Set beneath the snow-dusted peaks of Aoraki/Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo delivered a spectacular winter backdrop for the latest round of the New Zealand Boat Marathon Commission’s 2025 series, held Saturday 21st June and hosted by the Milton Boat Club. Despite the sub-zero temperatures and frosty start, a solid fleet of competitors lined up for a full day of racing in two distinct formats: a nominated speed event and a traditional marathon sprint. With both ice and adrenaline in the air, this event marked a unique point in the season, testing not only boat performance but the precision and mental discipline of the drivers.
Nominated Speed — precision over pace
The first event of the day was the Nominated Speed Race, where the goal isn’t outright speed, but how accurately competitors can stick to their self-declared target speed. It’s a mind game, where throttle control and timing win the day — not horsepower. Top honours officially went to Martin Heanue in Hard Target, who managed an impressively low error margin of 14.66, followed by Peter McLeary in Shockwave with 28.21, and Lachy Hall in Bulletproof close behind at 33.81. The field was tight across the middle pack. Simon Morrison in Lords Rival, Billy McEwan in Outlaw, and Jordan Henderson in Conflict all posted error margins in the 30s, suggesting a fiercely contested mid-field battle. Meanwhile, drivers like Jem Mosdell in Rogue and Paul Rutherford in Protech slipped into the 40s, and Jordan Lilley in On The Gas brought up the rear with a larger deviation of 72.64 — a reminder of just how unforgiving this discipline can be.
Marathon Race — flat out through Tekapo’s chill
The second event was the Marathon Speed Race, with boats grouped into classes (AT, AV, B, C, E, G), and this time it was all about outright performance.
Class AV
In Class AV, it was Paul Rutherford in Protech who turned heads, clocking a blistering 131.35 km/h average over 42 minutes and change — the fastest time of the day. Paul Brooks in Full Chat and Simon Morrison in Lords Rival followed closely with 129.42 and 125.11 km/h respectively, showing that the AV class was where the fiercest speeds were found.<
Class AT
Class AT saw Brett Archer in Secrete Agent take top spot with a 123.18 km/h average, followed by Billy McEwan in Outlaw and the Tim Fellows in Mans Ruin, who had issues in the Nominated Race and did not rank. Sadly, Graham Pike’s LJ Hooker recorded a DNF.
Class C
Class C was stacked with closely matched boats. Lachy Hall in Bulletproof edged out Jordan Henderson in Conflict with 111.28 km/h to Henderson’s 109.95. Sam Martin in The Reverend and Jem Mosdell in Rogue weren’t far behind, all finishing within a few minutes of each other.
Class E
Class E, the lower-speed class, was taken out by Lily Weir in Stealth at 78.62 km/h, with Martin Heanue in Hard Target backing up his earlier podium in the nominated speed with a respectable second at 72.91.
Class G
And finally, Peter McLeary in Shockwave, who had finished second in the nominated speed race, took out Class G with a tidy 93.43 km/h average — showing he’s no slouch when allowed to open the throttle.
Midwinter racing at its best
Despite the chilly air and icy water, Lake Tekapo turned on a superb day for racing. The juxtaposition of high-speed action against a tranquil alpine setting made for a dramatic and memorable event. Credit must go to the Milton Boat Club for running a tight ship under frosty conditions, and to all drivers who braved the cold to compete. The 2025 series now moves into its next leg with momentum building and rivalries forming. From perfectly timed runs to flat-out sprints, Tekapo proved once again why winter boat racing is alive and well in New Zealand — and why precision, grit, and horsepower still matter.
