Big boats ready to rumble

BACK IN THE BAY: Fairview won the 100-nautical-mile race and the Superboat 1000 class in Gisborne last summer, and will be in action again tomorrow.File picture by Liam Clayton

OFFSHORE POWERBOATING

CROWD favourites Fairview from Auckland and Outboard Pro from Whangarei will thunder across Poverty Bay tomorrow afternoon as Round 2 of the New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Series comes to town.

Fairview was untouchable in winning the 100-nautical-mile race and the Superboat 1000 class when the series charged round the Bay last summer.

The 34-foot 1050-horsepower craft will again be one of the boats to beat.

McCann’ics ENZED Thunder Out East has drawn 15 superboats this year.

“Also hotly contested will be the 600 class and the 400 class, with a good turnout for the classic class,” race spokesman Chris Lankshear said.

“In the 600 class, Mike Gerbic will have his second race in his Espresso Engineers boat, a Doug Wright cat imported from the United States and rigged in New Zealand.

“We are looking forward to a fiercely contested race, between Race 4 Life from Auckland, Gullforce 10 from Taupo, and the new boat on the scene, The Big Bang Theory, driven by Jason Frost.

“This is an impressive linden craft with a supercharged 532-cubic-inch motor capable of producing 1075 horsepower.”

A parade of the boats will start at 10amThe day’s events start with a 10am parade along Gladstone Road between Grey Street and Lowe Street, followed by the launching of the boats at the inner harbour ramp.

The larger boats will be craned into the water by CR Taylor Ltd.

“If you like the roar of the loud V8s, then Poverty Bay will be the place to be,” Lankshear said.

Race 1 starts at midday, to finish about 12.30pm, with a break of half an hour before Race 2 starts at 1pm.

“The best place to view the race if you can’t get out on the water will be Midway Beach,” Lankshear said.

The organisers have been working on a surprise event between the two races.

Lankshear thanked local businesses whose support had made it possible to have Round 2 of the series in Gisborne.