Family rivalry at full throttle

Teenager Jack Lupton will be looking to stake his claim as top dog in the family by winning the AE Baker trophy on Lake Karapiro this weekend. Photo/File

There is a strong possibility the AE Baker trophy will be remaining in a Lupton family home in Waverley but the question remains which one.

The Australasian-recognised championship will be on the line, along with the North Island Grand Prix title, at Lake Karapiro this weekend for the final round of the Acceleration on Water Festival of Speed tour.

Defending champion is Ken Lupton, who claimed the AE Baker in his American-designed "Cheetah" boat in Tauranga last year.

The trophy has been domiciled in New Zealand ever since family patriarch Warwick Lupton, a two-time World Grand Prix champion, won it off the Australians at Paynesville, Victoria, in 2001.

But it is the colt of the Lupton stable who will have designs on adding his name for the trophy's next trip to the engraver.

Season rookie Jack Lupton, 18, began showing his potential during last month's third round of the festival at Lake Karapiro when he won the final event of the weekend the beach-start King of the Lake race against father Warwick and Canterbury's Raymond Hart in "The Boss".

The teenager followed that up three weeks later by winning the 89th Masport Cup Regatta at Twizel's Lake Ruataniwha, driving the Canadian-imported GP57.

"Jack, the youngest driver to ever win the prestigious trophy, now has to prove how good he is when they will line up for six big races planned for the two-day [AE Baker] event," said Denise Preece, president of the New Zealand Powerboat Federation.

As well as the hydroplanes, the festival weekend will also see Round 4 of the NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship series, a first at Lake Karapiro with a field of over 20 boats.

The NZ Formula One Series championship will also be finalised with Round 5 after racing began in Nelson in November.

Preece said Luke Sharpe and his "Promt Parts" team looks set to win the series from Christchurch's Jeff Price "Lone Wolf". "[But] with still four 10-lap races to go over the two days they will have stiff competition from "Design Windows" Anthony Robertson, Cromwell and Malcolm Jamieson with his new boat "Ray glass" from Picton.

The weekend at Cambridge will also feature Waterski racing, Master Craft wakeboarding boats and the Jet Boat River Marathon.

"Master Craft will have their giant waterslide free for the kids, along with static displays [and] junior class racing," said Preece. "Up to 80 different types of boats will be at Lake Karapiro over the two days' racing."

Tickets can be purchased on Eventfinda or at the gate.