‘Maritimo’ ‘takes the cake’ at Williamstown

by Bob Wonders on 3 Mar 2009 The #1 boat of the Maritimo Offshore race team, the Lamborghini-powered ‘Maritimo’, has cruised to a convincing win in the third round of the Offshore Superboat Championships off Williamstown, Victoria.

With experienced Ross Willaton on throttles instead of regular throttleman Pal Virik Nilsen, unable due to other commitments to make the trip out from Norway, driver Tom Barry-Cotter and the man they call ‘Roscoe’ proved a successful pairing.

Perhaps the major story to come out of the race was the performance of the ‘new kids on the block’, Mackay youngsters Brandon and Chris Frier.

Crewing the #6 boat leased from the Maritimo team and named ‘The Good Guys’, the Frier brothers, competing not only in their first Class I race, but their first offshore race of any kind, came home a very creditable second, a lap ahead of third placed ‘Global Racing.’

The boys went from being overawed to totally delighted in one fell swoop! Offshore racing has certainly won two new enthusiasts to the sport.

‘Maritimo’s victory has the big catamaran surging to the top of the leader board in both Class I (The Australian Offshore Powerboat Club Trophy) and Aus I (The Mark Lee Trophy) with 1025 points, 125 points ahead of ‘Global Racing’ with ‘Acme Racing’ (625 points) third in Class I and SUV Dodge Ram (690 points) holding third spot in the Mark Lee Trophy.

Class I proved to be a race of attrition, with a one to two-metre swell providing ideal race conditions, but tough enough to give boats and crews a solid workout.

Seven boats started in Class I – only three were on hand to greet the chequered flag.

Early race leader, ‘Simrad’, last start winner ‘Acme Racing’, Melbourne entry ‘Impact Steel’ and ‘Team 3’, with Kiwi ace Craig Archer brought in to support Steve Nugent, were among the casualties.

‘Simrad’ driver Luke Durman said lack of fuel pressure caused the boat’s premature withdrawal and although throttleman and Maritimo crew chief Peter McGrath attempted repairs and undertook a re-start, it was not to be ‘Simrad’s day.

‘Acme Racing’ sustained most unusual damage; the big 46’ Douglas Skater lost a propeller blade, a not uncommon problem in offshore racing.

However, this blade was propelled ‘like an arrow’ into the boat’s hull and almost destroyed its steering!

There was some close racing in Supercat Outboard with arch rivals ‘Saracen’ (Antony deFina and Nigel Craven) hanging on to beat ‘SUV Dodge Ram’ (Mat Humphrey and Simon Isherwood) by less than a minute after 11 tough laps.

‘Kwozzy 2’ (Jim Harris and Adam Nicolls) crossed for third one lap behind, while ‘Blade’, Cameron Davis and Brett Luhrmann aboard, failed to make it past lap six.

Mick Walker and Gary Smith piloted ‘Elders’ to a strong win in Supercat Outboard Lite, downing ‘HF Marine Racing’ (Ian Harris and Graham Fraser) by nearly two minutes after 10 laps of the course.

The ‘pair of Pauls’, Gibbs and Fowlds, their new ‘Hog’s Breath’ in its first outing, grabbed third place ahead of ‘Grumpy Mongrel’, Peter Jack and Jamie Callan on board.

One boat started in Production class, ‘Slick’, Andrew Pike and Ronald Hutchins in the cockpit, and covered eight laps in a creditable 66mins 33sec.

It’s now a full-on week for crew chiefs as they prepare the boats for round four next weekend at Geelong.

Championship points after round three –

Aus 1

‘Maritimo’, 1025 points, ‘Global Racing’, 900, ‘SUV Dodge Ram’, 690, ‘Acme Racing’, 625, ‘Simrad’, 525, ‘Impact Steel’, 525, ‘Saracen’, 489, ‘The Good Guys’, 375 and ‘Blade’, 277.

Class 1

‘Maritimo’, 1025 points, ‘Global Racing’, 900, ‘Acme Racing’, 625, ‘Simrad’, 525. ‘Impact Steel’, 525, ‘The Good Guys’, 375 and ‘Team 3’, 75.

Supercat Outboard

‘SUV Dodge Ram’, 1325 points, ‘Saracen’, 850, ‘Blade Custom Boats’, 450 and ‘Kwozzy 2’, 300.

Supercat Outboard Lite

‘Elders’, 1025 points, ‘HF Marine Racing’, 925, ‘Shaken Not Stirred’ 375, ‘Hog’s Breath’, 300 and ‘Team 3’, 75.

Super Vee Lite

‘Grumpy Mongrel’, 1425 points.