powerboat racing taupo 2022

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Hydro Thunder GP Hydroplane NZ Championship Series

Lake Taupo , Lake Terrace, Taupō

Ticket Information

• Free Admission
• Fri 28 Jan 2022, 10:00am–4:00pm
• Sat 29 Jan 2022, 8:00am–5:00pm
• Sun 30 Jan 2022, 8:00am–1:00pm

Restrictions

• GP Hydroplane NZ

Round two of the 2022 Hydro Thunder NZ GP Hydroplane Championship Series at Lake Taupo based on the waterfront in front of the Lake Taupo Yacht Club. Practice day from 10am Friday 28th Jan full day racing Saturday 29th finishing 1pm on the Sunday in time for the first round of the NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship Series. Racing will also include the NZ Junior Series, Mixed class racing Modified Hydroplanes, Mod VP, Formula One Tunnels. Best viewing form the Lake Taupo Yacht Club or the Waterfront. For further information contact Rod Vennell 0276122762 or Denise Preece 0272503504.

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Grand National Hydroplane

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Lake Kaniere Yacht & Power Boat Club

N.b.p.b.c. 2024 lake hood regatta weekend, the nzpba is the governing body in new zealand for circuit power boat racing..

The NZPBA is affiliated to the New Zealand Power Boat Federation Inc. who are in turn affiliated to the world governing body the UIM (Union International Motonautique).

ere in NZ we race many types of craft on oval or triangular left hand turn tracks which range in overall length of between 1 and 2 kilometers. Our courses are on New Zealand’s many inland waterways, lakes, rivers and sheltered harbours.

Circuit racing boats include Hydroplanes, Racing Runabouts, V-Bottoms and Tunnel Boats. They range in size and speed from ten (10) foot long with a top speed of 60 kph boats through to the big GP Hydroplanes that are seven (7) metres in length and capable of speeds of over 250kph.

On this site you will find class descriptions, race team profiles, our race calendar, racing news, classified advertisements, contact details for provincial clubs, drivers clubs and our national executive as well as photo galleries of our current and past racers. There is also a growing page of links to other boat racing sites.

Modified Hydroplane

Event Entry Page

2024/25 ENTRY FORMS QUICK SEARCH

Calendar 2024-25

2024/25 Race Calendar Check for events near you.

Tech News covers areas from UIM tech updates to new materials and engines.

For links to videos and other racing groups click here.

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If it's complete boats, parts, new or second hand you're after, click here.

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Nzpba clubs.

Please don’t hesitate to contact NZPBA via the Secretary or any of our Provincial Clubs for more information on the exciting sport of power boating. Vist our clubs below.

Cambridge-Waikato Power Boat Club Inc

Lake Arapuni Powerboat Club

Lake Kaniere Yacht & Power Boat Club Inc

Lakeland Power Boat Club Inc

Manawatu Power Boat Club

Manukau-Auckland Speedboat Club Inc

New Brighton Power Boat Club Inc

NZPBA Grand Prix Hydroplane Drivers Club

Rotoiti Power Boat Club Inc

Southland Power Boat Club Inc

Wairarapa Powerboat Club

Wanganui Motor Boat Club Inc

Wellington Power Boat Club Inc

Taupō's Sporting History: Powerboating on Lake Taupō

2021 Hydro Thunder Championships on Lake Taupō. Photo / Jacques Li

Taupō local Bevan Choat, who has decades of experience in media, has boxes full of information on Taupō's sporting history up to 2001 when he retired. Today, we look at the history of powerboating on Lake Taupō.

Who recalls that incredible January day each year when the roar of the mighty powerboat engines drew tens of thousands of people to vantage points around the northern shores of Lake Taupō?

The spectacular action, incredible speeds on the water and the showers of spray stirred up by the engines was a huge drawcard for spectators in bygone days.

While powerboat racing on the lake dates back to the late 1940s, the major national regatta had its beginnings in 1966.

Three years later, I had my first introduction to the special day when asked to do the on-air radio commentary of the race for the then Radio Lakeland where I was a sports editor and commentator.

This was a completely new experience for I knew nothing about powerboats and their mighty engines, so what was I to do?

After giving it thought I decided to contact Rex Henry, the then president of the New Zealand Powerboat Association who was in Taupō at the time.

I invited him to join me behind the microphone which was set up in the tower at the Lake Taupo Yacht Club where the panoramic view of the lake was perfect to observe the action.

That was where the mighty machines turned at the first marker after a rolling start along the lakefront to our left.

It proved perfect as I was able to describe the scene and action, while Rex came in with all the information about the engines of the vessels and the personnel at the helm.

As the years went by entries and interest grew, reaching a peak in 1973 when 96 powerboats roared around the northern bay, 71 of those in the 100-miler and 25 in the shorter event.

That year an estimated 50,000 people crowded around the lake shore to take in the action.

Following the world fuel crisis in the mid-1980s, numbers for the big race started to dwindle and in both 1990 and 1991 the scheduled event was cancelled.

Between 1966 and 1996, as many as 942 powerboats contested the big race, an average of 34 over the 26 regattas.

The return of the event in 1992 brought about bigger dimensions to the race as it became part of the New Zealand drivers' offshore championship, attracting the most powerful boats ever seen on the lake.

It was then also that the event doubled as part of the transtasman series attracting the attention of the impressive Aussie machines with their experienced drivers.

Over the years some of the more notable and talented New Zealand entries were Aucklanders Graeme Horne and his powerboat Fleetlease and EIT Mover, and Peter Turner Sleepyhead.

Most years, being an early January event in the height of the summer, conditions were well-nigh perfect for powerboat racing, but there was an exception in the 13th event in 1978.

That year a 50-knot south-westerly wind greeted the starters and subsequently there were accidents throughout the race.

The most spectacular of those saw the powerboat named Sunday News meet its fate directly in front of us at the broadcasting point in the Lake Taupō Yacht Club tower opposite which the boats turned at a marker buoy to head south.

As it approached the turn, Sunday News was flipped by the gale-force wind and completely somersaulted with its pilot and co-pilot sent flying and requiring immediate assistance.

The rescue helicopter was immediately on the scene rescuing the injured crew, winching them to safety and having them transferred by ambulance to hospital where they eventually recovered.

That was the only occasion in the long list of racing on the lake that a tragedy unfolded.

While racing still continues annually in January, Thunder on the great lake may never be the same.

Race Winners

3rd event, 1968, Vee Jet, P Hayman averaging 53.3mph, 49 starters.

4th event, 1969, Miss Plylite IV, R C Smith (Wellington), 39 starters.

5th event, 1970, Mystic Miss, Bill Stevenson (Auck) averaging 56.25mph, 47 starters.

6th event, 1971, Roaring Rat, J A Poole (Rotorua), 62 starters.

7th event, 1972, Tara Too, Ivan Boyce (Auckland), 65 starters.

8th event, 1973, The Old Crow, Spinner Black (Morrinsville), 71 starters and 25 in the 40-miler.

9th event, 1974, Pall Mall, Graham Tordoff (Morrinsville) averaging 67.7mph.

10th event, 1975, Topaz, Jim McKay (Auckland), 36 starters.

11th event, 1976, Miss Holiday Marine, Keith Smith (Auckland), 35 starters.

12th event, 1977, Miss Holiday Marine, Keith Smith (Auckland), 45 starters.

13th event, 1978, Mr Inmetals, Warwick Irving (Papatoetoe), 39 starters, 50-knot wind.

14th event, 1979, Laurie's Restaurant, Brian Harvey (Wellington), 24 starters.

15th event, 1980, Miss Crichton Ford, Maurice Begley (Auckland), 22 starters.

16th event, 1981, Typhoon Carma, Roger Wood (Kimbolton), 19 starters.

17th event, 1982, EIT Mover, Graeme Horne (Auckland), 38 starters.

18th event, 1983, Continental Airlines, Graham Sutherland (Wellington), 36 starters.

19th event, 1984, Wraggs Quarterback, Philip Mills (Christchurch), 16 starters.

20th event, 1985, Scrubbers, John Garrity (Auckland), 23 starters.

21st event, 1986, Ritepine II, Ross Tebbs (Auckland), 21 starters.

22nd event, 1987, NZ Privateer, Ted Taiatini (Auckland), 22 starters.

23rd event, 1988, EIT Mover, Graeme Horne (Auckland), 21 starters.

24th event, 1989, Millier Group, Mark Stewart (North Auckland), 10 starters.

1990/ 1991/1992, No racing held.

25th event, 1993, EIT Mover, Graeme Horne (Auckland), 12 starters.

26th event, 1994, Sleepyhead, Peter Turner (Auckland), 32 starters.

27th event, 1995 Stefan Shampoo, Stefan Ackerie (Australia), 32 starters.

28th event, 1996, Sleepyhead, Peter Turner (Auckland), 31 starters.

29th event, 1997, Sleepyhead, Peter Turner (Auckland), average speed 151.18km/h, 34 starters.

30th event, 1998, Lorretto Lightning, Steve Thom (Auckland), 134.24km/h, 35 starters.

31st event, 1999, PPG Auto Refinishers, Tony/Wayne Carsons (Napier), 36 starters.

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Thundercats are go in Taupō

The Hydro Thunder and the NZ Offshore powerboat racing are able to hold their events on Lake Taupō this weekend, after initially being declined due to fears of fresh water gold clams spreading. Photo: Supplied.

“Boats are back baby!”

This is the message from and excited and "stoked" Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas.

““It’s fantastic to see these boats back in action on the lake for all to enjoy,” says David. " What an amazing weekend we are going to have!"

This coming weekend on Saturday, January 27, and Sunday, January 28, there will be plenty of action on Lake Taupō with the much anticipated hydro thunder racing.

Also featured on Sunday afternoon will be the Lake Taupō round of the New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Racing event which is the second round in a series of six for the 2023/2024 season.

“Huge thank you to Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board and Te Kotahitanga o Ngāti Tūwharetoa for their support and approval,” says David.

Late last year Taupō iwi Tūwharetoa banned public boating events on the lake due to fears about the spread of invasive gold clams which had been first discovered at Bob’s Landing in Karāpiro in May 2023.

Both the Hydro Thunder and the NZ Offshore powerboat racing were required re-submit their applications for holding their events this weekend on Lake Taupō, the only freshwater event in the series.

The other rounds are planned for Wellington, Taipa, Whitianga, Napier and possibly Marsden Cove, where fresh water gold clams are not an issue.

"Thanks to a huge effort from the NZOPA the Taupo event is back on," says an NZ Offshore Powerboat Racing spokesperson.

"We understand time is now short however we would love to see as many competitors and day entry warriors as we can at this amazing venue.

"There will be additional launching requirements in line with managing the Golden Clam outbreak that will be explained beforehand."

The Hydro Thunder Racing will be taking place from 9am – 12pm, Saturday January 27, and 9am – 4pm, Sunday January 28. The New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Racing will be taking place from 1pm – 3pm on Sunday January 28.

Visitors to Taupō and locals can expect some noise and a busier than normal boat ramp area at Parakiri/Boat Harbour and Two Mile Bay over the weekend.

The mayor and council are also expressing thanks for the attention being paid to the spread of gold clams.

“A massive shout out to the event organisers and competitors who are all getting behind the safety measures laid out by our friends at Ministry for Primary Industries to stop the spread of those pesky gold clams into our beautiful lake,” says David.

Fresh water gold clams

Gold clams are the freshwater lake and river version of rabbits. They breed very fast and can produce up to 70,000 juveniles in a year. That's a lot of wild teenagers. Because of this, they are a danger to other freshwater life.

Spread of gold clams can be rapid, as they “hitch hike” from one lake to another by sticking to your boat, jet ski, dinghy, kayak and other gear like glue.

It is possible to stop them spreading by following the Check, Clean and Dry steps:

Check, clean and dry:

Check - Remove any visible matter, including any clams you can see, along with plant material or mud. Drain all river or lake water.

Clean - Wash down your gear, vehicle, watercraft, and trailer that has been in contact with river or lake water with tap water onto grass, beside the waterway or at home and not into a stormwater drain system.

Dry - Allow gear to dry to touch, inside and out, then leave it to dry for at least 48 hours (2 days) before using again.

You can treat your gear by hot washing, freezing or bleaching. Find out more at www.mpi.govt.nz/clam

“Let’s keep those pesky clams out of our beautiful lakes and rivers,” says a Taupō District  Council spokesperson. “Stay safe and have an awesome summer in the water.”

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HYDRO THUNDER NZ SERIES

Lake Taupo 27-28 January, 2024.

The fourth round of the 2023-24 Lucas Oil Hydro Thunder Series kicks off at Lake Taupo based in front of the Lake Taupo Yacht Club.

This season they have a field of 10 plus Grand Prix Hydroplanes from all over New Zealand. THIS EVENT IS FREE ENTRY

www.gphydroplane.co.nz

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