Jetskiing: Bay riders to take on world's best

DOUBLE DUTY: Hawke's Bay's Russell Thorogood will race in two classes this weekend. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR

Hawke's Bay jetskier Russell Thorogood describes himself as a "fun racer."

But this won't stop him from trying to improve on last year's two third placings at the North Island champs on Lake Rotoma when the Axis CNC Routered Innovations-sponsored 2017 edition of the champs are staged at Takapau's Backpaddock Lakes this weekend.

Just don't expect titles from Thorogood, 44, who will start in the Expert Elite Open Ski and Expert Elite Light Ski classes.

"Tayne is good. He's a two-time world champion and he's been riding since he was 12," Thorogood says, referring to Auckland 19-year-old Tayne Lemon, who will be racing in the same classes.

Lemon won two titles at last year's world championships in Arizona and, along with Wellington's national open runabout class champion Carl Lampe Jnr, who recently competed at the King's Cup in Thailand, will be a big drawcard among this weekend's 51 starters who will be competing in nine classes.

A veteran of four years in the sport and Hawke's Bay Jet Ski Club committee member, Thorogood, was quick to point out the Takapau venue won't give the four Hawke's Bay competitors the advantage over the out of towners.

"We've only raced there once before and we haven't been able to sneak in any training sessions down there."

However, the venue could prove to be a lucky omen for Thorogood as he won the first round in the Hawke's Bay series which was staged in Takapau.

With four races in each class each day, Thorogood and others who have entered in two classes will have 16 races and points accumulated over the eight races in each class determine the champions.

"It's hard work ... you've got to be fit," Thorogood says.

He does crossfit gym sessions three or four times each week to keep his fitness levels up for jet skiing.

Training and playing for the Taradale division two football team during the winter also helps.

After the North Island champs Thorogood's next major event will be Wellington-hosted nationals in March, where he will chase top three finishes in the over-35 age group on both of his skis.

This will be his third nationals and Thorogood expects one of this weekend's rivals, Canterbury's Marshall Brown, who finished fifth in the veteran lights section of the world champs to be among the favourites.

"The light class ski is a basic stock class one on which you can't make any modifications to. With the open class ski you do whatever you want with it," Thorogood explains.

Hawke's Bay's other starters this weekend will be Brodie Murrell, Hayden Ericksen and Brendan Cash.

The staging of the champs in the Bay was a key factor in Cash being lured back to competitive racing.

Brown will be among a 12-strong Canterbury contingent.

Four Cantabs aged 10-14, Josh Tomlinson, Mitchell and Corban Farnley and Ben Morris, are tipped to become hot property in the sport.

They race in the junior development class in the South Island.