Taupō turns rough early
Taupō didn’t waste any time. A southwest breeze pushed a tight, messy chop into Two Mile Bay before Race One and only built from there. Race Two arrived with even steeper peaks, and several teams finished the day stiff and sore.
Mackay Boats were forced to sit this round out after suffering damage at Gulf Harbour.
With the weather unchanged across both races, the day came down to who could stay level, avoid trouble and keep the throttle steady. Several boats recorded no-finishes or no-starts, and hopefully the damage isn’t enough to keep any crews from lining up again in Napier on 24–25 January.
Here’s how the classes went.
Superboat 600
Once the fleet settled into the first laps, the top class showed its pattern quickly. Langslow Engineering handled the chop with the cleanest ride of the day and won both races. Rainbow Haulage chased hard but couldn’t match the same control through the worst sections of the course.
Sports 80 mph
The middle classes felt the chop early. In the first race, Superstitious kept the bow up through the roughest patches and took the win ahead of Captain Caveman and Bernico. In Race Two, the balance shifted. Burnico found tidier water on the top side of the course and claimed the second race. Superstitious and Captain Caveman were both unable to finish the second race.
Sports 70
As the lake steepened, the 70s turned into a straight test of boat control. Cougar was the standout, running two composed drives and staying clear of the ragged landings that caught others out. Chindit and Hookers didn’t finish the first race and were unable to line up for the second.
Sports 200
Race One was chaotic, with heavy hull slap and visibility issues. Gen 2 stayed settled, picked smart lines and won ahead of Supersonic. Mark Helms Marine and Triple Trouble didn’t finish as the lake threw its weight around. The second race followed the same order out front, with Gen 2 leading Supersonic. Mark Helms Marine and Triple Trouble did not start.
Sports 140
The 140s had a similar story. Nikita rode the rough stuff with the right balance of speed and caution and claimed both wins. Gold Ship finished second twice. Coranto and Mad Max were forced out as the chop built late in the day.
Family class
The family class had only one result. Interceptor completed the course cleanly, which was no small achievement given the state of the lake.
60-mile standings
Across both races, the day belonged to Cougar, which handled the rough water better than anyone and came out on top of the 60-mile tally. Gen 2 was next best, steady in both heats and never rattled by the chop. Supersonic stayed close behind, its consistency paying off over the combined distance. Bernico settled into fourth after a solid second race, while Nikita’s clean handling in the 140s kept them in the mix for fifth overall. Gold Ship rounded out the major positions after a hard day in steep freshwater.
A straight-up tough day
Taupō was hard on boats and even harder on people. Several crews finished with loose fittings, bruises and long evenings ahead in the garage. On shore, Two Mile Bay drew strong crowds who watched boats launch off the chop and land at angles no one planned.
Gulf Harbour gave the fleet a fast start. Taupō gave them a reminder that offshore powerboating in New Zealand still has days where conditions are the main rival. The next round in Napier will show which teams can carry form through both ends of the spectrum.
