Hydro Thunder/Venice Canals

One of the few (only?) tracks without a long straight to start and also one of the easiest when you're used to it's layout. There is a left turn almost immediately after the start. Around the bend and under a walk-way style bridge you find your first 4 second boost. This boost sits on a long right hand bend which has a slightly concealed short cut in between the buildings on the right. Don't worry if you miss it - there's very little gain in using it. At the end of the right-hander is a concrete plateau where the cut-through rejoins the main track. You can either jump this concrete plateau or use it as a ramp. By the time you've landed (if you didn't go via the short-cut) you are faced with a left hand turn and a large bridge in front which contains a middle section holding a 9 second boost. It's not the easiest of boosts to get but if you do, don't boost much else. There's a secret tunnel to the right here - just right of the quay being held up by columns - containing a 4 second boost and not much else. It leads out just after the next split (described below) and isn't worth while using.

Quickly after this bridge is another left hand turn and a short straight leading to a short split in the track along a right hander. You don't want to go down either split but instead jump over the island that splits the track to collect the 9 second boost sitting high there - remember to turn to the right to boost yourself in that direction as you fly otherwise you will happily meet the buildings opposite and a nasty building blockage. At the end of the right hand turn is a quay with a 4 second boost underneath. The track then takes a two way split as it veers right again. If you take the outside split you will be rewarded with a 9 second boost whereas the inside split splits again to two separate short canals with one 4 second boost each. All three splits join back up to cross the second check point. With good direction & timing both the 9 second and the inner-most 4 second boosts can be retrieved with a short jump just after the exit of the left-most split. There is a gap between the left-most and middle splits, but have not found it useful.

Keep to the right at the check point and line yourself up for the gap that begins to form between the buildings on the left - you will find that the track takes a sharp left and then u-turns back on itself and another left. Instead of attempting this complexity of the track simply jump the quay that is sitting in the middle. As you land, there's a ramp in front of you with a 4 second boost atop - if you have control head straight for it & boost up it to collect the boost & start flying. Again the track takes a little jaunt, this time to the right and back and again there's no need to take it - keep flying from the ramp or jump if you missed - as the grass verge in front of you forms a nice short cut.

On landing the track takes a sharp right and you should be sticking close to the right hand side of the track. The track takes another right but just in front is a gap between the buildings holding a small ramp and a 9 second boost. Collect the boost to cut off another section of the track - but don't boost through as it quickly takes a left under a bridge. Boost along a straight to the next bridge and cut the boost to take the right-hander as a 4 second boost sits on the inside of this turn which is easy to miss when using boost. This leads you onto a straight at the start of a tunnel which is deceptively long when using my memory - I frequently turn the next left too early! As you head left the track straightens to show another 4 second boost in front and the exit of the tunnel.

Back in the open the track takes a short right onto a straight before another short right and then a sharp left - cut the boost for this one as you need to line yourself up for a ramp. Hit the ramp and boost to collect a 4 second boost and you'll land in a tunnel with swinging chandeliers. As you boost along jump at the second chandelier to collect a hidden 9 second boost and by the time you've landed you'll be ready to exit the tunnel. Here you have a choice of two tunnels, the left hand one has a luring 4 second boost in front of. Use the left hand tunnel to collect another 4 second boost along the way. Both tunnels meander somewhat before joining back up for a long straight with an obvious ramp at the end. As you get to the ramp you will notice on the right a series of columns and a 9 second boost behind it. Take your pick - if you have plenty of boost left hit the ramp collect the 4 second boost and fly through the window at the end of the church (which you are now in). If you're running low on boost, veer right avoiding the columns, collect the 9 second boost and veer back out from under the columnar section and through the main doors of the church and down a drop. On landing from either choice, the track takes it's final left turn and reveals a ramp with a four second boost atop ready to launch you to the finish line.


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