Colac Herald » Waterski

Expect junior to star

Rachel Rodger — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:21:37 +0000

Colac speedboat driver Rick Janssen predicts big things from emerging young water skier Hollie Praszczalek of Winchelsea following her performance at a Camperdown ski meeting.
Janssen drove for the12-year-old at a Lake Bullen Merri points score meeting at the weekend and was impressed with her performance.
Hollie, who skied behind Janssen’s boat Rush Hour, finished second in the junior two-up marathon and second in the four-lap sub-junior class.
Janssen said Hollie was tracking nicely in her first competitive season after beating home four boys’ teams in the marathon and falling just 20 seconds outside first place in the sub-junior race.
He said the young speedster gave away experience to her rivals.
“Most of them started in the under 10s so they’ve been racing four of five years and Hollie’s in her first year, she’s only just gone 12 so she’s got another year,” Janssen said.
“She’s doing really well,” he said.
The Camperdown meeting attracted about 60 boats and Janssen said officials expected events at Lake Bullen Merri to continue to grow.
The Rush Hour water ski team will compete in this weekend’s popular Mildura 100, along with Winchelsea-based team Pure Filth, driven by Hollie’s father Richard Praszczalek.
Janssen said Rush Hour was exceeding his expectations in its first racing season.
“There’s hundreds of boats been racing for years and never been on podium so for Rush Hour to be on the podium in its first year is really great,” he said.

Hollie Praszczalek

Death won’t stop skiiers

Rachel Rodger — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:46:57 +0000

A Colac water skiier says he will return to next year’s Southern 80 despite a death and serious injuries in this year’s race.
Colac’s Rick Janssen says the dangers of high-speed water skiing would fail to stop him competing in the extreme sport.
Janssen had completed his run in the Southern 80 on the Murray River on Sunday when a Melbourne man crashed and died on the course.
The accident was one of seven for the weekend, and the death followed a fatality on the same course weeks earlier.
The incidents have created doubt about the Southern 80’s future.
Janssen, who drove his boat Rush Hour for daughter Kara, 15, said the deaths were a crushing reminder about the perils of high-speed skiing.
But he said the incidents should not cause authorities to ban the sport and would not stop him or his family racing.
“It’s one of those things, it’s an extreme sport, it’s not a good thing but in these extreme sports you’ve got to expect these
things to happen,” Janssen said.
“Everyone goes into any motor sport knowing there could be trouble ahead and if you took another attitude you wouldn’t go outside the house,” he said.
Janssen said his daughter, like most competitors, was keen to push the boundaries.
But he said good drivers knew when to draw the line.
“We try to keep the girls safe and make sure they’re not getting their ability mixed up with their ambition,” he said.
Kara finished fourth in the under-16 girls’ race, while Winchelsea’s Holly Praszczalek, 11, finished third in the under-13 girls’ race behind her father Richard’s boat, Pure Filth.
With many boats failing to finish, Janssen said his crew was excited to cross the finish line, while Kara and her Melbourne ski partner wanted to relive the 12-minute rush down the river
a second time.
“They reckon they wanted to do it again, they were that excited, especially coming home around the bend with 10 or 20,000 on the finish line, it gives you a huge buzz,” he said.
Pure Filth finished fourth in its class.

RUSH: Colac boat Rush Hour waits in the water during the Murray River Southern 80.

Dad not so fearless watching loved one

Rachel Rodger — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:07:08 +0000

Former Colac water skier Rick Janssen was fearless when he followed boats travelling faster than 120 kilometres an hour.
But the father of two has discovered watching his teenage daughter travel at high speeds behind a boat is not as easy.
Kara Janssen, 15, has followeed her father into high-speed water skiing and this weekend will take part in her first Southern 80, the world’s biggest long-distance ski event, on Victoria’s Murray River.
Kara, who has been skiing since she was four, was reaching speeds of about 70kmh six months ago.
But in a recent trial run during the family’s annual camping holiday at Robinvale, the Colac Secondary College student clocked more than 120kmh – and loved the experience.
Kara said she was excited about competing in her first river race and pushing the boundaries beyond her
social skiing outings with friends.
“It’ll be exciting to go out and have a different perspective, to go full on and test yourself rather than just being laid back – to actually test your ability,” she said.
“I’m a bit nervous but as soon as I get up I’ll be right, I just want to go as far as I can and have fun.”
Mr Janssen, who raced in four Southern 80s himself, will drive his new boat Rush Hour for his daughter.
The proud dad said he looked forward to seeing his daughter compete in the famous race but would be wary of his speedometer with the precious cargo trailing behind.
“She’s solid as a rock on the skis, she’s got the potential there to go a lot harder, it’s just whether I want to see her go that hard,” Mr Janssen said.
Winchelsea’s Richard Praszczalek and his daughter Holly, 11, will also travel to Echuca for the Southern 80.
Mr Praszczalek, who will race his boat Pure Filth, has competed in famous race for the past decade.
Mr Janssen, whose second daughter Caitlin, 10, also skis, said he would be happy for Kara and Holly to simply remain on their skis.
“I’m not expecting anything big from the girls, but as long as they make the distance and get home, that’s a big feat in itself because 80 kilometres is a big distance,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ski Racing Victoria has announced Camperdown will host the final round of a Victorian points score competition on March 27 and 28.
It follows the success of a points score race Camperdown staged in October.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Colac’s Rick Janssen and his daughter Kara, 15, right, will compete in this weekend’s Southern 80 ski race on the Murray River. Younger daughter Caitlin, 10, middle, is also a keen skier.

Racer finishes season

Rachel Rodger — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:31:18 +0000

A Winchelsea water-ski racer has capped off his most successful season in the sport with a Mildura 100 course record.
Richard Praszczalek was part of a team which claimed the under-19 girls’ title in the Mildura race, driving two teenagers to victory in a record time for the 100-kilometre course.
The win continues the success for Praszczalek, who is in his ninth season in the sport, having claimed the Robinvale 80 under-19 title six weeks ago.
Praszczalek’s team Pure Filth gained a 20-second advantage after the first leg of the Mildura race and had to push the boundaries despite uneven swell on the return leg.
“We could see the boat in front and knew we had to keep within 30 seconds of them, which we were able to do,” Praszczalek said.

For the full story, see the current edition of The Colac Herald.

FAMILY AFFAIR: Richard Praszczalek, back, with wife Tracey Praszczalek, skiers Chelsea Kelly and Kate Wright and daughter Holly-Jade Praszczalek, has claimed a water-skiing title and record.