Waverley dynasty sets sights on trophy

AUSSIE ADVENTURE: Warwick Lupton and three fellow drivers from his family will be trying to regain the EC Griffith Cup for New Zealand this weekend.PHOTO/FILE

THE Waverley hydroplane dynasty will be trying to bring back one of water motorsport's oldest trophies when the 103rd running of the EC Griffith Cup gets under way in Victoria today.

Patriarch Warwick Lupton will drive his Annihilator Race Boat while sons Ken (Lucas Oils) and Jack (Rural Fuels GP57) and cousin David Alexander (The Steeler 777) will join him at Lake Mulwala, Yarrawonga, north of Melbourne.

Currently there are eight New Zealand and Australian craft entered in the headline event of the three days of racing on the lake, with about seven support categories.

A transtasman trophy, the EC Griffith Cup is defended in the country of the latest holder, and only three Kiwis have managed to win it in Australia, with Warwick Lupton achieving the feat twice in 2001 and 2008.

Previously for Lupton Sr, the trophy was won back off the Kiwis in 2002 and returned to Australia, and then after he regained it in 2008, it stayed in this country among the local drivers until 2012 when current holder Grant Harrison (GP1) took it back across the ditch.

The other two New Zealanders to domicile the Cup in this country were Sir Ken Southward (1949-1963) and Peter Knight Jnr (1989-1994).

Oldest son Ken Lupton came the closest to bringing the Cup back in 2013 at the Bacchus Marsh course near Melbourne.

Driving the "Cheetah" boat with a new American engine, Lupton was the fastest craft out of 21 boats on the marsh, but the crew detected something was wrong and so changed to a smaller New Zealand engine for the finals. Despite now having only 1300hp against 2500hp opponents, Lupton still finished second to Australian Graham Weller.

NZ Powerboat Federation president Denise Preece said this time, with the whole family going over to compete, they have a good chance of getting one of them to reclaim the EC Griffith.

"The four boat team with a crew of 30 will not be alone in their challenge - hundreds of Kiwi supporters are also heading to Yarrawonga to witness this epic challenge in the long history of the Cup.

"Young Jack Lupton, fresh out of a winning season in New Zealand would have to be the hot favourite."

The youngest brother won the NZ Grand Prix National Hydroplane Championship title at Lake Maraetai and was also crowned the King of the Nationals.

"The affable David Alexander, a hard charging and honest driver, has the horsepower and courage to be at the front of the field, not to be ruled out and probably the dark horse in the field - Ken Lupton - has had a few minor handling problems since they put a new cell in the boat a couple of seasons ago [and] now sorted, Ken is quietly confident," said Preece.

And father Warwick says not to rule him out because he can foot it with the young guys.

The Aussie contenders are Troy Marland, driving Weller's old boat "Warlord", Harrison (GP1), and Ian Bryant (Mathemagic).

-Progress can be followed online at facebook.com/www.annihilator.co.nz and facebook.com/accelerationon water.