You may have never heard of Sprint Boat racing, but its origins can be traced back nearly half a century, halfway across the globe. That according to the United States Sprint Boat Association (USSBA) website, which credits New Zealand for founding the sport. It all began with Marathon River Racing in the 1970s. These endurance races took place on New Zealand's naturally winding waterways, over the course of several days. Eventually a shorter format of river racing was developed known as Jetsprint, or Sprint Boat racing stateside.
The USSBA was formed in the early 1990s, with races initially occurring on ponds or small lakes. The sport was revolutionized in the U.S. when the first in-ground track was excavated in 1997. Since then, manmade courses are popping up all over the Pacific Northwest, constructed to mimic the twisting tributaries upon which the sport was discovered.
There are 3 classes of Sprint Boat racing in the U.S.: Superboat, Group A-400 and Super Modified, based mostly on engine power and size. Complete class specifications can be found within the official USSBA race rules.
Click the image below to watch TRANSLOGIC 70: Jetsprint Racing:
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