By Ashlee Tulloch
Next month the Aussies are hosting the World Waterski Racing Champs.
Auckland's Ben Mayne is the Kiwi men's champ, he took time out to talk to Sports Tonight.
Being towed at 120 kilometres an hour is how Ben gets a rush.
The 25-year-old is among five Kiwi skiers who are strapping and suiting up to represent New Zealand at the World Champs in Queensland.
But what does water ski racing involve?
“Basically racing people and going fast,” says Ben who can average speeds of over 78 miles per hour.
For Ben there is no such thing as bad conditions. He has spent a lot of time on the water during winter, building strength and endurance for the one hour races at World Champs.
“Being in Auckland we have three different locations we can train in, no matter what the wind is we can always find good conditions to go out and thrash the boat.”
It is certainly not a solo sport either with Ben’s driver Richard Mayne playing a big part.
“You rely pretty heavily on the observer sitting beside you to tell you what’s going on behind, how the skiers looking, boats coming up and the driver pretty much concentrates on what’s going on in front,” says Richard.
So if Ben competes like he trains he'll have a picturesque finish in Morton Bay.
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