A power-packed return
Lake Macquarie could not have asked for a better weekend to launch the Australian Offshore Superboat Championships 2025/26.
Warm sun, light northerlies, and a deep rumble of twin V8s set the stage for the biggest opening-round fleet in more than a decade. For organisers, racers, and thousands of spectators lining Marmong Point, the message was clear — offshore powerboat racing in Australia is firmly back.
Six boats lined up in the headline Supercat Extreme division, joined by revitalised Supercat Outboard, Supersports 85, and Supersports 65 grids. Across two days and six races, the fleet produced the kind of close, thunderous competition that once defined the sport on both sides of the Tasman.
Supercat Extreme – Boost Mobile untouchable
From the drop of the flag, Darren Nicholson and Peter McGrath aboard Boost Mobile / 222 Offshore were in a class of their own.
Three wins from three starts delivered a perfect opening weekend and confirmed the reigning world champions remain the team to beat.
Behind them, ACME Racing Maritimo endured a frustrating Sunday. The crew chased gremlins from the first morning warm-up – contaminated fuel, filter swaps, and a rev-limit issue that cut straight-line speed – forcing them to miss a race before returning to finish strongly.
MOJO Offshore Racing, led by Bathurst 1000 winner Todd Kelly and Stuart Eustice, showed front-running pace until a thrown propeller left them limping home on one engine.
Venturi Offshore fought cooling-hose failure, while Team Australia Offshore Racing retired early after losing an engine.
Despite the attrition, the roar of the Extremes around Lake Macquarie rekindled memories of the sport’s golden years – spectators cheering as the 1000-horsepower cats cleared the chop and went airborne through the turns.
Supercat Outboard – The Sting strikes again
Consistency was everything in the Supercat Outboard class.
Mike Ratcliffe and Carl Wall in The Sting were clinical, securing three wins from three races to start the season with maximum points. Their boat, fully rebuilt after a heavy Geelong crash last year, ran faultlessly.
KESS Racing – the rebadged Mantis now campaigned by Steve Lancaster and Scott Kelly -chased hard all weekend, banking three second-place finishes.
The father-and-son rivalry continued with Steve Kelly and Scott Richardson steering TCR Offshore to a string of third-place results, proving precision can sometimes trump horsepower.
After Sunday’s final heat, the top three boats paraded past the crowd in formation, saluted by Race Control. It was a fitting close to the cleanest, closest Outboard racing in years.
Supersports 85 – penalties and pace
The Supersports 85 fleet delivered pure elbows-out racing — and a fair dose of controversy.
Several teams were penalised for jump starts, missed marks, and overspeeding beyond the 85 mph limit. The officials applied the strict tiered penalties: 30 seconds for 0.5 mph over, a full minute for 0.99 mph, and disqualification if a boat hit 86 mph.
Once the adjustments were in, Hary Bakkr in The Colonel emerged as the class leader, winning both Sunday heats and taking a commanding points lead into February’s next round.
Nut Case (Mark Pecherzewski / Mel Nelson) salvaged two second-places despite fuel-pressure issues, while Thunderstruck and Skater 28 traded blows for the remaining podium spot.
The competition was fierce but respectful – the hallmark of a class built on control, not chaos.
Supersports 65 – Valentus back on top
With defending champion Hary Bakkr moving up a class, the Supersports 65 division became anyone’s game.
Day 2 belonged to Patty Paczkowski in Valentus, who shook off Saturday’s mechanical gremlins to win both heats convincingly.
Power Marine continued its strong form from Day 1, while Cardiac Arrest (Charlie Di Iorio / Greg Walters) and The Con (Brendan Weeks / Sophie Lancaster) filled the podium places in a set of close, tactical duels.
For smaller-hull racing, the spectacle was outstanding – tight turns, near-identical speeds, and cheering crowds along the waterfront.
Community and comeback
Lake Macquarie’s Mayor joined the broadcast to celebrate the return of high-octane racing to the city.
Calling the Superboats “a staple of the Lake Macquarie Action Fest”, he credited the event with drawing visitors and injecting fresh energy into the waterfront. “You can hear the engines echo right across the lake – and the excitement that comes with them,” he said after his own passenger run at 80 mph.
For the Australian Offshore Powerboat Club, this round marked a major milestone – one of the strongest grids since the mid-2010s, fresh sponsorship from JV Marine World and Porta Products, and flawless race management by Race Control under Russell Hamilton.
Next stop: Wyndham Harbour
After six electrifying races, the Australian Offshore Superboat Championships 2025/26 head south to Wyndham Harbour, Victoria (21-22 February 2026).
From there, the series travels to Geelong in March and Port Adelaide in May, promising more horsepower, more rivalry, and more of the spectacle that only offshore racing can deliver.
For Kiwi readers familiar with the NZOPA circuit, the DNA is unmistakable – roar, rivalry, and relentless craftsmanship, played out across the Tasman with Aussie flair.
In New Zealand the next racing is mid-November at Taupo – we hope to see you there!
Roar across Hobbs Bay: NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship blasts into Gulf Harbour
