Three heats at Lake Ruataniwha were enough to secure Jack Lupton his third consecutive round victory in the 2025 to 2026 Lucas Oil Hydro Thunder New Zealand series, yet the weather had the final say at Twizel, forcing organisers to abandon the AE Baker Cup before any winner could be determined.
Round three of the series was settled on accumulated heat results after Sunday's conditions made further racing untenable. Championship points were distributed cleanly, but the historic trophy remains undecided and will be contested elsewhere later in the season.
Friday practice gave the GP hydroplane fleet a mixed introduction to Lake Ruataniwha, with setup work and reliability issues keeping crews occupied throughout the day. Scott Coker found a meaningful step in performance after switching propellers, immediately unlocking better balance and speed. Boss GP showed improved form running on both engines, and Jason Haggerty made a welcome return to competition with a limited outing following a late arrival. Not everyone escaped unscathed. Jack Lupton lost valuable track time to an oil belt failure, while Ken Lupton's session was curtailed by oil pump problems. Both recovered to be genuine contenders heading into qualifying.
Saturday qualifying saw Jack Lupton set the benchmark with a fastest lap of 32.40 seconds. David Alexander was close behind at 32.94 seconds, with Ken Lupton third at 33.35 seconds. Steve Preece was unable to complete a clean lap, backing off mid-run due to oil pressure concerns, which compromised his time.
Wind and water conditions delayed the Saturday racing programme, but officials worked carefully through the schedule to ensure the heats were completed. Jack Lupton led Ken Lupton and Andy Knight across the line in Heat 1a. Heat 1b produced a victory for David Alexander, who kept Scott Coker and Raymond Hart behind him. Heat 2 was the most consequential of the day. Alexander again came out on top, this time from Jack Lupton and Coker, while both Hart and Ken Lupton failed to finish. With the forecast already worsening, every completed heat was gaining in significance. Jack Lupton reasserted himself in Heat 3, winning from Ken Lupton and Alexander, a result that would ultimately prove decisive for the round.
Sunday morning offered a narrow window. Calm water and light rain gave officials enough encouragement to prepare for two scheduled AE Baker Cup heats. That window closed quickly. Falling temperatures and rising moisture caused cockpit fogging that severely reduced visibility across the course. An attempt to get racing under way was made, but it soon became clear that conditions were unsafe. Racing was called off shortly after 3pm, and no AE Baker Cup result was recorded at Twizel. The trophy remains undecided.
With Sunday's programme abandoned, round three was decided entirely on the heat points accumulated the previous day. Jack Lupton topped the standings, David Alexander took second overall, and Scott Coker rounded out the top three. Across all three rounds Lupton has combined outright pace with clean execution, and his championship lead is growing harder to challenge.
The AE Baker Cup is expected to be rescheduled 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 heading south for the final round at Lake Rotoiti on 28 February and 1 March 2026.
