DEFENDING Mildura 100 champions TR are out to hold off a stellar ski race field in a bid for back-to-back titles.
Mildura skier Jack Stevens and partner Jake Ellery, behind driver Ian Tricker and observer Nathan Miller, aim to become the first team to win the title in consecutive years since the great Hellrazor team won from 2010 to 2015.
Six superclass teams are in the running and hungry for victory following the cancellation of the past two river races in Echuca and Robinvale Euston.
About 120 teams have entered for Sunday’s expert class, plus 60 in the Saturday social classes and 50 in the short course races.
TR will start Saturday’s top 40 shootout in first place, in a bid to start from the same position on Sunday.
Starting behind them are the Superman team of Darren McGuire, Steven Robertson, Daniel Graziano and Daniel Cotton, who were the 2022 winners and the boat holds the race record time of 30:41.
The Sapphire crew of Tim Pickford, Brian Griffin, Aiden Cuff and Lachlan Nix are also highly rated as the teams looks for their first Mildura title since 2016.
Following the trio of teams out in the top 40 shootout are fellow superclass outfits Hells Reflection, Brimstone and Supernova, before the Unlimited Inboard quartet Temper 2, 99 Psycho Clowns, Pumpindough and Primevil round out the first 10.
Mildura Ski Club president Brandan McGlynn believes TR can go back-to-back.
“Local boys Jack Stevens and partner Jake Ellery have been out there getting the reps in and I think they might be hard to beat,” he said.
“It’s all really starting to take shape now and it’s getting really exciting.
“Everything is starting to happen down at the club and it’s really creating that atmosphere.”
A strong seven-boat field is slated for the expert women’s class, with Mildura skier and world number two Maddi Boyer out to defend the title.
Boyer will partner Molly Palser behind Hells Arsenal, piloted by Mark Boyer with McGlynn in the observer’s chair.
Speeds have been capped at 90 miles per hour in the wake of the recent deaths of two skiers, while intense scrutineering of ski equipment will also occur across the weekend.
The main race begins at 9am on Sunday.
Full details inside our 12-page Mildura 100 liftout
