Sunday at Valleyfield promised resolution. Instead, it delivered one last twist in what had already been an exhausting, emotionally charged weekend for the Lupton brothers at the 2025 GPA/HRL 3 Round Challenge at Régates de Valleyfield.
Saturday had been brutal. Ken Lupton had taken pole in Heat 1A, only to be hit with a controversial penalty before a fuel pump failure compounded his misery. Jack Lupton's day was no kinder, with a split burst panel in the intake manifold strangling his pace before a dramatic spin in Heat 2B put an exclamation mark on a wretched afternoon. When Sunday arrived, both New Zealanders needed clean runs and a fair slice of luck.
Ken supplied his half of the bargain without hesitation. A commanding victory in Heat 3A hauled him straight back into finals contention and reminded the field why he had started the weekend from pole. Jack's morning went the other way entirely. Running strongly through the early stages of Heat 3B, his engine gave out mid-race, leaving him with a DNF when he could least afford one.
The Lupton Motorsport crew responded quickly. Mechanics swapped Jack's engine and got him back on the water in time to contest the Grand Prix consolation final. He did not merely scrape through it, he won it outright, which also made him eligible as a trailer boat should any of the five main finalists be unable to start. The door back to the top of the order was ajar, just.
Weather ends the regatta early
Then the skies over Valleyfield made the decision for everyone. Severe thunderstorms closed in on the circuit, forcing the evacuation of both fans and crews before the GP final could get under way. After 85 years of racing history at this event, it was Mother Nature who called time on the 2025 GPA/HRL 3 Round Challenge at Régates de Valleyfield, leaving the headline race unrun.
Final standings will now fall to officials, who must determine placings based on heat points and qualifying times accumulated across the weekend. Ken's Heat 3A win, combined with his overall consistency through the earlier rounds, leaves him in strong contention once the numbers are tallied. Jack's situation is more complicated. The early mechanical troubles will weigh against him in the final reckoning, though the consolation final victory at least demonstrated what he was capable of once the team had his boat sorted.
For the Lupton brothers, the 2025 GPA/HRL 3 Round Challenge at Régates de Valleyfield was a weekend that packed in more drama, mechanical adversity, and sheer determination than most competitors see across an entire season. The official results, when they come, will tell the full story of where the Flying Kiwis finish. Whatever those standings show, nobody who watched this weekend unfold will have any doubt about their willingness to fight.
