Thunder and Lightning comes to Redcliffe

by Bob Wonders on 29 Aug 2007 The newly-formed Offshore Superboat Championships roars into its opening round on Sunday, September 9, with a powerful field to meet in the waters off the Brisbane suburb of Redcliffe.

Described as having the glitz and glamour usually associated with Formula I and Indy Car events, the championships include the awesome Class I boats, capable of speeds in excess of 250km/hr.

Other classes include the SuperCat Outboard, SuperCat Lite Outboard and the exciting introductory class, the Haines Suzuki one-design.

The ‘support act' includes hair-raising racing by the 4.0metre Thundercats, which skim the surface at more than 90km/hr.

For residents of Redcliffe and surrounding communities, the first opportunity to see the boats will be at the welcoming parade on the Saturday (September 8).

The parade starts at the corner of Anzac Avenue and Redcliffe Parade and proceeds along the parade to finish at Irene Street.

Following the parade, spectators will be able to view the boats at the Moreton Bay Boat Club.

Supported by the Redcliffe City Council and the Australian Offshore Powerboat Club, the Redcliffe Powerboat Grand Prix will commence at 12 noon on the Sunday (September 9).

The race will take approximately one-hour, during which time the Class I boats will cover nearly 250 kilometres.

For those ashore, the event looms as a spectator’s delight, with ample vantage points to see the incredible craft as they race over a course close to the coastline.The Thundercats will race at 11am.

Organisers said the actual race course is approximately eight nautical miles, with competitors racing in an anti-clockwise direction.

Local boaters should be aware that the Margate and Queens Beach boat ramps will be closed to the public, with all other launching ramps in the district carrying a Notice of Race.

Safety buoys will be positioned around the course to ensure public safety, with only official safety boats permitted inside the buoys.

Prior to the race, all crews will assemble for the final briefing at 9am with launching scheduled for 10am to 11.30am.

At 12.15 all boats will undertake a 'sighting lap' accompanied by the Start Boat prior to the gun start at 12.30.

Presentations to class winners will be held at 3.30 at the pit area alongside the Moreton Bay Boat Club.

Offshore Superboat Championships chairman, Paul Gibbs, said the event would prove a winner for spectators.

'There are very few races of this class which offer such a range of good vantage points such as we will have at Redcliffe,' he said.

'As the name implies, many offshore races are just that – offshore – and only those with boats able to get close to the course can see the action.

'Here at Redcliffe, form the jetty to the boat club and all along Redcliffe Parade, people will be close enough to almost feel part of the action,' he added.

After the Redcliffe Powerboat Grand Prix, the offshore ‘circus’ moves to North Queensland where the boats will contest the second round of the championships off Townsville (September 23).

Both events will be shown live on free to air television and through the Foxtel/Austar networks.

Luke Durman, driver of the Class I ‘Simrad’ and the 2006 Australian Class I champion (with Ross Willaton on throttles), believes the Offshore Superboat Championships will give the sport a tremendous 'shot in the arm.'

'We’re indeed fortunate in having secured two such ideal venues to kick the series off in Queensland,' he said.

'Organisers are already in discussions with authorities looking at other possible race venues along the eastern seaboard, but perhaps the gold medal race will be the one on Sydney Harbour scheduled for March next year.

'That will surely be a highlight,' he added.

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