2026 Otago Series Jet Boat River Race

Get ready for one of River Racing New Zealand’s most adrenaline-pumping events — the 2026 Otago Series Jet Boat River Race Watch the world’s best jet boat crews take on the legendary Dart, Shotover, Kawarau, and Matukituki rivers in a high-speed battle where precision matters just as much as power. What went down: The event kicked off the 2026 River Racing NZ Championship, setting the tone for the season Canadian world champion Gord Humphrey, alongside Kiwi navigator Mike Pooley, took the overall win with a clean and consistent performance Tight racing early on saw only seconds separating the top crews after the opening legs Changing river conditions and cancelled stages shifted the pressure onto the final runs The Matukituki River proved decisive, where consistency beat outright speed A standout moment: CX Class crew Riley Smith and Scott Smith finished 2nd overall — mixing it with the Unlimited boats Across all classes, the biggest factor wasn’t speed… it was avoiding mistakes and costly time losses What to expect in this video: High-speed racing just inches from the riverbanks Technical lines through narrow, shallow channels Massive rooster tails and close calls The intensity of championship racing where every second counts This is river racing at its finest — raw, technical, and unforgiving. 📍 Location: Otago, New Zealand 📅 Event: 2026 Otago Rivers Race (Round 1 – River Racing NZ Championship) 👉 Like, comment, and subscribe for more jet boat racing action! #jetboatracing #OtagoSeries #RiverRacingNZ #extrememotorsports #newzealand #adrenalinerush #jetboat #boating #boating #automobile #lake #river ‪@itch‬