31:12, while Adam Wilton in the CX-Class finished at 0:33:39. The FX-Evo Class saw Aiden Flett and Byron Campbell complete the leg with times of 0:38:15 and 0:40:52, respectively.
The second leg, from Rakaia Gorge Bridge back to Rakaia Lagoon, saw Andrew Scott take the lead in the Unlimited Class with 0:29:08, while Roger Preston finished just behind at 0:30:10. In CX-Class, Adam Wilton continued his strong performance with a time of 0:32:52, while Brad Monk followed with 0:33:25. Aiden Flett and Byron Campbell led the FX-Evo Class once again, finishing in 0:36:01 and 0:36:38, respectively.
After the two longer legs, the top two overall positions were claimed by Unlimited Class racers Andrew Scott and Roger Preston, while Adam Wilton and Callum McKenzie held the third and fourth spots in CX-Class.
The next River Racing NZ race will be the Waitaki River Race, held Saturday 17th May, at Waitaki River. Aiden Flett is organising.
