POWERBOAT RACING
Offshore powerboats feature in Whitianga festival of speed

Offshore powerboats feature in Whitianga festival of speed

Credit: Kate Gordon

infonews.co.nz

30 March 2009, 7:41PM

infonews.co.nz

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Fans of all kinds of fast and fantastic boats, cars and planes are heading to Whitianga for the Festival of Speed over the weekend of 4 and 5 April and. And the Rayglass New Zealand Offshore Powerboats will be taking a central role as a huge variety of speed machines arrive in the scenic Coromandel town.

 

Starting with a fine display from the offshore powerboat competitors on Friday afternoon on the Buffalo Beach Reserve, the action gets serious as the powerboats fire up for their traditionally challenging race on the waters of Mercury Bay.

 

Last year’s 60-mile race winner Greg Brinck, driver of the Sports 60 boat ‘Konica Minolta’, says Whitianga is a true offshore race for the 25-strong field.

 

“The course takes us straight offshore into the exposed waters of Mercury Bay. Conditions can vary from flat to a big swell and a big chop, but one thing for certain is that if it’s blowing into the bay from the east, then it will be interesting!” says the Auckland-based Brinck.

 

In the big boats contesting the 100-mile race, Tony Coleman, from Auckland, and Chris Handley, from Mt Maunganui, will be looking to take ‘Cure Kids’ to another victory after beating the current 100-mile championship leader ‘Fairview Windows & Doors’ at the last round in Wellington.

 

The ‘Fairview’ crew of Ted Taiatini, Rotorua, and Warren Lewis, Auckland, has a slim lead of just 27 points over ‘Cure Kids’ going into the Whitianga race, which is the sixth round of an eight round championship. Wellingtonians Kelly and Grant Smith (daughter and father) hold third place in the 100-mile championship and also lead the superboat lite class against the ‘Doosan’ crew of Aucklanders Sam Fillmore and Cary Gleeson.

 

Championship-wise in the smaller classes, Brinck and co-driver Eldon Archer lead both the 60-mile championship and the super 60 class from another Auckland crew Mike Gerbic and Haydn Mearns in ‘Expresso Engineers’. Third in the 60-mile series and leading classic class boat is ‘Holsam’ with Aucklanders Mike Cameron and Dennis Vivash onboard. Mike Knight and Shannon Thickpenny, both from Auckland, dominate the popular Formula Honda class and hold fourth place in the 60-mile series.

 

Amongst a huge array of activity taking place in Whitianga with the Festival of Speed, one of the offshore powerboats will take on a helicopter in an exciting match-up just off the main beachfront at lunchtime on the Saturday. Then at 1pm the powerboats are off to contest their 100-mile and 60-mile races, with the total race time expected to be one-and-a-half to two hours depending on conditions.

 

“There is fantastic spectator viewing from Buffalo Beach offering a good outlook of most of the course,” comments Brinck, one of the official spokespeople for the New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Association which runs the Rayglass-sponsored series. “Last year’s Whitianga race was the roughest of our entire season and you only have to look at some of photos from last year to see how testing it was.

 

“The Whitianga course, despite its challenges, has been good to us,” added Brinck. “We’ve won the 60-mile race here for the last four years. Last year’s race was really about survival, just trying to keep the boat in the water and making it to the finish, rather than worrying about trying to race the boat next to you!

 

“With the Festival of Speed, it’s going to be a great weekend all round, with many events free to view.”

 

The offshore powerboats contest two races in Whitianga 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.

 

Event details and results are posted on the NZOPA website, www.nzoffshore.co.nz or see http://www.whitiangafos.co.nz/ for more information about the Whitianga Festival of Speed.

 

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

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