24th November, 2012
Championship leader Wayne Mawer will start on pole position with his 99 Psycho Clowns Racing crew for Race 3 of the Nautilus Marine Ski Racing Championship.
Mawer, driver Daniel McMahon and observer Ian Baker didn’t have it all their own way in the heats, withstanding a challenge from Tru Blue in Heat 1, before eventually prevailing.
Tru Blue would retire from Heat 1 at mid-race with a jammed trim tab, leaving Noel Griffin Racing team mates Mark Weaver (Burnin) and Grant Turner (Blazen) to complete the top three.
Behind them, Codie Rigg was an impressive fourth for RCM Racing, with Daniel Graziano coming in fifth behind Superman.
Tru Blue’s boat was repaired in time for Heat 2, and Peter Procter and crew made the most of it, winning the heat to salvage the team’s hopes for the Race 3 Final.
99 Psycho Clowns challenged Tru Blue early in much rougher conditions, before settling in behind for a relatively comfortable run home to second.
Daniel Graziano, skiing with healing broken collarbone behind Superman, was third in Heat 2, ahead of Mark Weaver (Burnin) and Jake Tegart (Merc Force).
Blazen, with Grant Turner skiing, did not start Heat 2 after suffering a starter motor failure immediately following Heat 1 – the crew will return to action for the Final this afternoon.
The results see 99 Psycho Clowns qualify fastest, ahead of Burnin, Superman, RCM Racing, and Merc Force. Fancied runners Blazen and Tru Blue will have to come through the field from the last and second last qualifying positions on the F1 grid respectively.
In F2, Daniel Cotton and Team 50 dominated, winning both heats to qualify on pole position, ahead of Richard Souwer and Rapid Pulse, Justin Cadden and XXX Racing, Ben Hackett (Psycho Clowns F2), and Steven Robertson for Robertson Racing.
In the Women’s classes, Trudi Stout (Twenty Four) and Leanne Campbell (Tuff N Ruff) continued their excellent form on from Round 1, winning both heats and taking pole position for F1 and F2 respectively.
The wind is up on Corio Bay, and it appears likely to stay up for this afternoon’s Final.
