COVER STORY: Her need for speed

ENZED jetsprint World Championships 30 January. Photo/supplied

World-leading jetsprint driver Brooke Avenell loves nothing more than the whiff of methanol and the thrill of manoeuvring through an intricate mix of tight hairpin bends and straights at 130km/h.

It's the ultimate summer's day for the 27-year-old Australian, who'll be bypassing Mount Maunganui's sand and seas for the water-filled amphitheatre that will be ASB Baypark when the ENZED Jetsprint 2016 UIM World Championship comes to town.

Next weekend, Brooke will be among more than 40 world-class teams descending upon the Mount to contest leg two of the Championship. Round one of New Zealand's maiden hosting of the world event is being held this weekend at Meremere, south of Auckland.

Entering her first World Championship at just 20, Brooke has gone on to clinch a number of agonising second equals and second at previous World Championships, including a second in the US in 2014 - the only woman to finish on a podium in a world event.

It's not too far out of the ordinary for Brooke, who has been turning heads in the male-dominated sport for some time now. However, after falling short numerous times, Brooke's hoping Baypark and its twisting circuit of 5m-wide water-filled channels holds the key to unlocking her maiden world championship title in the Altherm Group A class.

"We are definitely out there to win it this year," says a determined Brooke.

"I raced at Mount Maunganui the first time they hosted it [the inaugural 2014 ENZED V8 Jetsprints]. The track has changed a lot since then, but it is still exciting to be back."
Brooke puts her success down to her passion for water sports.

Growing up, countless summers and holidays were spent at the lake house, wakeboarding and skiing along with her family - father Phil Dixon, mother Louise Dixon and brother Shaun Dixon.

That was until her father Phil purchased a 350 Class boat and suddenly engines, grease and methane became a staple from her teenage years onward.

"My brother Shaun used to play AFL and my mum would take him to his matches. That meant I was left with dad so I would go with him while he raced.

"One of their rivals thought I might be interested in being a navigator and I haven't been out of a boat since - although I pretty quickly changed sides."

Brooke Avenell is at the top of the make dominated sport. Photo/supplied

Learning the intricacies of the sport and boat over the next two seasons, Brooke gained the confidence and knowledge that would hold her in good stead to become one of the sport's leading names across the Tasman.

As Phil was becoming a regular on the Australian Championship podium, he decided to buy a Group A boat from World Champion and current Kiwi number one Peter Caughey, and with it employed the services of part-time V8 Supercar driver Nathan Pretty who shared the driving duties.

"It was during this time that I learnt an awful lot, with Nathan helping me with race lines and learning about data and how that related to the boat's performance.

"That gave me the extra level of confidence I needed, to know I could push myself and the boat to the limit and as a result, the podiums started to come."

Fourth placings soon became thirds and then a second in the Australian Championship.
But what was to come next was history in the making.

Across the 2012 and 2013 seasons Brooke had an iron-tight grip on the competition, winning 14 successive rounds to be crowned Australian champion in the 400 class - becoming the first woman at that level to win back-to-back championships.

Now a proven race winner in the Unlimited Superboat class, she hopes her winning feats can inspire other women to join the ranks behind the wheel.

"There aren't many female drivers in Australia apart from myself, my mum and Cheryl Welch who has been driving for quite some time.

"While there are a number of female navigators in the sport I don't think they realise they can do it to.

"Hopefully I can get on the podium and show women out there that it can be done."
However, like many sports, breaking down the traditional male-driven stereotype is often the hardest battle. This is something Brooke can attest to, admitting it has taken a "fair number of years" for the men to accept her and appreciate what she brings to the sport.

"To begin with they didn't like getting beaten by a female in their sport. But now they are respectful of me and my driving."

Brooke Avenell will be taking part in the ENZED jetsprint championships at Baypark. Photo/supplied

Hard work and winning ways are seemingly paying off with numerous female teams and navigators lining up next weekend - nurses, a shepherd, communications manager and a deputy principal.

And like Brooke, behind the helmet and protective clothing these women are just as competitive as their male counterparts.

The ENZED Jetsprint 2016 UIM World Championship sees top teams and drivers from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand battle it out for world titles across the three classes.

The domestic version has attracted near sell-out crowds to Baypark for the past two years, to witness the stadium's transformation into an amphitheatre of noise and hi-octane motor racing action.

Ahead of the two-day event, 1800 cubic metres of dirt will be carved out and replaced with the 450 metre temporary circuit: custom made for 6-8 hours of thrills, spills and family entertainment - both on and off the track.

Next weekend will be New Zealand's maiden turn at hosting the world championships after joining the US and Canada in sharing the biennial event's hosting rights.

This is fast-paced action not to be missed as Kiwi fans won't get another chance at seeing the thrills and spills or true world-class racing back on their shores until 2022.

Friday will feature practice and qualifying rounds, while Saturday is where spectators will see teams giving it everything they've got in full race mode.

There will be a free dedicated PUMP KidZone with a giant water slide, bouncy castles, balloons, face painting and more, all in a safe and secure setting with food and beverages on offer. Children under 14 years must be supervised. Entry is by gold coin donation with 100 per cent going to the Tauranga Volunteer Coastguard.

The pits area will open for limited session to allow children, big and small, to check out the boats up close and meet the international race teams and world champions first-hand.

The main event is 4pm-10pm on Saturday, January 30, gates open 1pm. Practice day and qualifying rounds run 6pm-10pm on Friday, January 29, gates open from 4pm.

(Admission to Friday practice day is with a two-day pass only.) To secure your seat, save $10-$20 and enter the draw to win a Suzuki Swift, visit www.eventfinda.co.nz

Baypark will be tranformed into a twisting circuit of 5m wide water-filled channels. Photo/supplied

Women in jetsprint
1. Brooke Avernell and her navigator, New Zealander Louise Blythe.

2. Pip and Poppy - Bitches Box Biolytix Group B. Pip is an operations manager, mum and secretary of NZJSA, Poppy is a gorgeous shepherd from Lake Coleridge.

3. Donna and Monica - Two Abreast - both nurses (not racing at Baypark).

4. Cheryl and Kassie from Natwell Racing in Australia.

Plus navigators:
5. Karen Marshall - past and current world and NZ # 1 (nurse for the Burwood Spinal Unit).

6. Jessica Sit - marketing/communications manager for naming rights sponsor PSP Limited is jumping in the navigator's seat for this year's NZ champs and the worlds.

7. Tanya Iremonger, a big name in NZ speedway (Palmerston North) and navigating for Australian #1 Phonsy Mullan.

8. Kellie Minnell - with husband Leighton won loads of NZ Champs and is ex World # 1. She's currently navigating for Rob Coley in Mouthfresh superboat. They raced in Australia this past season as well and ended up #2 in Australian Superboats.