Iirc, theres no brake, there is button B that makes you stomp the watercraft to help you bottom the waves, also to brake hard i pulled the joystick backwards in a diagonal to the side of my convinience, this made the character make a drift like move.

pitching forward helps you dive (very important in twilight city and the last stage), but i dont think it makes you faster, if it does must be a slight pitch down (which would make an y analog axis important)

Then there are the stunts, but afaik they help nothing to make you faster or anything but extra points, they are mostly for the part of the game that have stunt courses.

count me in for the contest!, hoping its not a tight schedule so i have time to send some times!, you see guys, Al is making everyone think he doesnt remember the controls... and then he will send times that will make you seat again in front of the screen for a long while!
, yes im a glutton for punishment!