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[BOATS] True Blue set to rock Temora
by Sean Henshelwood
'Locals' to feature at World Superboat Championships
16 November, 2009
The opening round of the 2009 World Jetsprint Championships is now just days away. The very best drivers from all over the world will flock to the picturesque Lake Centenary Jetsprint facility for what promises to be the biggest World Championship event to date, but it won't just be the visitors who will threaten for victory, 'local' team True Blue Racing headed by Temora Superboat promoter Phil Dixon will be looking to defend their title.
For Dixon, who has been Australia's leading Unlimited class driver in recent years (he was most recently the 2008 Australian champion) Temora will provide him a different perspective on competing; he'll be the car park attendant at the event. "Amongst other things," he laughed. "Look this is a serious event and whilst I'd love to be behind the wheel, I'm 100% committed to making the Temora event the best it can be, if that means I have to step out of the seat to do that, well that's what I'll do. The opportunity hasn't gone begging though, we're putting reigning Group A world champion and part-time V8 Supercar driver Nathan pretty into my seat to sub for me."
Pretty won't be the only representative of the True Blue team, the world champions hosting three additional drivers, all of whom are Dixons!
Sharing driving duties with Pretty in the Unlimited boat will be Louise Dixon, wife of Phil and mother of Group A drivers Brooke and Shaun. The Dixons are considered the 'first family' of V8 Superboats, with all four members competing, but not just to make up numbers, these guys are all serious about their motorsport. Phil is a multiple Australian champion, Louise and Brooke are both former Queensland champions, whilst the youngest member of the family, rising AFL star Shaun will make Temora just his fifth start in a Superboat. Interestingly, his fourth start netted him fourth in the final round of the Australian Championships, mere hundredths of a second behind his older sister who in 2009 is a two-time race winner (she won the Temora event last time the Superboat circus was in town in late March).
For Pretty news of his graduation to the Unlimited class has rung around New Zealand like a siren on a cold winters night; they're worried.. "We'll see how we go," Pretty admitted casually. "Look I've been racing a long time, so I know all about respect, and quite honestly there's a group of maybe six or eight drivers that will be in for outright contention in this class, so it's no foregone conclusion. I must thank Phil and Louise [Dixon] for the opportunity to drive their immaculately prepared Sprintec alongside Louise for this event. She has come of age this year with a top ten finish in the 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Series where she drove consistently all season. As for an outcome, we'll see, I'm quietly confident, but I'm always quietly confident," he grinned.
As for Louise, the big stage has never perturbed her, and she will approach the event as she approaches any other event. "I have had a good preparation heading in to these world championships, I was happy how I went in the Australian series this year, although I'm keen to step it up another notch and see if I can't knock off a few of these Kiwi’s!"
Whilst True Blue will undoubtably be an outright contender in the Unlimited Superboat class, you could expect that they will have a serious presence in the International Group A class, the category for which they are the reigning world title holders.
Brooke Dixon is on top form this year, having taken two outright wins in the national championships, neither of which were in her new boat. "We took delivery of a brand new state-of-the-art New Zealand built Sprintec mid-year, but we suffered a few niggling issues with having it set up in time, so I was forced to use the older boat (which Pretty took to world championship victory) and fortunately held on for two victories.
"This new boat is lighter and faster, so we're likely to have a good run. I love Temora, especially after winning here in March, so I can't wait to get on the water."
As for brother Shaun, a rising football star who made the move to Superboats mid season whilst recovering from a knee reconstruction, he has been consumed by the world championship event after acting as Temora Superboats' full-time promoter over recent months.
"There's been a lot of work go in both in front of, and behind the scenes," he admitted. "We've been working as hard as we can to make sure this event, and the accompanying Temora Watersport Expo are a success, and we're buoyed by the support we've had from the local community to help us bring this event to Temora. From the forward thinking approach of the Temora Council through to the support of local businesses, Temora Aviation Museum and Temora Skydive, it's been a real pleasure. Our efforts are to make sure the event is a success so that we can put the Temora Watersport Expo on the map and make it an annual pilgrimage for watersport competitors from across Australia.
Shaun might be quick to address the promotional aspects of the event, but he's keen to avoid reading too much into his recent form. "Of course I'm happy to have been as competitive as this so early, but the world championships are just my fifth event, and against a string of former national and world champions, not to mention my sister who has been doing this now for five years, it's not going to be easy. I haven't put expectations on myself so far, so I think I'll follow a similar direction for the world titles, just keep it smooth and see what comes. I'm really looking forward to it." Like the rest of the 50 strong field, the True Blue team will have their first public showing, during the Temora Street Parade which will start from 5.00pm on Friday the 20th of November on Loftus Street Temora, this will include live music, competitions and giveaways and a chance for all the fans to take a close look at all the boats on display.
For Dixon, who has been Australia's leading Unlimited class driver in recent years (he was most recently the 2008 Australian champion) Temora will provide him a different perspective on competing; he'll be the car park attendant at the event. "Amongst other things," he laughed. "Look this is a serious event and whilst I'd love to be behind the wheel, I'm 100% committed to making the Temora event the best it can be, if that means I have to step out of the seat to do that, well that's what I'll do. The opportunity hasn't gone begging though, we're putting reigning Group A world champion and part-time V8 Supercar driver Nathan pretty into my seat to sub for me."
Pretty won't be the only representative of the True Blue team, the world champions hosting three additional drivers, all of whom are Dixons!
Sharing driving duties with Pretty in the Unlimited boat will be Louise Dixon, wife of Phil and mother of Group A drivers Brooke and Shaun. The Dixons are considered the 'first family' of V8 Superboats, with all four members competing, but not just to make up numbers, these guys are all serious about their motorsport. Phil is a multiple Australian champion, Louise and Brooke are both former Queensland champions, whilst the youngest member of the family, rising AFL star Shaun will make Temora just his fifth start in a Superboat. Interestingly, his fourth start netted him fourth in the final round of the Australian Championships, mere hundredths of a second behind his older sister who in 2009 is a two-time race winner (she won the Temora event last time the Superboat circus was in town in late March).
For Pretty news of his graduation to the Unlimited class has rung around New Zealand like a siren on a cold winters night; they're worried.. "We'll see how we go," Pretty admitted casually. "Look I've been racing a long time, so I know all about respect, and quite honestly there's a group of maybe six or eight drivers that will be in for outright contention in this class, so it's no foregone conclusion. I must thank Phil and Louise [Dixon] for the opportunity to drive their immaculately prepared Sprintec alongside Louise for this event. She has come of age this year with a top ten finish in the 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Series where she drove consistently all season. As for an outcome, we'll see, I'm quietly confident, but I'm always quietly confident," he grinned.
As for Louise, the big stage has never perturbed her, and she will approach the event as she approaches any other event. "I have had a good preparation heading in to these world championships, I was happy how I went in the Australian series this year, although I'm keen to step it up another notch and see if I can't knock off a few of these Kiwi’s!"
Whilst True Blue will undoubtably be an outright contender in the Unlimited Superboat class, you could expect that they will have a serious presence in the International Group A class, the category for which they are the reigning world title holders.
Brooke Dixon is on top form this year, having taken two outright wins in the national championships, neither of which were in her new boat. "We took delivery of a brand new state-of-the-art New Zealand built Sprintec mid-year, but we suffered a few niggling issues with having it set up in time, so I was forced to use the older boat (which Pretty took to world championship victory) and fortunately held on for two victories.
"This new boat is lighter and faster, so we're likely to have a good run. I love Temora, especially after winning here in March, so I can't wait to get on the water."
As for brother Shaun, a rising football star who made the move to Superboats mid season whilst recovering from a knee reconstruction, he has been consumed by the world championship event after acting as Temora Superboats' full-time promoter over recent months.
"There's been a lot of work go in both in front of, and behind the scenes," he admitted. "We've been working as hard as we can to make sure this event, and the accompanying Temora Watersport Expo are a success, and we're buoyed by the support we've had from the local community to help us bring this event to Temora. From the forward thinking approach of the Temora Council through to the support of local businesses, Temora Aviation Museum and Temora Skydive, it's been a real pleasure. Our efforts are to make sure the event is a success so that we can put the Temora Watersport Expo on the map and make it an annual pilgrimage for watersport competitors from across Australia.
Shaun might be quick to address the promotional aspects of the event, but he's keen to avoid reading too much into his recent form. "Of course I'm happy to have been as competitive as this so early, but the world championships are just my fifth event, and against a string of former national and world champions, not to mention my sister who has been doing this now for five years, it's not going to be easy. I haven't put expectations on myself so far, so I think I'll follow a similar direction for the world titles, just keep it smooth and see what comes. I'm really looking forward to it." Like the rest of the 50 strong field, the True Blue team will have their first public showing, during the Temora Street Parade which will start from 5.00pm on Friday the 20th of November on Loftus Street Temora, this will include live music, competitions and giveaways and a chance for all the fans to take a close look at all the boats on display.
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