The 41st Yamaha Rollo’s Marine Bridge to Bridge Water Ski Classic delivered another spectacular showcase of high-speed action and elite talent in 2025, drawing the country’s best water ski racers, powerboaters, jetskiers, and Thundercats to Hamilton for the iconic annual event. A strong contingent of Australian competitors added extra firepower to the field, with five boats imported for the weekend. In a notable first, the event also welcomed its inaugural UK entrant: World Junior Boys Silver Medallist Sam Hopkins, who made his Bridge to Bridge debut and drew plenty of interest from spectators. This year’s Classic proved one of the fastest on record, with ideal conditions and higher-than-average river levels contributing to an impressive 10 race records falling across the programme.
Action-Packed Saturday
Racing commenced on Saturday morning with the Masters race from Hamilton to Taupiri and back. Vaughan Hyde, skiing behind Messiah, set the tone for the weekend by winning the 54km event in a time of 23:25.
In the Yamaha Social Class, South Island competitor Luke Faid took top honours behind Ballz Out. The always-popular Parents and Partners race once again drew a lively mix of family teams, with the Australian pairing of Jess Spencer and Jaymi Clancy not only taking the win but also setting a new class record.
Two new additions strengthened the grassroots focus of the event in 2025: the introduction of a Retro Class, allowing older boats to compete on an even footing, and a new Marine Industry Class. Both categories were warmly received and attracted strong participation.
Saturday concluded with the ‘Love the Centre’ Time Trial, the key seeding race for Sunday’s main event. Australian entry Sapphire, towing brothers Lachlan and Cam Nix, produced a commanding run, completing the 40km two-leg sprint in 15:50 to secure pole position. Messiah claimed second with a full Kiwi lineup towing Kane Carter and Perry Jamieson, finishing 54 seconds behind, while Australian skiboat Pumpindough secured third in 17:11.
Sunday Highlights
Sunday morning opened with the crowd-favourite DMW Trailers Trojan Powerboat Sprints, delivering the usual spectacle of speed and skill. South Island boat Infra Red topped the leaderboard with a rapid 16:21, followed by Criminal Racing in 16:40 and Traitor in 17:01.
Focus then shifted to the marquee event: the 82km Rollo’s Marine Bridge to Bridge Classic, a blistering sprint from Cambridge to Taupiri and back to Hamilton. Sapphire once again proved untouchable, delivering a flawless run to win the main race in 31:46. Messiah secured second overall, while Pumpindough rounded out the top three.
South Island boat Infra Red finished fifth overall and claimed victory in the 1 Up class. In the fiercely contested F2 division, Criminal Racing not only won the class but also set a new F2 record, while simultaneously securing the Modified (MOC) class title and placing sixth overall. Second place in F2 went to Slither’n, towing Jordan Dodwell and Australian skier Jaymi Clancy, who also captured the Ladies division title in record time. Third place went to Traitor Racing with skiers Hayden Gunn and Amos Ratuki.
A Standout Year
With perfect weather, fast racing, and a clean injury-free weekend, many participants rated the 2025 Classic among the best editions in the event’s four-decade history. New Zealand Water Ski Racing and the athletes expressed their appreciation to the sponsors, organisers, and volunteers whose efforts made the event possible.
