Australian Offshore Superboats start a new year: Superboats roar into the season

Lake Macquarie’s long, sheltered waters came alive as the opening race of the 2025/26 Australian Offshore Superboat Championships season roared into life. The course, a flowing anti-clockwise loop from Bolton Point to Warners Bay and Speers Point, gave spectators nearly full-view racing, a rare treat in offshore competition.

Early breeze and sharp gusts on the front straight kept throttlers alert. Down at the turn marks, flatter patches near Speers Point rewarded those who could read the water.

Four divisions, from the thundering Supercat Extreme class to the tightly capped Supersport 65s, took to the course in near-perfect spring conditions.

It was a day that blended raw horsepower with human heart. At the centre of it all was an orange catamaran, Boost Mobile / 222 Offshore, racing for a man who couldn’t be there.

Racing for Muddy

Crew chief and throttleman Pete “Muddy” McGrath is known throughout the pits as the joker, the glue and the grit of 222 Offshore. Diagnosed with blood cancer earlier this year, he’s now in treatment and was forced to miss the team’s home-state opener. In his seat, veteran throttleman Steve Jellick joined driver Darren Nicholson to fly the flag.

“This was the hardest post we’ve ever had to do,” the team wrote on social media before the race. “Hurry up and get better, Muddy — the tone of the jokes is just too clean, we don’t like it!”

As a nod to Muddy, when starting signal of the season dropped for the Supercat Extreme class, the Boost Mobile boat shot from the line and never looked back. Across twelve laps of spray and roar, Nicholson and Jellick drove with purpose, their Mercury Racing 1100s holding perfect rhythm. Boost Mobile crossed the line at 30 minutes 2 seconds, a symbolic win for the man watching from home in Newcastle.

Season opener (and day’s third race)

Two classes shared the season’s opening race and its third race: Supersport 85 and Supersport 65, each governed by hard speed caps of 85 mph and 65 mph, respectively.

To meet the hard speed requirements, crews must text a GPS screenshot to race control after the flag. Go half a mile an hour over and it’s 30 seconds. Touch 86 mph or 66 mph and you’re done. In this series, control is everything.

The 2025/26 Australian Offshore Superboat Championships roar to life

Supersport 85: power tamed by precision

With the start signal, Bakkr’s Colonel Racing made the cleanest getaway, but by the end of lap one the bright Pecherzewski’s Force 21 of TR Racing had muscled through. TR Racing’s 575 cubic-inch twin-turbo MerCruiser V8, said to make around 1,800 horsepower, sounded unrestrained, yet the team never once tripped the cap.

Throttleman Ian Tricker and driver Mark Picharsiewski kept TR Racing‘s hull planted, using the flat patches at Speers Point to measure throttle, then breathing across the choppy front straight.

Behind them, Bakkr and Kelly’s Colonel Racing recovered from a slow middle stint to reclaim second. The Panozzas, racing Skater 28, clawed back from an early hiccup to take third. The McAnally’s Water Sports Marine ran the only Mercury 450R four-stroke in class and banked fourth, while Penfold’s Thunderstruck kept the old Evinrude two-stroke singing to round out the finishers.

“Management out there on the racecourse is very important,” the race commentator reminded. TR Racing’s calm precision proved it.

First race final results, Supersport 85

The first Supersport 85 race saw a three-way battle between TR Racing, The Colonel, and Skater 28. On the water, TR Racing’s twin-turbo Force 21 looked unbeatable, but post-race GPS data told another story.

A marginal breach of the 85 mph speed limit cost them 60 seconds, dropping them to third and handing victory to The Colonel. Skater 28 finished a tight second.

1. Colonel Racing – Hary Bakkr and Steve Kelly
2. Skater 28 – Aaron and Jack Panozza
3. TR Racing – Mark Picharsiewski and Ian Tricker
4. Water Sports Marine – Anthony and Hunter McAnally
5. Thunderstruck – Darren Penfold

Second race, another costly mistake by TR Racing

Supersport 85 delivered two of the most strategic contests of the 2025-26 season opener.

In the Supersport 85 class’ second race, the Panozza brothers found the perfect rhythm to claim the win outright in 31 minutes 11 seconds in Skater 28. The Colonel settled for second, and the McAnally duo in Water Sports Marine completed the podium. TR Racing again crossed first but incurred a full-lap penalty for over-speeding — a costly but telling sign of how fine the line is between control and chaos.

Second race final results, Supersport 85

1. Skater 28 – Aaron and Jack Panozza
2. Colonel Racing – Hary Bakkr and Steve Kelly
3. Water Sports Marine – Anthony and Hunter McAnally
4. TR Racing – Mark Picharsiewski and Ian Tricker

Supersport 65: The drama class

If the 85s showed discipline, the 65s showed drama. With their smaller hulls and strict 65 mph limit, racing becomes tactical rather than flat-out.

Bonici’s Power Marine led most of the way, chased hard by Paczkowski’s Valentus and Jackson’s taller-geared All Coast Marine. Jackson’s heavier engine needed clean water to breathe and on the final lap, they found it.

Down the long run past Warners Bay, All Coast Marine edged inside at marks H and I. Bonici’s Power Marine cut back across their bow to defend, but All Coast Marine‘s driver Aaron Jackson, standing the whole race, kept his foot in. Both Power Marine and All Coast Marine hit the finish line side-by-side, All Coast ahead by barely a boat length.

Volantis crossed seconds later for third, with Cardiac Arrest and The Con close behind.

“That was a good boat race,” the commentator laughed, “and Old Mate’s done it standing up.”

First race final results, Supersport 65

Unfortunately standing up doesn’t always land you in good stead with the results. But when both All Coast Marine and Valentus were disqualified for exceeding 65 mph, Power Marine took the win on consistency alone.

1. Power Marine – Patrick Bonici
2. Cardiac Arrest – Charlie Di Iorio and Greg Walters
3. The Con – Brendan Weeks and Sophie Lancaster
4. Team 38 Offshore – Ben Embleton and Liam Sutherland
5. Nutcase – Antonio Fasolari, including a 30 second penalty
6. Degen – Zach Gould and Michael Agius

Disqualified: Valentus – Patty Paczkowski, All Coast Marine – Aaron Jackson

Second race, another costly mistake by TR Racing

The afternoon’s Supersport 65 class second race replayed the duel from the season opening race, this time without controversy. Bonici’s Power Marine again kept his Yamaha-powered Force F19X clean and under the limit, earning a second win despite a 60-second post-race penalty. Cardiac Arrest finished runner-up once more, but this time All Coast Marine recovered to take third, a solid turnaround after their morning disappointment.

Second race final results, Supersport 65

When you make mistakes you can only come back for redemption, and that is what happened in the second race in the Supersport 65 class.

1. Power Marine – Patrick Bonici, including a 60 second penalty
2. Cardiac Arrest – Charlie Di Iorio and Greg Walters
3. All Coast Marine – Aaron Jackson
4. Nutcase – Antonio Fasolari
5. The Con – Brendan Weeks and Sophie Lancaster
6. Valentus – Patty Paczkowski, included a 30 second penalty
7. Team 38 Offshore – Ben Embleton and Liam Sutherland

The Supercat classes

The Supercat classes only raced once on day one of the 2025-26 season opener.

Supercat Outboard

In the smaller-cat division, The Sting lived up to its name. Mike Ratcliffe and Carl Wall handled the yellow twin-300R machine beautifully, trimming through the gusts to dominate the Supercat Outboard field from start to finish.

Behind them, Lancaster and Scott Kelly’s Kess Racing fought off Richardson and Steve Kelly’s TCR Offshore after a mid-race squeeze that drew a collective wince from the commentary booth. The Dove’s DLR Offshore brought their ex-Red Bellies hull home fourth after steady, consistent laps.

Final results, Supercat Outboard

1. The Sting – Mike Ratcliffe and Carl Wall
2. Kess Racing – Steve Lancaster and Scott Kelly
3. TCR Offshore – Scott Richardson and Stephen Kelly
4. DLR Offshore – Craig and Lachlan Dove

Supercat Extreme

The Supercat Extreme class is offshore racing’s top tier; 1000hp supercars of the sea. Reigning world champions Darren Nicholson with veteran Steve Jellick replacing co-driver Muddy (Pete) McGrath. Also in the mix were Peter McGrath with their Boost Mobile / 222 Offshore, Andrew Searle and Tom Barry-Cotter with their ACME Racing, and Todd Kelly and Stuart Eustice with their MOJO Racing. Newcomers Antony De Fina and Matt Kelly with their Team 3, Mick and Jason Kelly with Hornet Racing, and Philip Wiley and Darren Apps with Team Australia Offshore Racing added depth to the strongest fleet in years.

When the start signaled, Boost Mobile launched cleanly and never looked back.
Each lap clocked around 2 minutes 27–31 seconds, a masterclass in rhythm and throttle management. Nicholson and Jellick read the gusts across the front straight, trimming perfectly through the chop, and timed the chequer to the second at 30 minutes flat.

Behind them, Mojo showed superb composure with Todd Kelly on throttles and Stuart Eustace making his debut at the helm. They ran smooth, conservative lines early, then opened the taps when clear water appeared, holding second throughout.

The returning Hornet Racing crew of Mick and Jason Kelly impressed on their Australian comeback. Running a lighter 34-foot Skater with twin 525 MerCruisers, they traded agility for outright muscle yet stayed in touch all race, finishing third.

Team Australia 2 with Darren Apps and Paul Folds brought the ex-Mustang home in fourth while sorting early-season niggles.

Mechanical misfortune struck Andrew Searle and Tom Barry-Cotter’s Acme Racing, which fought planing issues before retiring, and Anthony De Fina and Matt Kelly’s Venturi Offshore, which stopped on the inshore leg and took a tow.

“They look like sharks in the water,” came the call from race control as the cats thundered past Speers Point. It was the kind of racing that reminds you why Lake Macquarie has become the heartbeat of the series.

Final results, Supercat Extreme

1. Boost Mobile / 222 Offshore – Darren Nicholson and Steve Jellick
2. Mojo – Stuart Eustace and Todd Kelly
3. Hornet Racing – Mick and Jason Kelly
4. Team Australia 2 – Darren Apps and Paul Folds

DNF Acme Racing – Andrew Searle and Tom Barry-Cotter, Venturi Offshore – Antoni De Fina and Matt Kelly.

A strong start for the season

As the sun dropped behind the Belmont hills, officials wrapped up a long, clean opening day. Across six races and four divisions, the Lake Macquarie superboats proved once again why this venue is a great location for Australian offshore powerboating.

For Boost Mobile / 222 Offshore, the day’s win was more than just points — it was purpose. For the Supersport fleets, it was a study in precision and patience. And for everyone watching, it was a reminder that this sport remains as much about spirit as speed.

Day 2 promises more wind, more chop, and more chances for redemption — let’s see what happens.