Jetsprints: Bay has shot at hosting WJC round

Mad AZ driven by Wanganui's Peter Huijs with navigator Gary Huijs takes a tight bend at ASB Baypark on Saturday. Photo / Andrew Warner

They said it would never work turning a rugby ground into a water-filled jet sprint track.

But the success of last year's inaugural event at ASB Baypark proved the doubters wrong and this weekend around 20,000 spectators enjoyed two days of jetsprint boats roaring around the revamped circuit.

Round two of the PSP New Zealand Jetsprint Championship was held on Saturday with the inaugural ENZED Stadium Jetsprints featuring a top-class international field from Canada, the US and Australia joining the best of the Kiwis on Sunday. The massive crowds and positive support for the venue from drivers and administrators may well have clinched the deal for ASB Baypark to host a round of the 2016 World Jetsprint Championships to be held in New Zealand.

Jetsprints Bay of Plenty event director Pip Minnell says the world series had a potential international television audience of 38 million.

"It is very exciting for Tauranga city. We'd certainly hope to pack the stadium," she said. "We've really become the innovators with the sport on a global level."

Te Puke's Loose Unit Too with driver Tristan Hynds and navigator Jimmy Fagan stayed in the top three of the PSP Suntuf Group A category after finishing third on Saturday. Fagan says superior computer software on the boat has made a huge difference to their performance so far in the jetsprint championship.

"The computer is a big thing because probably half the boats here don't have it," he said. "You plug the computer in and it will tell you basically what to change on the engine, on the carburettor and things like that. It looks after the engine. We have ironed out all the little minor flaws that we had. The big learning from last year is knowing what changes you make and what difference it makes to the boat."

He says the revamped track design was universally liked by all the drivers compared with last year.

"The water level is a huge thing as it is more consistent, staying level," Fagan said. "It is a better designed track after the jetsprint association took on board what everyone liked and didn't like."

-Full results from the weekend action are available from www.jetsprints.co.nz