Challenging Gulf Harbour course awaits Rayglass NZ offshore powerboats

by Kate Gordon on 17 Feb 2010
A race course offshore from the Gulf Harbour marina in Whangaparaoa, north of Auckland, awaits competitors in the popular Rayglass NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship on Saturday 20 February.

Depending on the wind direction and tide, the Gulf Harbour course is traditionally challenging.

'The 100-mile and 60-mile races are always interesting, particularly on courses like Gulf Harbour, where we'll be running the Marineworkz / AB Marine ‘Thunder on the Coast' race on 20 February,' says Cary Gleeson, president of the NZ Offshore Powerboat Association (NZOPA). 'With seven categories of boat in our championship, you see a variety of different set-ups, each of which has its benefits and disadvantages in certain conditions. Some boats will cope better with rougher conditions and this can often produce a victory from an unexpected team.'

With the Taupo and Gisborne rounds now complete, superboat ‘Doosan', with Gleeson and fellow Aucklander Sam Fillmore onboard, holds the lead in the 100-mile championship with Australian superboat ‘Team 3' second. ‘Team 3' is piloted by long-time superboat competitor Craig Archer, from Whangaparaoa, and Australian driver Steve Nugent. The pair has special dispensation to race the Australian-spec 32-foot Victory catamaran, as it's slightly wider than NZOPA rules allow. Greenhithe's Scott Lewis and Laingholm's Murray Tuffin, in ‘A1 Homes', are third on the 100-mile leader-board.

In 60-mile race series, super 60 class boat ‘Espresso Engineers', an Ocke Mannerfelt-design driven by Aucklanders Mike Gerbic and Dave Vazey, tops the points' table. Defending 60-mile champion boat ‘Konica Minolta' with driver Greg Brinck and co-driver David King, both from Auckland, is currently second. A classic class boat ‘Thunderbird 1' with a three-man crew from Taupo – Haaka Le Sueur, Gavin McGrath and Joel Moses – has won both the 60-mile races to date and is now registered to earn points for the full championship, so this leader-board may change after Gulf Harbour.

The AB Marine Formula Honda Offshore class is a popular sub-category of the 60-mile championship and Wellingtonians Mike Smith and Matt Hopkins currently lead this class in ‘Rayglass' as well as holding third in the 60-mile championship. The Auckland crew of Mike Knight and Yael Pook are second in ‘Honda Marine' with Whangaparaoa racers Mike Urquhart and Darren Woods hold third in ‘Auckland District Collections 2'.

Spectators can expect to see superboats reach speeds of 110 to 130 mph, says series commentator Jamie McCarthy. 'There's spectacular racing in every class – even at 60 mph, or around 100 km/h, in the Formula Hondas – that's fast when you're on water, not a smooth road!'

Teams set up for race day on Hammerhead Reserve, off Laurie Southwick Parade on the ocean side of Gulf Harbour Marina, explains McCarthy.

'It's a very friendly place and everyone's welcome to come down before the race start at 12 noon. Stroll around the boats, let the kids play on the bouncy castle – gold coin donation – and enjoy some truly outstanding racing from our field of offshore powerboats. There's excellent viewing and informative commentary is right there on the reserve. Depending on conditions, the race takes between an hour and an hour-and-a-half to run. Then we'll have a prize-giving on our podium on the reserve at 2:30pm.'

NZOPA thanks AB Marine Services, MarineWorkz and Marine Paramedical Services for their support of this event.

After Gulf Harbour on 20 February, the 2010 Rayglass NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship continues in Napier (6 March), Wellington (27 March), Whitianga (10 April) and Marsden Cove outside Whangarei (24 April) before Auckland's final round on 8 May.

More information and updated championship points' tables can be found on the New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Association website, www.nzoffshore.co.nz.

2010 Rayglass NZ Offshore Powerboat Championships

Points after Round 2 of 8

100-mile Championship
1, Doosan, Sam Fillmore, 775
2, Team 3, Steve Nugent, 675
3, A1 Homes, Scott Lewis, 619
4, Fairview Windows, Warren Lewis, 550
5, Red Steel, Tony Carson, 414
6, NZ Blokes, Bob Smith, 372
7, Rayglass, Kelly Smith, 277
8, Barracuda Kayaks, Gordon Robinson, 0

60-mile championship
1, Espresso Engineers, Mike Gerbic, 850
2, Konica Minolta, Greg Brinck, 675
3, Rayglass, Mike Smith, 544
4, Thunderbird 1, Haaka Le Sueur, 475
5, Honda Marine, Mike Knight, 446
6, Auckland District Collections 2, Mike Urquhart, 372
7, Total Oil, James Taylor, 274
8, CRD Automotive, Colin Zane, 243
9, Spannerworks Otaki, Tim Fellows, 233
10, California Boats, Glen Reid, 220
11, Mothers Marine, Brent Oldfield, 172
12, No Name, Graham Pike, 170
13, Back to Bay6, Glen Powell, 115
14, MarineWorkz, Jono Hanley, 92