Barry-Cotter blitzes the Bay

by Sandman Media on 11 Feb 2008 Eighteen-year-old Tom Barry-Cotter blitzed the field in yesterday’s Hobson’s Bay Offshore Powerboat Classic, steering Class One superboat Maritimo to victory at speeds in excess of 200km/h.

Barry-Cotter and Norwegian co-driver Paul Virik Nilson completed 12 laps of the 14.2km course, which extended from Port Melbourne to Elwood, in a time of 62 minutes and 24 seconds – two minutes faster than nearest rival Simrad.

“Going into the race, I was feeling really good as we had ideal weather conditions for the boat’s set up,” Barry-Cotter said.

“It was fast, dangerous water and it was the boat’s set-up that allowed us to go at maximum speed for the entire race.”

Thousands of spectators lined the beaches and anchored boats close to the Hobson’s Bay course, which formed Round Three of the Australian Offshore Superboat Championships.

In the Supercat Outboard class, Melbourne-based team Saracen was victorious, completing eight laps in 63 minutes and 23 seconds, at an average speed of 145km/h. Saracen’s Antony De Fina said he was feeling a “bit sore” after the hour-long race in the choppy water conditions – as would likely be the case among many of the drivers.

In other divisions, Elders secured its first win in the Supercat Outboard Lite class, with just six seconds separating second-place Kwozzy and 18 seconds ahead of third-place Ezy Does It.

Grumpy Mongrel took out the Super Vee Lite class, with its competitor Slick unable to finish the race after suffering damage.

Round Four of the Offshore Superboat Championships – the Williamstown Offshore Powerboat Classic – will be held next weekend (16-17 February). The series culminates with stops five to seven in New South Wales and Queensland throughout March and June.

Offshore Superboat Championships – www.aopc.com.au