Powerboat return heard across New Plymouth
Powerboats carved up the choppy waters off the coast of New Plymouth in round two of the NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship 2018 on Saturday.
The grunty multi and mono hull boats, with motors ranging from 200 to 1050 horsepower, could be heard throughout the city despite the racing taking place hundreds of metres from shore.
The return of the championship for the first time in more than a decade had spectators vying for vantage points all along the foreshore, from Waiwhakaiho to Port Taranaki, with dozens of spectators lining the lee breakwater to get a glimpse of the start and finish line.
‘‘It was rough, it was big water but it was a bit of fun, completely different to what we usually run anywhere else,’’ said NZ Home Loans race driver, Chris Haegar.
Thrill seekers lapped up the event’s oceanside action as arch rivals in the Superboat 400 class, NZ Home Loans and Hijinx, battled it out head to head.
Haegar and his co-driver Karl Wall led for the majority of race one, until Hijinx hit the back of their boat. The damage caused the hull to take on water and forced their exit from the race.
‘‘Basically it’s really rough out there. First corner down the bottom end, our competitor, we were a nose in front and they decided to turn into us,’’ Haegar said.
Wall shared his team mate’s frustration.
‘‘Boat racing is boat racing. Incidents like that happen. We were taking the corner and he shouldn’t have come over and pushed us so hard.
‘‘It’s all about points so if you don’t go back out there he gets that much more of a lead on us.
‘‘Keep in contention is the word.’’
Haegar’s crew launched a protest with race officials that was not upheld, and Hijinx went on to win two races out of two. In race two the boats got their sprint on and some big air in the final laps. Outboard Pro took out double honours in the Superboat 1000 class, winning both their races.
The NZ Offshore Powerboat association teamed up with Venture Taranaki to bring the national motorsport event back to the region.