Three boats flipped and three drivers were injured as the Waitemata Harbour took its toll on competitors in the final round of the offshore championships on Saturday. Photo / Dean Purcell
Three boats flipped and three drivers were injured as the Waitemata Harbour took its toll on competitors in the final round of the offshore championships on Saturday. Photo / Dean Purcell
There was plenty of action and crashes for the big crowd that turned out at the Auckland upper harbour for the deciding round of the offshore powerboat championships on Saturday.
Three boats flipped and three drivers received moderate injuries in choppy conditions. Wayne Valder reckons flipping his boatPro Floors will mean a $50,000 repair bill. The electrics and motor will have to be stripped and rebuilt and the canopy replaced. And that was in practice - he didn't get to race.
But he and brother Grant were thanking their lucky stars after they hit a wake while cornering and barrel-rolled at about 135km/h. Wayne received a cut above his right eye but his helmet was stoved in on one side, possibly by his brother's hand.
Grant Valder was in Auckland Hospital yesterday with several broken bones in his hand after he smashed either the helmet or the boat's canopy as they went over.
Wayne agreed it was "pretty much" like hitting concrete. It was an unfortunate end to the season for the brothers, who were in line to lift the national title but had to settle for third.
The other boats that flipped during racing were VMax Yamaha with former All Black Laurence Hullena aboard and Cat Attack, with driver Bob Smith suffering a dislocated shoulder. He wasn't the only one, Mark Helmes on Miss Electropar also dislocating a shoulder when thrown around during racing.
Peter Turner won a record sixth national title in Sleepyhead with second place in the 100-mile event, missing out on top spot because of an over-heating problem.
Sleepyhead led for the first five laps but was forced to back off the throttle, allowing five-time title winner Richard Shores through in Placemakers, whose victory secured second place in the championship.
Around 60 spectator boats anchored in the middle of the course. Another six boats are expected to enter the competition next year. Wayne Valder said they'd be back too. "We've got a winter-long project now. That's Auckland Harbour for you."
