The 2024 Yamaha Variety Jet Trek – a week-long Jet Ski ocean endurance ride – has raised $385,139 to help disadvantaged kids, bringing the fund-raising total to more than $3 million over 26 years.
This year a field of 91 Jet Ski riders including 10 first-time participants – supported by more than 100 road crew and officials – battled a week of high winds and huge swells from Kingscliff in northern NSW to Gladstone on Queensland’s mid-north coast.
Three legs of the 700km journey had to be cancelled due to severe weather which exceeded the threshold of safety permits issued by Maritime authorities and first responders.
However, most participants still covered the majority of the route on the water – despite winds up to 40km/h, combined with 2 metre ocean swells – in some of the toughest conditions in recent memory.
2024 Yamaha Variety Jet Trek recap:
- Day 1: Kingscliff NSW to Brisbane QLD (cancelled due to severe weather)
- Day 2: Brisbane to Noosa (shortened to Mooloolaba due to severe weather)
- Day 3: Noosa to Hervey Bay
- Day 4 (AM): Hervey Bay to Burnett Heads
- Day 4 (PM): Burnett Heads to Agnes Water (cancelled due to severe weather)
- Day 5: Agnes Water to Gladstone (cancelled due to severe weather)
Of the 91 Jet Skis entered in the 2024 Variety Jet Trek, there were 28 Sea-Doos (30 per cent of the field) and 63 Yamaha WaveRunners (70 per cent). No Kawasaki Jet Skis ran this year.
Although it is not a race, the Variety Jet Trek is a test of endurance – and participants raise money for the children’s charity to be able to take part.
In 2025, the Yamaha Variety Jet Trek will head to Tasmania for the first time.
The route will follow the east coast heading north from Hobart to Devonport, from 2 to 8 March 2025.
Entries for next year’s event are expected to be over-subscribed.
Initial allocations will be available to those who took part in this year’s event, long-term Jet Trek participants, and experienced Tasmanian Jet Ski riders – before any remaining spaces may be opened up to first-time participants.
MORE: Variety Jet Trek celebrates 25 years
MORE: All our Sea-Doo coverage in one click
MORE: All our Yamaha WaveRunner coverage in one click
MORE: All our Kawasaki Jet Ski coverage in one click
MORE: All our news coverage in one click
MORE: Follow us on Facebook
MORE: Follow us on YouTube