Driver Tim Pickford, observer Brian Griffin and skiers Lachlan Nix and Aidan Cuff controlled the race from start to finish, recording the fastest time at the halfway point, an advantage they did not let slip over the final 50km.
The winning boat set off from Torrumbarry Weir second on the water for the first 50km leg to Wills Bend, but gained the ascendancy quickly over its superclass rivals.
Hurtling through the tight bends in 19:28, Sapphire set the benchmark to lead at half distance, ahead of unlimited inboard expert class runner Temper F1 (20:06) and fellow superclass competitor Brimstone F1 (20:07).
TR, the boat expected to challenge Sapphire for the overall win, suffered an early exit from the race, recording a DNF and not starting the return leg.
With a handy lead of nearly 40 seconds over its nearest rivals, the champion team aboard Sapphire headed back to Torrumbarry Weir having been re-seeded as the first boat away.
It was a slightly slower return trip for the leader, who cut the beam at the finish line having covered the final 50km in 19:33.
Temper F1 was next away, but was unable to make up any time on the leader, completing the second 50km in 20:02.
The only other superclass competitor left in the race, Brimstone F1 lit up the timing charts to record the fastest time in the second half of the race, a slick 19:31, however it was unable to make significant in-roads into the advantage Sapphire held.
As more boats streamed across the finish line it became clear there would be no beating Sapphire, with Brimstone F1 in second (39:38) and Temper F1 in third overall (40:08), also claiming the unlimited inboard expert class.
“We had a pretty good day,” Pickford said.
“Obviously taking off from second you get bumpy water most of the way, so we were pretty conservative on our run down.
“Obviously TR had a mishap and we got some good water after they’d had a fall, and pretty much gapped the rest of the field and just had a pretty cruisy run home with a 40-second lead.”
Pickford praised the Moama Water Sports Club for putting on another fantastic event, with the 100km format proving popular among competitors.
“It was a really good race. The extra distance was good for the skiers,” he said.
“Obviously it was pretty tricky on the return leg running opposite to what we normally run for the Southern 80 practice runs, so that made things a little bit probably slower on the way home.
“But it was a good race in all, Moama Water Sports Club did a wonderful job once again.”
The win marks an historic double for the crew, which also claimed its second consecutive Southern 80 overall title earlier this year.
Attention will now turn to the defence of its Southern 80 title in February, when it will have the chance to seal a remarkable three-peat at the world’s biggest waterski race.
“They’ve got the Vic titles on next weekend at Lake Charm. That’s another decent event for us to get some good rough water training,” Pickford said.
“But after Christmas, once the Christmas rush is over, we’ll start concentrating once again on the Southern 80 and practice runs down the river.”
Beehag 100 results
Overall top 10
1. Sapphire, 39:01
2. Brimstone F1, 39:38
3. Temper F1, 40:08
4. 99 Psycho Clowns, 41:05
5. Agrovation, 42:18
6. Elm St, 42:48
7. Hells Arsenal, 43:21
8. Ghost Rider, 43:25
9. ORSM Racing, 43:42
10. Shattered Racing, 43:53
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