Five Minutes with Mick – Issue #1 Daniel McMahon 5 MINUTES WITH MICK: ISSUE 1, 31 JULY 2014 Mick Kelly is connected. World champion observer, winner of the Southern 80, top racer, mentor to newcomers, sometimes outspoken, always with the best of intentions, Mick’s up for a chat. So why not share it. In each edition of Racer’s Edge Micks going to put one of our members under the spotlight. You don’t have to be famous, don’t have to be a winner. But you do have to be committed and you must love our sport. That’s what turns Mick on, and why he wants you to spend five minutes: 5 Minutes with Mick… DANIEL MCMAHON, 35, OWNER OF 99 PSYCHO CLOWNS Daniel McMahon Mick’s comment: Dan is unique. He’s a pretty deep thinker and he’s always looking for a different way, sometimes I think just for the sake of it. He’s also one of the most competitive people I know. And he’s got a driving style that’s right on the edge. I’ve had the privilege of being one of his skiers and I know just how far he’s prepared to take it. Q: How did you start racing and why? A: I grew up in Echuca, so you sort of had to go ski racing. I was 18, off the back of a local 175 class boat for my first race, crashed, went to hospital, had a split lip and knew I just had to go faster. Q: But instead you left the sport for a few years before coming back big time with 99 Psycho Clowns. How come? A: Money, commitment, life. I had to get myself set (Dan builds and sells businesses. He currently owns two in Perth providing labour to the mining industry and security). But I was working way too hard and I needed a release. Tried social skiing but I crave competition. Too old and too fat to be a skier, I decided to be boat owner and driver. First boat was a 21’ Super Class with a 300hp outboard Merc. But once we got going it was too slow. That’s when Psycho Clowns started. Q: Why the name? A: It’s not what every-one thinks. It’s not flippant and I’m not having a go at anyone. Most boat names are all the same – they’re all trying to be aggressive: “Hell Raisers, Punishers:” they’re all names of a confronting nature. I figure the sport needs a different brand image (in his businesses Daniel is big on brand equity) I wanted a name, a brand, that was memorable without inviting people to be judgemental. If I went into a school, my boat would be the first the kids would name. Q: And yet as a driver you are aggressive. How would you describe your own style? A: For a start I think I look after you and (three times world champion) Wayne Mawer pretty well. My job is to go as fast as I can but at the same time to keep you as comfortable as I can. That said I chose you two because I know like me you always want to be on it and that you’re always up for all I can give you. So I figure every metre of the river needs to be attacked. If there’s even the smallest opportunity I’ll use the ballast to balance the boat for maximum attack. I use three scavenge pumps and I can shift 400 litres of water in 10 seconds (water weighs 1kg/litre – so it’s a lot of weight to move strategically around the hull for speed and acceleration). In a relatively short stretch of water other people maybe wouldn’t bother, but every advantage you can gain makes a difference. There’s a lot to be gained from boat balance and weight transfer. For a start it’s a substitute for putting more pressure on the engine. I’d rather run the boat hard and run the engines at 80percent max for reliability. Q: I may be putting my foot in it here, but what do you look for in a skier? A: Not just the skier but the entire crew. I like to surround myself with positive people. When it came to doing the world’s there were a lot of people who wanted to tell me I was too inexperienced and it couldn’t be done. My reaction was to find people – engine builders, gearbox makers, skiers who believed it was possible and who wanted to help. As far as a skier goes. Fitness counts more than size. You need someone who can go the distance. Trust matters. There’s got to be trust amongst the whole crew. But the biggest thing of all is mindset, it means more than physical ability. These days you’ve also got to consider specialties. Wayne is a genius rough water skier. You are a high speed specialist. (Mick’s note – high speed what???) Q: You’ve done a fair bit of power boat racing as well. Which discipline do you enjoy most? A: As it turns out, it’s the one without you. No offence, but it’s just easier and to a degree it’s more rewarding. That said winning the worlds in the Canary Islands was pretty special. Luckily though I’m not being asked to make a choice and I seriously enjoy both, but as you know I’ve got a tunnel boat in the shed (it’s a big shed) and from time to time I think maybe that’s an option. There’s also a lot of opinions in ski racing and maybe that influences me from time to time. Q: How many boats in the shed? A: For a start, find the shed (Hint: it’s in central Victoria but for a brand-conscious guy, there’s absolutely no external signage). Current count, maybe six. There’s two F1 boats, two F2s, a tunnel boat and a small 99 Pyscho Clown for my son Linc, aged 11. Q: What are your ambitions? A: Number one is not to hurt anyone. I never have, and no matter what, that remains the priority. Second is to maintain our level of success. We’re one of the top teams and it would not be good to drop back from that– not because of a lack of courage, not because of a lack of funds, and not because of a lack of good skiers, overall I guess it’s to be happy . Q: Your businesses are in the mining industry. Are you concerned by the downturn? A: Don’t believe what you hear. At the top end the mining industry has not come off the boil. The proposed mining tax stopped a lot of new projects going ahead and that hurt the middle tier, but at its core the industry is still very strong. skiracing.au/five-minutes-with-mick-issue-1-daniel-mcmahon/ Mick Kelly
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 06:55:39 +0000
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