Bridge to Bridge Water Ski Classic 2008
Media release: Tuesday November 4th 2008
Rollos Marine
Yamaha Bridge to Bridge Water Ski Classic
2008
Cromie Sets The Record Straight
At
the 25th running of the Rollos Marine Yamaha Bridge to
Bridge Classic at the weekend, Whangarei businessman and
four time world champion powerboat pilot Mark Cromie blew
away all previous records in a timed sprint up the mighty
Waikato River.
Aside from the action packed water
skiing race from Cambridge to Taupiri, powerboats of all
styles and performance took to the river for their chance to
take honours in the Bridge to Bridge Powerboat
Sprints.
World champion Cromie, along with up and
coming Holden V8 touring car driver Caine Lobb as his
co-pilot, took first place with a personal best time of 13
minutes, 44 seconds as well as setting the fastest speed
ever for the Mark Cromie Holden powerboat at 202 kilometres
per hour exceeding the previous best of 190.
The
sprints were taken in two legs, starting at
Central Hamilton running down the river to Ngaruawahia
and later followed by a run back up to the start with the
two times added together for the final result.
Mark
Cromie along with co-pilot Lobb set the best time and
fastest speed ironically on the return trip against the
river flow.
Somewhat in a class of his own at the
popular annual event, with the next contender Paul
Rutherford setting a time of 16 minutes 19 seconds for
second place, Mark Cromie has laid down the gauntlet in the
form of $1500 prize money for the person who can better his
record at the event next year.
The prize will
jackpot to $3000 if not picked up in 2009 and will again
double if not picked up in 2010.
Cromie has deemed
himself ineligible to pick up the winnings himself and the
offer is only valid over the next three years.
Mark
Cromie and Caine Lobb established a strong motorsport
relationship earlier this year when they joined forces to
contend the ENZED V8 Ute Championship.
Eighteen
year old Caine Lobb, also from Whangarei, has risen through
the ranks from karting through to Formula Fords where
he finished as runner up in the 2008 national
championship behind team mate John Whelan.
Mark
Cromie, who had been watching Lobb's career intently for
some time, approached him to drive the Mark Cromie Holden
Racing Commodore NZV8RU in the 2008 season where he
finished in fourth place by just one point in a difficult
first season plagued with a string of DNFs.
Lobb
had been on the podium in every race that he had completed
other than the very last one of the season proving to
be a major contender.
The Mark Cromie Holden
Racing Team are very much looking forward to starting a
fresh new season and going for the championship
title.
This seven round season of the ENZED V8 Ute
Championship begins at Pukekohe Park Raceway on the weekend
of 21-23rd November and ends at the new Hampton Downs
circuit in May
2009.
ends