Napier is set to host the New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Racing Championship's next round on 24 and 25 January 2026, with the season already producing fierce competition and tight margins across every class.
Two rounds in, the championship picture is becoming clearer, though it remains genuinely open. The second round at Taupō lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest freshwater rounds in recent memory. A persistent southwest breeze transformed Two Mile Bay into a brutal, short-chopped course that punished crews physically and put real stress on machinery. Retirements and no-starts were spread across the classes, and more than a few teams left the lake with bruised bodies and long repair lists. Machine reliability counted for as much as raw pace, and the results reflected that. Most affected teams are expected to line up again at Napier.
The accumulated points from Gulf Harbour and Taupō tell a clear story across each class. In Sports 140, Gold Ship tops the standings on 1700 points, rewarded for clean, consistent racing across both rounds. Nikita sits close behind on 1550 and is well within striking distance. Coranto has posted 800 points, while Mad Max has been hurt by retirements and sits further down the order.
Sports 200 has shaped into a straight fight between two boats. Gen 2 has not been beaten yet and leads the class on 1800 points, with Supersonic on 1600 in pursuit. Behind them, Mark Helms Marine and Triple Trouble are locked in their own battle for the remaining positions.
Sports 70 has been the most one-sided class so far. Cougar has been near-untouchable, accumulating 1900 points across the two rounds. In the Sports 80 mph class, Captain Caveman heads the standings on 550 points, despite a few DNS results.
The most compelling storyline heading into Napier sits at the top end of the fleet. Superboat 600 is deadlocked, with Rainbow Haulage and Langslow Engineering tied exactly on 1700 points. The same two competitors are also level in the 100 Mile Championship, meaning the Napier offshore course will serve as a direct settling of accounts between them.
In the 60 Mile Championship, Gen 2 leads the way, with Supersonic and Cougar in its wake, though the middle of the fleet remains tightly packed and capable of reshuffling.
{{TABLE_1}}
Racing at Napier presents a very different set of demands from anything the fleet has faced so far. The course runs out from the inner harbour past Westshore and along the coastline, with the open conditions of Hawke's Bay replacing the confined freshwater settings of earlier rounds. Spectators can take in the action from a number of vantage points along the shore, and the pits at Perfume Point will be accessible to the public from mid-morning on both days.
The programme across the weekend is a full one. Each day begins with scrutineering and briefings in the morning, before racing gets under way from midday. Saturday's schedule features several shorter races, while Sunday is reserved for the longer offshore course.
With further rounds to follow Napier, no championship is yet decided. Two days of offshore racing on Hawke's Bay could reshape every class, favouring crews who can combine outright speed with mechanical reliability and sound judgement when conditions demand it.
