That’s pretty dang cool. We have a similar thing here on the river, and a local team airfreighted their boat to New Zealand one year to compete. But it’s not as crazy as that Aussie stuff. One year, though, a boat went airborne and landed on a spectator. Fatally.
It is a very dangerous sport....someone was killed here racing a little over two years ago...in a river - flung out of their boat at speed.
Man killed in jet-boat crash named | Otago Daily Times Online News (odt.co.nz)
The New Zealand Jet Boat River Racing Association confirmed this afternoon the man who died in a jet boat crash while racing on the Clutha River yesterday was 46-year-old Cameron Moore, of Christchurch.
Association president John Derry said Mr Moore was "a good family man".
"Cameron was of a similar age to me and had a young family.
"He enjoyed motorsport and outdoor endeavours and was a keen hunter.
"Everything he did involved his family and his children and partner Sharon. He was a good guy."
Mr Derry said Mr Moore had been involved in jet boat racing for around 10 years.
"He's very talented and had done very well both in New Zealand and internationally."
The fatal crash was the second in three years after Duayne Insley, 47, died on the Waimakariri River during the World Championship Jet Boat Marathon in October 2017, and Mr Derry said both incidents had a big impact on the jet boat river racing community.
"We're not a big sport. Realistically there's only 30 boats that turn up to these events so we all know each other really well.
"We're competitors but also good mates too.
"Unfortunately this is really tough for everyone concerned."
Hunting & Fishing New Zealand chief executive Darren Jacobs said in a statement Mr Moore was a "great loss".
"He was a popular, respected and highly successful member of our owner operator community and our condolences go to his family, friends, colleagues and staff at this difficult time."
The navigator of the boat was Adam Wilton (34), of Rangiora.
In a statement, the association said he suffered a concussion and broken fingers and was recovering in Dunedin Hospital.
The statement said the incident was still under investigation, but said the boat had left the water on "a straight section of the river" and came to rest on a sloped embankment.
"Our heartfelt condolences are extended to Cameron's partner Sharon, her daughters Rosalinda and Neve, Cameron's son Seth, his mother Viki, and the extended family, parents Merv and Gail, and sister Megan," the statement read.
