Whitianga turned on a fantastic weekend for the Festival of Speed as the town roared into life with spectacular displays of powerboats, cars, planes, offroad vehicles, bikes and, believe it or not lawnmowers! The town resounded with the sound of roaring engines, throbbing V8s and the smell of high octane fuel.

Events were held in many parts of the town with a full program of aerobatic displays and helicopter stunts at the aerodrome, Street sprints from performance cars in the main part of town, Offshore Powerboats storming around the bay and jetskis and thundercats zooming around the beachfront.

The weather couldn't have been better and crowds gathered around the town to witness the spectacular racing and aerial displays.

Leigh Hopper, of Whitianga Waterways said last night he was delighted with the number of people who had made the journey to Whitianga to watch the many events. At one stage the beachfront was a mass of spectators, with an estimated 15,000 gathered to see the Offshore Powerboats roar around the bay, passing within metres of the shore at speeds of up to 200 km per hour.

At the same time a further 15,000 were in other parts of the town watching the street car and offroad racing and other events, and by evening the town was buzzing, with the cafes and bars full of happy satisfied spectators, reminiscing about the amazing things they had seen.

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