Thunder in the Bay

SPEED ON THE WATER: The powerboat racers can be heard all over Gisborne when they come to the city each year as part of their national series. They'll be thundering across Turanganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay tomorrow from midday, with two half-hour races. File picture

Gisborne will echo to the roar of big-boat engines tomorrow when a dozen or more powerboats charge around the waters of Turanganui-a-Kiwa/Poverty Bay in the second round of their national series.

The first of them arrived in the city yesterday and others are due today.

The Taan's Thunder Out East offshore powerboat races begin at midday tomorrow with superboats, and 600-, 400-, 300- and 200-horsepower classes.

“We are hoping the numbers will increase with on-the-day entries,” local organiser Chris Lankshear said.

“The two super boats, Out Board Pro from Whangarei (points leader) and Fairview from Auckland, should have a closely fought race”.

Hoping to improve on their second placing at Taupo in the 70 MPH Class are local team Out East Racing, with their boat Wildchild.

The boat is raced by Chris Lankshear and his daughter Molly-Kaye Lankshear.

“This season we see a couple of the youngest competitors racing out on the course,” Chris Lankshear said.

“Acting as co-drivers, Callum Edlin, aged 15, races in the Bonbon Factory boat and Molly-Kaye, 16, is on board Wildchild with me.”

The boats will take part in the usual street parade tomorrow from 10am.

“Racing will start at 12 o'clock with a half-hour race round a course in the bay that's set a little closer to shore than last year,” he said.

“The second race, again half an hour long, will start at 1pm.

“Some of the best viewing will be between Waikanae and Midway beaches.”

The racing has attracted thousands of people to the beachfront in past years.

“If you have ever had the urge to race, and you have a boat, a family category allows you to get out on the day and have a go,” Lankshear said.

“This class was very popular in the 1970s and '80s.”