Waikato visitor Brendon Cornes guides Total Chaos to victory in the annual King of the River race on the Whanganui River on Thursday. Photo / Lewis Gardner
Waikato visitor Brendon Cornes guides Total Chaos to victory in the annual King of the River race on the Whanganui River on Thursday. Photo / Lewis Gardner
The 88th running of the Wanganui Motorboat Club's popular King of the River on Thursday was won for the first time by Waikato visitor Brendon Cornes.
Cornes has been a regular at the annual fixture on the Whanganui River for many years and he reserved his first victory in themain event for his debut in his new boat Total Chaos.
Bill Gaudin, former Wanganui Motorboat Club commodore and raceday commentator for the two-day regatta, said Total Chaos was not a new craft in itself, but Cornes had only just bought the Formula 1 Tunnel Hull.
"Brendon has been coming here for many, many years, but has never actually won the King of the River race which is reserved for the eight fastest boats from all classes raced over the two days," Gaudin said.
Former Wanganui Motor Boat Club commodore and King of the River Regatta raceday commentator Bill Guadin describes the action. Photo / Lewis Gardner
"Second was Simon Watkins, from Waverley, in his Procon class Typhoon.
"We were rapt to have 38 craft at scrutineering and this augurs well for our centennial next year. We used this regatta as a bit of a dry run and a gauge on what we can expect this time next year for the 100-year celebration.
"The feedback is that we will have great support from throughout the country with between 40 and 50 boats committed already.
"The club celebrates its centenary and the King of the River race has been run since its inception in 1932. The only race that's is older is the Masport Cup raced for at the nationals on Lake Karapiro.
Simon Watkins, from Waverley, was runner-up in the annual King of the River motorboat race on the Whanganu River in his Procon class Typhoon. Photo / Lewis Gardner
"That began a year earlier in 1931 and has been won several times in recent years by the Lupton clan, from Waverley, in their big, powerful hydroplanes. We had no craft of that size and power this year, although we did have a hydroplane class.
"We were also rapt with the support from the public. We can't charge to get in obviously, because we are racing on the Whanganui River, but every year hoards of people line both banks of the river and make a day of it watching the racing," Gaudin said.
