Lake Taupō wasted no time making its presence felt. A southwest wind had already stirred up a tight, uncomfortable chop across Two Mile Bay before Race One got underway, and conditions only worsened as the day progressed. By Race Two the peaks were steeper still, and more than a few crews climbed off the water stiff and sore, facing long hours in the workshop. Mackay Boats, still dealing with damage sustained at Gulf Harbour, had to sit the round out entirely.
With the weather holding firm and unpleasant across both races, staying level and avoiding trouble mattered as much as horsepower. A string of no-finishes and no-starts punctuated the results, and the hope is that none of the damage proves serious enough to sideline any crews when the series resumes in Napier on 24–25 January.
Here is how each class played out.
Superboat 600
The top class established its pecking order quickly once the fleet had settled into racing rhythm. Langslow Engineering found the cleanest path through the chop and won both races. Rainbow Haulage pushed hard in pursuit but could not match the same composure through the worst sections of the course.
Sports 80 mph
The middle classes felt the full force of the rough water from early in the day. Race One went to Superstitious, which kept the bow high through the most punishing stretches and finished ahead of Captain Caveman and Bernico. The second race told a different story. Burnico found cleaner water along the top side of the course and converted it into a win, while Superstitious and Captain Caveman were both unable to reach the finish.
Sports 70
As conditions on the lake continued to build, the Sports 70 class became a straightforward examination of boat control. Cougar was the standout, putting together two composed drives while others were undone by ragged landings off the chop. Chindit and Hookers failed to finish Race One and could not take the start in Race Two.
Sports 200
Race One in this class was chaotic, with heavy hull slap and visibility issues combining to make life difficult for every crew. Gen 2 kept its head, picked smart lines, and came through to win ahead of Supersonic, while Mark Helms Marine and Triple Trouble both failed to finish as the lake threw its weight around. The second race produced the same order at the front, with Gen 2 again leading Supersonic home. Mark Helms Marine and Triple Trouble did not start.
Sports 140
The 140s followed a similar pattern. Nikita struck the right balance between speed and caution through the rough water and claimed victories in both races. Gold Ship was consistent in second place across both heats. Coranto and Mad Max were forced out as the chop built late in the day.
Family class
Only one result came from the family class. Interceptor completed the course cleanly, which was no small achievement given the state of the lake.
60-mile standings
When the two races were combined into the 60-mile tally, Cougar emerged on top, its ability to handle rough water consistently proving decisive over the full distance. Gen 2 was next best, steady and unflustered across both heats. Supersonic held third through consistent running over the combined distance. Bernico settled into fourth on the back of a solid second race, while Nikita's clean double in the 140s kept the crew in contention for fifth overall. Gold Ship rounded out the main positions after a hard day in steep freshwater.
Taupō was hard on equipment and harder still on people. Several crews finished the day with rattled fittings, fresh bruises, and long evenings ahead in the garage. Onshore at Two Mile Bay, strong crowds watched boats launch off the faces of the chop and land at angles no one had planned for.
Gulf Harbour gave the fleet a fast and encouraging start to the season. Taupō offered something rather different, a pointed reminder that offshore powerboat racing in New Zealand still produces days when the conditions themselves are the main competitor. The next round in Napier will show which teams have the range to handle both ends of that spectrum.
