Racing Rivers

Short Film (Full Length) – 1976

It was a Kiwi that invented the jet-boat, so it is probably unsurprising that at the time of this film’s production New Zealand teams had won Mexico's Rio Balsas Marathon three times. Directed by Derek Wright, the award-winning NFU doco showcases what was then the longest jet-boat race yet staged: a five-day 1000km race across NZ, with the locals putting their trophy on the line. The race hits the rapids and — despite the odd tree stump — speeds past scenery on six rivers (from the Whanganui to the Waimakariri), Lake Brunner, and through the surf to Sumner Beach.

Twenty-five years ago a New Zealander developed the jet-boat for practical reasons. Enthusiasts soon took up the idea and turned it into a sport, because the craft’s capabilities provided exciting boating in rivers previously thought impenetrable.
– From the narration