6:01 AM Tue 9 Jun 2009 GMT
 | | '21-year old Brooke Dixon dominated the final day of competition at Cabarita for her second round win of the year - Round#4 - 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships'
Sean Henshelwood
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Rnd#4 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships - Round Mountain Road, Cabarita Beach, NSW - June 6-7, 2009
Australia's leading Jetsprint teams arrived at Cabarita Beach for the fourth round of the 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Championships full of anticipation and trepidation for one of the most demanding courses in the world.
It had been a long break off the water since Easter's third round, and teams were edging to get back into battle.
Frustratingly for local teams, the action started as early as Thursday's media day where local driver Daniel DeVoight rolled his new boat 'Devo 2' twice, fortunately without too much damage, but it certainly curtailed his speed early on in the weekend. A string of other local drivers struggled early on Saturday, whilst at the front, reigning Australian Unlimited Superboat champion Phil Dixon showed no sign of struggling as he set a stunning pace in 'True Blue'.
Dixon was over a second clear of his rivals on day one, but succumbed to a mechanical failure on Sunday, and was forced to continue on in his daughter Brooke's Group A boat. Sadly he wasn't to feature on the Unlimited podium, although that had nothing to do with boat speed, daughter Brooke showing maturity and talent well beyond her 21 years to record a time in the end just four tenths slower than her father's best.
That might seem reasonable till you consider that her father's boat has something like 300 horsepower more..
Despite the difficult Cabarita layout, the popular young Victorian was on fire during Sunday's final qualifiers, and after the retirement of class favourite Slade Stanley due to his own mechanical dramas, Brooke was unstoppable on her way to her second outright victory this year, and just her third win in a six year career.
'I was rapt to be able to pull that off on my own without the support of my regular team-mate Nathan Pretty (V8 Supercar endurance specialist and reigning Group A world champion) and my long time mentor Colin Parish,' Brooke beamed. 'Leanne [navigator Leanne Rake from Brisbane] and I just gelled really well with the boat and were very comfortable.
'I must admit I did get a bit nervous prior to the top ten shootout, but after topping the times by more than a second I knew we could do it in the final.'
 | After a slow start to the weekend, Unlimited Superboat points leader Mick Carroll defeated team-mate Tony Giustozzi in the final - Round#4 - 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships - Sean Henshelwood Click Here to view large photo |
After Phil Dixon's retirement and the loss of former champion Dean Finch in his awesome new 1300hp twin-turbo Chev, the final of Unlimited Superboats became a two boat affair between 'Excalibur' team-mates Tony Giustozzi (winner of round one and two of this season's championship) and Mick Carroll (winner of round three), and reigning Group A champion Phonsy Mullan.
It had been a difficult weekend for all three early on, with a string of 'wrong-ways' and some minor mechanical issues, but in the end, all three put on an awesome display. Carroll was first out and he stopped the clock with a sub-39 second time. Mullan was next and he looked to have Carroll covered but an electrical failure as the result of an engine fire earlier in the year brought him to a stop mid run, fortunately without damage. That left the challenge to Giustozzi who is renowned as the most explosive and exciting driver in the country.
Teams and fans alike stood at the fence in anticipation of something special, and Giustozzi delivered turning in an outstanding lap to fall just seven tenths short of victory.
'I gave it everything I had, but it wasn't enough in the end. It's good points though, but importantly the team had another win, that's four from four this year and now Mick is comfortably clear in the points race, so we're pretty happy..'
Whilst Brooke Dixon in the end dominated Group A, initially it was all Slade Stanley who alongside Brooke was the only driver to record a sub-40 second lap. With Stanley's retirement and the subsequent withdrawal of brothers Ted and Darek Sygidus and reigning AUS#2 Greg Mercier from the top ten, Brooke was left to battle former champion Rohan Smith and Wagga's Rodney Krause in the final, Smith taking the runner-up position ahead of Krause.
The Cabarita Beach circuit is renowned as one of the tightest tracks in the world, and typically the domain of the less powerful 350 class. Again the battle raged between former champion Mark Garlick, his teenage son (and series points leader) Jake and reigning champion, Brisbane's Brooke Lucas.
 | Teenage sensation Jake Garlick defeated his father Mark in the 350 Class - Round#4 - 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships - Sean Henshelwood Click Here to view large photo |
In the end it was all Jake, the junior sensation setting a stunning lap in the final - a hot lap by anyone's measure, it still only marginally defeated the time set down by his father, the 'old bloke' running his best lap of the day to miss the win by just a quarter of a second in the end. 'Little bugger got me again,' Mark beamed, 'and I love it..'
For Brooke Lucas, he was hoping for a stronger result after suffering contact with the bank at the previous round which dented more than just his chances of victory.
'The boat's not 100% perfect, but I'm suffering from the flu and a lack of testing, so to finish third for the weekend is pretty good, but the boat is a lot more competitive than that; I'm looking forward to Maryborough in two weeks time for the second round of the Queensland titles to have another crack at the Garlicks..'
 | Despite changeable weather, Sunday’s final day of competition saw beautiful weather and one of the best crowds in Cabarita’s history - Round#4 - 2009 Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships - Sean Henshelwood Click Here to view large photo |
The Continental Tyres Superboat Championships now enjoy a slight sabbatical prior to the penultimate round of the season at Maryborough on September 5-6, then the final round of the championship back at Cabarita two weeks later (September 19-20). Teams now go back to state level competition with the second round of the Queensland Championships scheduled for Maryborough in two weeks time (June 20-21).
www.v8superboats.com.au
by Sean Henshelwood
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Sellicks Hill, SA
