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HomePowerboatingHydroplanesEXCLUSIVE: Flying the flag. Ken Lupton’s high-speed life between farm and finish line

EXCLUSIVE: Flying the flag. Ken Lupton’s high-speed life between farm and finish line

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Boating New Zealand caught up with Ken Lupton for an exclusive interview before he boarded a flight to Buffalo, New York—bound for Niagara Falls and the next stop on the Hydroplane Racing League circuit. Lupton is one of New Zealand’s fastest hydroplane drivers, and one of its busiest farmers, juggling international competition with the demands of running several large dairy operations near Waverley. Now leading the HRL championship and fresh off a podium finish in the Grand Prix Challenge, Lupton is chasing glory aboard Lucas Oil GP-577 with the same quiet determination that’s made him a national standout.

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It’s a long way from Waverley to Niagara, but for Ken Lupton, it’s a familiar route. One day he’s checking irrigation systems and stock levels on the family’s dairy farms in South Taranaki; the next, he’s strapped into a methanol-fuelled hydroplane, rocketing across a North American lake at over 250 kilometres per hour. With dirt under his nails and jet fuel in his blood, Lupton is not only New Zealand’s leading hydroplane driver—he’s among the fastest in the world.

At just 38, Lupton has already spent more than two decades racing GP-class hydroplanes, racking up national titles and international wins in a sport that balances engineering precision, raw horsepower, and high-risk bravery. In 2025, he’s running a full campaign on the Hydroplane Racing League (HRL) circuit in the United States and Canada, and after a tight finish in the GP Challenge series—where he placed third—he’s now leading the overall HRL standings heading into the penultimate round at Thunder on the Niagara in early August.

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This is the story of a Kiwi racer whose life moves between mud and methanol, and whose family name has become synonymous with speed on water.

“It’s in the blood”: A family tradition of racing and risk

Lupton’s path into racing was all but inevitable. Warwick, his father, is a decorated hydroplane champion in his own right—twice a World Champion, double Griffith Cup winner, and five-time Masport Cup victor. With that kind of legacy in the family, it wasn’t long before the young Waverley local found himself behind the wheel. Not just any wheel, either. At just 17, Ken became the youngest person in the world to drive a GP-class hydroplane.

“I started because my father used to race them. He started racing when I was a kid. As I grew up, I jumped straight into hydroplanes—I was the youngest in the world at 17, and I’ve only ever driven GP-class since.”

His younger brother Jack followed in similar fashion and now runs his own campaign under the Jack Lupton Motorsport banner, competing in the same GP class and frequently joining Ken at HRL events abroad.

“He’s probably seven or eight years behind me,”
“But yeah, Jack started early too, and we’ve both been racing a long time now.”

The Luptons are more than just fast—they’re fiercely consistent. Whether racing in Lake Karāpiro, Taupō, or Twizel back home, or at high-profile regattas across Canada and the U.S., they bring a level of commitment and mechanical understanding that sets them apart from many other teams.

Flying Kiwi leads the charge: Ken Lupton tops time trials at Valleyfield

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A tale of two boats

Ken races with identical hydroplanes—one based in New Zealand, the other in North America. Both were designed by renowned Canadian boatbuilders Bert Hines and Jamie Auld, and are painted identically in Lucas Oil livery. This allows Ken to switch between hemispheres without sacrificing familiarity or performance, and also makes parts interchangeable across both vessels.

Each boat measures 25’5″ long and 12.5′ wide, weighing around 1300kg with the engine installed. Under the hatch is a 468 cubic inch V8 with an 871 supercharger, built to the strict regulations of the GP class and fuelled by methanol. These machines can produce between 1500 and 1600 horsepower—and burn through up to 120 litres of methanol in a five-minute heat.

When racing in New Zealand’s unlimited class events, Lupton has the freedom to run a larger 510ci engine with a 1471 blower—pushing output to over 2500 horsepower. But with more power comes greater danger.

“That’s when you really get hurt,” he says, bluntly. “You’re going 30 miles an hour faster than with the smaller engine, and there’s no room for mistakes.”

The danger zone: Wipeouts, injuries, and underwater escapes

Lupton is no stranger to the risks of hydroplane racing. In 2023, he was involved in a dramatic crash in Guntersville, Alabama. As he rounded a corner, another boat’s rooster tail threw him airborne. The hydroplane somersaulted, landed on its rear corner, and flipped upright again—but not before Lupton sustained torn knee ligaments and several broken toes.

“I went up a rooster tail and did the same thing—through the air, upside down,”
“When I hit the water, it landed on the back corner and tipped itself up the right way. Tore all the tendons in my knees, broke three toes.”

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Inside the capsule, he wears a six-point harness and a fighter-pilot-style oxygen mask. The system automatically activates if water enters the cockpit, giving him breathable air while submerged. There are two escape options: through the floor hatch, or upwards if the boat lands upside down.

“I wear a fighter pilot helmet with a mask that’s hooked to the oxygen. If I go upside down and the water touches the mask, the canister goes off and I start breathing air straight away. There’s a hatch under my legs if I’m upside down. Or I can swim out the normal way if the boat’s upright.”

Even with modern safety tech, the sport remains dangerous. Just days before our interview, another driver—a young man in his twenties—passed away from injuries sustained in a crash in a different class of boat. The reality of racing is never far from Lupton’s mind, but it hasn’t dulled his focus.

Thunder on the Niagara: Racing into the championship lead

As the 2025 HRL season nears its climax, Lupton sits atop the leaderboard. His third-place finish in the Grand Prix Challenge—following high-speed events in Guntersville, Madison, and Valleyfield—has kept him within striking distance of the title.

On 2–3 August, he’ll line up on the Niagara River at the Thunder on the Niagara event alongside a formidable field, including his brother Jack (GP-33), Brandon Kennedy (GP-35 TMSpecial), and other heavy hitters like Freedom, Canada Boy, and The Wild One. Only four points separated first and second in the Challenge standings. Every turn counts now.

“But if I can win, I’ll pretty much win the series. That’s the goal.”

The event features multiple heats and a final, with a “consolation round” offering one last shot at the championship race for boats that don’t initially qualify. It’s a relentless weekend of pressure, precision, and heat—often quite literally, with cockpit temperatures soaring into the 40s.

From paddocks to podiums

When he’s not racing, Lupton is home on the land. His family operates three or four dairy farms near Waverley, milking between 2,500 and 3,000 cows and raising several thousand calves annually. It’s physically demanding work, but it keeps him grounded—and in shape.

“I’m pretty busy back here with the farms. That’s why I try to fly in and out for races while Dad and the team handle the logistics.”

His father remains deeply involved, towing the boat between regattas and handling engine prep, while a Canadian-based support crew manages logistics and maintenance. The team is tight-knit and practical—a reflection of Lupton himself.

Looking ahead

If Lupton wins in Niagara, he could secure the HRL season championship outright. There’s one more race after Niagara, but he’s hinted he may skip it if the title is locked in.

With a trophy cabinet already filling and fresh awards from the New Zealand Power Boat Association—including Driver of the Year—Lupton’s 2025 campaign is already something special. But he’s not quite done yet.

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Kirsten Thomas
Kirsten Thomas
Kirsten enjoys sailing and is a passionate writer based in coastal New Zealand. Combining her two passions, she crafts vivid narratives and insightful articles about sailing adventures, sharing her experiences and knowledge with fellow enthusiasts.

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