Ross Travers will be aiming for another title at the ENZED Stadium Jetsprints Cup this evening.
Whanganui's jetsprint drivers have some fond memories of ASB Stadium at Baypark, which they hope will stand them in good stead tonight in front of an estimated 10,000 strong crowd.
The ENZED Stadium Jetsprints Cup has been resurrected for the first time since 2015, and will be an 'All-Star' style format with a smaller field of 30 drivers invited to compete from across the three divisions in the Altherm Window Systems New Zealand Jetsprint Championship.
This will include one Whanganui driver in each division, as Rob Coley looks to take out the Mouthfresh Superboat Class, Ross Travers aims for Fowler Homes Group A and Hayden Wilson competes in Stinger Boats Group B.
Coley's fellow Superboat driver Richard Murray has withdrawn and will be at Baypark as a spectator.
Travers said the format will run similar to a regular national series round, although the field had to be smaller as the dug out track inside the stadium would not be able to sustain its water levels with over 40 boats competing.
After the five qualifying runs, there will be the Top 9 eliminators, and then Top 6 and finally a Top 3 shootout.
In addition, the five qualifying times for each driver will be added together and the overall quickest in their division will receive a cash bonus around $500.
"That's nice. It's not very often we get a cash payout," said Travers.
Having won the Jetsprints Cup for Group B at the inaugural event in 2015, Travers knows the one-off format, rather than racing for series points, lays the way open for a bolter to come through the pack, rather than just the regular top guys.
"It's good to see some others on the podium. Don't wait too long and there will be new people on the podium, the way the newbies are going."
Travers also wants to get back on track in the second half of the season, following on from a disappointing day at the Shelterview round in December.
"We've made, what we think, are some improvements.
"We didn't have so much engine issues as tech issues - just choking the up motor up a bit.
"Pretty much the same problem as we had all last season, but we think we're on top of it now."
Wilson has both good and bad memories from Baypark as it was the site of his inaugural victory as a Group B driver in 2014, however the points for that event were eventually discounted due to complaints from other drivers about the loss of water from the tack.
He still climbed back in the later rounds to win the Group B national title, while Wilson's last experience at Tauranga was taking his less powerful boat up a class to Group A to compete at the 2016 Jetsprint world series.
After a tough day in Whanganui when a loss in oil pressure forced him to withdraw during the later eliminators, Wilson was looking forward to the excitment of competing in front of the biggest crowd of the season.
"[Crashes are] what they all go for, but I'll leave that for everyone else," he said.
"I love it being in the stadium, it just adds something different."
He is not anticipating anymore issues with event promoters Matt and Pip Minnell working overtime to sort out the water issues.
"It was a debacle back them, but ultimately it didn't affect me.
"It seems like, this is the fourth time, and each time there's a review, it should be all good."
Expat Whanganui world champion Leighton Minnell, cousin of Matt Minnell, explained this year the water is not coming from the town supply, but rather stormwater has been tapped into – coming through the treatment plant only 1.5km away from the stadium.
They had it half pumped in yesterday and was rapidly filling up in the afternoon, before they ran one boat around the course to test it for today.
"The water is coming in now, flat out," Leighton Minnell said.
"It's looking really good, and ticket sales are going gangbusters."
As of yesterday afternoon, 5500 tickets had been sold online, a figure which Minnell said could usually be doubled with the expected walkup on the day, although Tauranga will be busy with four major events this weekend, including the Black Caps vs Pakistan on Sunday.
The Superboat class is a little more open with Hamilton's Sam Newdick (engine issues) and Glen Head (recent surgery) not taking part, however multiple time world champion Peter Caughey is determined to shut that door.
Caughey did not have a good day at the inaugural Cup event in 2015, meaning it is the one crown that has eluded him with seven world titles and 11 national championships to his name.
"As a racer it is one of the most unforgiving and demanding venues to race," he said.
"It is a temporary track, the soil is quite loose so parts of the circuit tend to erode, especially the sandy sub layer, and that means the track changes shape as the event progresses, so the circuit for the final is quite different to the circuit for the first qualifier."
As the track erodes, the water becomes very dirty, which makes it more buoyant, so the boats are harder to control.
Caughey says the rotation sequences around the island are "busy", with a fast finish, so spectators can expect plenty of action.
"The layout is similar to that of the world champs a few years ago, but the sequence is different, with most turns to the right – which in itself presents some challenges.
"The guys we'll watch out for are Blake Briant, Darek and Ted Sygidus and Rob Coley, who always puts on a great show and will be fast and pushing hard."
Practices and the first two qualifiers will be held from 12.30pm, with doors open to the public from 3pm.