Jet boat racing is roaring into the region – it’s the first time this hair-raising sport has been run in Victoria for 15 years.
These incredible craft, barely big enough for their two-man crews, will ricochet around the channels cut into the field days site at speeds of as much as 150km/h.
Using just 750mm of water as a racetrack.
This is the prestigious Australian V8 Superboats Championship, and it’s coming to Elmore as a collaboration by the field days committee and the Australian Formula Jet Sprint Association.
And Moama Water Sports Club will be part of the show.
Because someone has to be on patrol if they go airborne or cartwheeling across the paddocks.
“We'll be out there as course marshals,” club president Steve Shipp said.
“We’re assisting any boats which have an incident or roll over, whatever happens.”
The track looks a bit like a go-kart circuit on water – racers completing turn after turn in one of the fastest short course water events worldwide.
Fast. Water. Event with huge reach. Sounds like a Southern 80?
It’s not, but it is a meet for the “boaties” to add to their calendar.
“It's what we need,” Shipp said.
“It's something for our club to do together.
“We’ll also be letting everyone know on the day that ski racing has recommenced.
“We had races at Lake Charm the other week and we’ve got races at Lake Mulwala in two weeks’ time.”
The hunger for racing among the radicals is slowly being fed again — the field days team doing its part with the return of jet boats.
“It will be a great event,” Shipp said.
“It's going to attract heaps of boating enthusiasts because this will be the main racetrack for jet boats in Victoria.”
The rate of ticket sales has already led the field days team to plan for expanded viewing banks in March.
Another meet will take place then, running alongside the Elmore Tractor Pull.
The day is being dubbed Elmore Full Noise — which is what’s expected on the water and along the banks this Saturday.
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