An intense battle between superboats ‘Fairview Windows & Doors’ and ‘Cure Kids’ is expected to be a key attraction when competitors in the Rayglass New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Racing Championship race on Wellington Harbour on Saturday 21 March.

‘Fairview’, driven by Rotorua’s Ted Taiatini and Auckland’s Warren Lewis, heads the 100-mile championship points’ table after winning races in Taupo, Maraetai Beach and Napier, but Auckland’s Tony Coleman and Mt Maunganui’s Chris Handley in ‘Cure Kids’ have been racing side-by-side with ‘Fairview’ all season long. The competition in Wellington is expected to heat up even further as the ‘Cure Kids’ crew looks for their first win.

With competitors looking forward to the challenges of the variable Wellington inner harbour course, spectators can enjoy excellent viewing all round the course.

“Wellington is one of the best races of the season for spectators,” says Cary Gleeson, vice-president of the New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Association (NZOPA) and throttle-man for ‘Doosan’, currently second in the superboat lite class. “We race right along the foreshore of Oriental Bay, turning at the lighthouse at Point Jerningham then down into Evans Bay. We draw huge crowds at this race with traffic on Oriental Parade often coming to a standstill.”

Conditions on Wellington Harbour can vary from dead flat one year to very rough the next, says Gleeson. “So we never know what it will be like, which adds to the challenge, as do the ferry wakes that move through our course during the race.”

The 100-mile championship also features the Wellington-based crew of Kelly and Grant Smith in ‘Rayglass’. Kelly is the defending champion in the superboat lite class, and this year has father Grant alongside in the co-driver’s seat.

In the 60-mile championship, the Auckland-based crew of Greg Brinck and Eldon Archer has ‘Konica Minolta’ at the top of the points’ table.

“I’m looking forward to the race next week as Wellington is my hometown,” says Brinck. “I have fond – and some not so fond – memories of the powerboat races I did with my dad back in the early seventies when the course used to run all the way from Evans Bay to Petone.

“With Wellington’s reputation for wind, we can generally expect testing conditions. Traditionally a short sharp chop on the harbour can come up if the tide is running as well. The last two year’s races have been held in relatively sedate conditions, so perhaps we’re about due for another rough one.”

The offshore powerboats contest two races in Wellington with between 18 and 20 boats expected to enter. A 100-mile race is contested by the superboat and superboat lite classes, while the super 60, classic, sports 60 restricted, sports 60 and popular formula Honda classes compete in a 60-mile race.

After the last round in Napier, ‘Fairview’ now has 1425 points in the 100-mile championship with ‘Cure Kids on 1125 points and ‘Rayglass’ third with 690 points. In the 60-mile championship, ‘Konica Minolta’ has 1325 points ahead of fellow Super 60 class competitor ‘Expresso Engineers’ with 825 points and classic class entrant ‘Number 80’ third with 775 points. The leading Formula Honda entrant is ‘Building Solutions’ in fourth in the 60-mile championship with 690 points.

The Wellington offshore powerboat event sees crews set up camp for the day at Evans Bay Marina. The two races start at 1:30pm and depending on conditions, the race is normally completed within one to one-and-a-half hours.

“We host a very family-oriented event and enjoy talking about our boats with anyone that wants to come down and wander around the set-up at the marina,” says vice-president Cary Gleeson. “It’s free to watch the racing from anywhere around the marina and foreshore or visit the crews and boats at the marina.”

Event details and results are posted on the NZOPA website, www.nzoffshore.co.nz. Highlights packages from each round of the 2009 Rayglass New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Racing Championship will screen on Sky Sport at a future time to be confirmed within the next few weeks.

After the Wellington event, the Rayglass NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship continues in Whitianga on 4 April, Whangarei on 18 April and ends on Auckland Harbour on 2 May.

Rayglass NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship

Entry list for Round 5, Wellington

Rayglass NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship

100-mile championship points after round 4

1, Fairview Windows, Ted Taitini, Rotorua, 1425

2, Cure Kids, Tony Coleman, Auckland, 1125

3, Rayglass, Kelly Smith, Wellington, 690

4, A1 Doors, Scott Lewis, Auckland, 600

5, Doosan, Sam Fillmore, Auckland, 544

60-mile championship points after round 4

1, Konica Minolta, Greg Brinck, Auckland, 1325

2, Expresso Engineers, Mike Gerbic, Auckland, 825

3, Number 80, Mike Cameron, Auckland, 775

4, Building Solutions, Mike Knight, Auckland, 690

5, Auckland District Collections #2, Mike Urquhart, Whangaparaoa, 672