James Murdoch, with navigator Ross Murdoch in Carlton Hotel, leads the event, which started at the weekend on the Waimakariri River and finishes there on Saturday.
The marathon on South Island rivers is a trial run for the World Jet-boat Marathon, which New Zealand will stage next year.
There were 18 boats, out of an original 23 that started the marathon, launched on the north bank of the Waitaki River just above the State Highway 1 bridge about 9am yesterday, for the first 80km leg to Kurow, which took the fastest boats less than 30 minutes to complete.
Coming back downstream, Murdoch covered the 80km in 25.35min, not quite as fast as Daniel Anderson in The Ranch, which completed the leg in 25.1min.
Today is a rest day before the boats return to the Waimakariri River for the final leg.
Results were: -
Overall: James Murdoch (Carlton Hotel), 3hr 20min 56sec, 1; Rob Pooley (Just Mussels, 3hr 25min 25sec, 2; Daniel Anderson (The Ranch), 3hr 27min 09sec, 3; Chris Campbell (Ahaura Transport), 3hr 38min 22sec, 4; Regan Williamson (Daddy Kool Racing), 3hr 39min 06sec, 5; Roger Preston (Booth AG), 4hr 0min 38sec, 6; Kruse Davidson (Bannockburn Fruits), 4hr 07min 29sec, 7; Paul Collins (Jet Stream Services), 4hr 08min 21sec, 8; Malcolm Jenkins (Hairy Mussel Company), 4hr 08min 27sec, 9; Shaun Kelly (Kawerau Jet), 4hr 09min 30sec, 10.
Unlimited: Pooley 1; Campbell 2; Williamson 3.
A Class: Murdoch 1; Collings 2; Jenkins 3.
B Class: Anderson 1; Ryan Ringer (Outlaws), 4hr 11min 25sec, 2; Bryce Idiens (Smack Face), 4hr 23min 01sec, 3.
C Class: Davidson 1; Andrew Stuart (Keystone Decorators), 4hr 23min 32sec, 2.
D Class: Aaron Morrison (Stealth Racing), 4hr 16min 09sec, 1; Brendon Cameron, 4hr 20min 51sec, 2; Callum McKenzie (D70 Racing), 4hr 24min 08sec, 3.
R Class: Tony O'Laughlon, 5hr 12min 29sec, 1; Craig Robertson, 5hr 57min 33sec, 2.
