BRIDGE TO BRIDGE RECORDS SET TO TUMBLE - WEATHER PERMITTING

Posted in Other News

stinga.jpgBridge 2 Bridge Water Ski Classic, November 18: If you wake up Sunday morning and Sydney has turned on a "pearler of a day" then expect the records to tumble in the legendary 49th running of the Feros Hotel Group Bridge To Bridge Water Ski Classic on the Hawkesbury River.

Defending Super Class champion Team Stinga Racing (TSR) is primed for a serious assault on their own five-year-old race record.

While cancer survivor Darren Osmotherley's love affair with the great race will once again be spun around as he attempts to break his own 1987 record for skiing the race backwards.

Stinga will unveil the latest addition to their fleet, the Force F21s boat, built to replace the "Legend" craft which has been one of the dominant forces in Super Class racing for the past decade.

For the 49th time, the fastest boats in the land will crack speeds of over 130mph as they tow their skiers 112km down the Hawkesbury River from Danger Island to Windsor.

And the message is clear from the seven-time Classic champions, Stinga: "See you at the Bridge"

If the conditions are favourable then Stinga, with owner-driver, Greg Houston at the helm will give their own 2005 record of 38 minutes 57.53 seconds a real nudge.

Houston will go into this year's race with a proven team of Kevin Boylan (Observer) and skiers Grant Patterson and Daniel Campbell.

But TSR can expect plenty of fire power from arch rivals Blazen (Noel James Griffin) Hellrazor (Mark Cranny) and Firebird (John Jnr Robertson).

And while all eyes will be on the nine Super Class boats, Osmotherly's "Team Paradise" boat will certainly cause plenty of attention.

Just after 9am driver Rod Bickerton and observer Sharon Maxwell will take Osmotherly and the brilliant fellow skier Danny Cropper on an attempt to break Osmotherly's 1987 race record of 84 minutes - for skiing the 112 km backwards!

Cancer survivor Osmotherly said: "I am skiing backwards again to break our 1987 record whilst Danny will ski forward guiding me.

"Our "Team Paradise" crew will leave early in the race to arrive at Windsor Stadium breaking the record if conditions prevail around10:30am.

"We will then take the boat back to the start and compete again with the unlimited class with skiers Shane Clarke & Craig Walker with myself driving and Sharon observing."

How will they get the boat back to the start? The boat will be transported back to the start by helicopter - which will be a sight in itself.

Osmotherly's is an amazing story of courage and determination lived out on the waterways of the Hawkesbury since he and his mate Scott Kell became the youngest skiiers to complete the course in 1978 at the age of eight.

In 1986 Osmotherly was diagnosed with cancer and was told by doctors after a huge operation that skiing at speed was out of the question.

But with the 1987 Bridge to Bridge coming up, the heart-broken Osmotherly had to find a way to compete, so he decided to ski the race backwards to raise money for kids with cancer

"We went out to beat the backwards record set by Peter McDonough of 171mins, and much to the doctor's surprise we beat the record by over an hour finishing in 84 minutes," Osmotherly recalled.

"In the following years I skied with many top class skiers and the one that sticks in my mind was the legendary Peter Eagle.

"Peter and I skied shoulder-to-shoulder and he taught me a lot about skiing and about life.

"Peter always said if I wanted to beat my old ‘backwards record' he would ski with me and ski shoulder-to-shoulder as we used to and guide me around the corners and see how close we could go to the magic hour barrier.

"But of course Peter was tragically killed in a boating accident in March 2008.

"As Peter was ‘the perfect ski partner' I didn't think our backwards record could be attempted without him, until last year's Bridge To Bridge.

"I approached another gun skier in Danny Cropper and asked the man they call ‘The King of the River' to take Peter's place."

Danny was humbled and proud to step up and ski for Peter Eagle.

If Sydney can turn on a perfect day then it might just be a record breaker 12 months out from the 50th anniversary of one of Sydney's marquee events - the Feros Hotel Group's Bridge To Bridge Water Ski Classic.

Rock legend "Angry Anderson" is "Team Paradise" ambassador and together they are raising money for sick kids & their family's. Click on these websites to give your support http://www.cureourkids.com.au/ or  www.everydayhero.com.au/skiingbackwards.

BRIDGE TO BRIDGE FAST FACTS:

  • Bridge To Bridge race days (November 20 and 21 from 8am) will see the skiers travel up the Hawkesbury River at speeds of up to 200kph and cover over 112 kilometres.
  • The Super Class Teams will travel 112 Kilometres' in just 38 minutes with speeds up to 130mph with 1500 competitors contesting the races along with teams from USA, Europe.
  • There will be up to 10,000 spectators along the Hawkesbury River banks.
  • The weekend will feature a two-day life style show; live bands; fashion shows; fast cars and a Jet Ski show.
  • Don't miss the Super Class Hot shots in a spectacular series of "shoot out" races on Saturday November 20, similar to V8 touring cars for their grid positions for Sunday's race.
  • Podium presentations, all based around a family lifestyle show www.waterskinsw.com.au/bridge2bridge

For more Information

MEDIA DAY CONTACT

Michelle Geoghegan (0422) 830 222
On the day (02) 45791555
Gift It Events. 
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http://www.giftitevents.com.au/

Media Release sent on behalf of NSW Water Ski Federation & The Feros Hotel Group Bridge to Bridge Water ski Classic