
Episode 182: Jonathan Abbott: Part 2
From Roostertail Talk by David Newton
May 26, 2026 · 47 min · Season 8 · Episode 11
About this episode
In this episode, David Newton interviews Jonathan Abbott about the complexities of officiating in hydroplane racing.
Send us Fan Mail The hardest part of hydroplane racing isn’t always the speed. Sometimes it’s deciding, in real time, what actually happened when eight boats hit the start, rooster tails erase sightlines, and a championship can swing on a single judgment call. In part 2 of the interview we sit down with Jonathan Abbott to get a clear, practical look at H1 Unlimited officiating from the chief referee’s chair and why “just call it on the water” is rarely as simple as it sounds. If you care abou...
People in this episode
Host: David Newton
Guest: Jonathan Abbott
Topics covered
- hydroplane racing
- officiating
- sports judgment
- championships
- speed
- real-time decisions
Keywords
- hydroplane racing
- H1 Unlimited
- officiating
- judgment calls
- championships
- speed
- rooster tails
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: H1 Unlimited
More episodes of Roostertail Talk
- Episode 184: David Williams and Brad Haskin, Part 2 · June 9, 2026 · 1h 8m
- Episode 183: David Williams and Brad Haskin, Part 1 · June 2, 2026 · 1h 2m
- Episode 181: Jonathan Abbott, Part 1 · May 19, 2026 · 45 min
- Episode 180: 1986 Miami Budweiser Unlimited Hydroplane Championship Radio Broadcast · May 5, 2026 · 48 min
- Episode 179: Sam Cole, Part 3 · April 28, 2026 · 52 min
- Episode 178: Sam Cole, Part 2 · April 21, 2026 · 40 min
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