Weather halted the AE Baker Cup at Lake Ruataniwha, but round three of the Lucas Oil Hydro Thunder New Zealand series was still completed on heat results, extending Jack Lupton’s championship lead.
Round three of the 2025 to 2026 Lucas Oil Hydro Thunder New Zealand series concluded at Lake Ruataniwha with a clear championship outcome but an unresolved historic trophy.
AE Baker Cup returns to Lake Ruataniwha as Hydro Thunder heads south
While heat racing was completed and points allocated for the Hydro Thunder series, deteriorating weather conditions on Sunday forced organisers to abandon racing for the AE Baker Cup. No result was recorded for the cup at Twizel, with safety concerns ultimately overriding the programme.
Practice and qualifying set the field
Friday practice was busy and uneven, reflecting both the pace and fragility of the GP hydroplane fleet. Several teams focused on setup refinement, while others dealt with reliability issues.
Scott Coker made a significant gain following a propeller change, immediately improving balance and speed. Boss GP showed improved performance running both engines, while Jason Haggerty returned to competition with a limited but encouraging outing after a late arrival.
Mechanical problems affected multiple teams. Jack Lupton lost track time after an oil belt failure, while Ken Lupton encountered oil pump issues that curtailed his session. Despite interruptions, both remained competitive heading into qualifying.
Saturday qualifying confirmed Jack Lupton as the benchmark, posting the fastest lap at 32.40 seconds. David Alexander followed closely (32.94), with Ken Lupton (33.35) third. Steve Preece was forced to back off mid lap due to oil pressure concerns, affecting his time.
Heat racing under pressure
Racing on Saturday proceeded after delays caused by wind and water conditions, with officials carefully managing the programme.
Jack Lupton claimed Heat 1a, leading Ken Lupton and Andy Knight.
Heat 1b went to David Alexander, who held off Scott Coker and Raymond Hart.
Heat 2 proved pivotal for the overall standings. Alexander took the win from Jack Lupton and Coker, while both Hart and Ken Lupton failed to finish. With forecasts worsening, the importance of completed heats increased sharply.
Heat 3 returned momentum to Jack Lupton, who won from Ken Lupton and Alexander. That result would later secure him the round overall once Sunday racing was curtailed.
AE Baker Cup shelved
Sunday morning offered a brief window of opportunity. Calm water and light rain allowed officials to prepare for racing, including two scheduled AE Baker Cup heats.
Conditions deteriorated rapidly though. Increased moisture and falling temperatures caused cockpit fogging, significantly reducing visibility. An attempt was made to start the final, but it quickly became clear that conditions were unsafe.
Racing was abandoned shortly after 3pm. No AE Baker Cup result was recorded at Twizel, and the trophy remains undecided.
Championship picture
With the final cancelled, round three of the Lucas Oil Hydro Thunder series was decided on accumulated heat points.
Jack Lupton topped the standings, recording his third consecutive round win this season. David Alexander finished second overall, with Scott Coker third.
The consistency of Lupton’s campaign is becoming decisive. Across three rounds he has combined pace with clean execution, capitalising when conditions and reliability have tested the field.
Next up?
The AE Baker Cup status remains unchanged. The trophy is now expected to be raced later in the season, with Lake Rotoiti in Nelson the likely venue.
The Hydro Thunder series resumes at Lake Karapiro in Cambridge on 7 and 8 February, before returning south for the final round at Lake Rotoiti on 28 February and 1 March 2026.
