Indeed they are! So get set for great action on and off the water over the weekend of 14 and 15 October, as the Lake Macquarie City Council bring you Fast and Loud. The four classes of Superboats will be racing on both days in a circuit encompassing Marmong Point, to Warners Bay, and also Speers Point.
The appearance of new teams and staying power of dominate forces in the Offshore Superboat Championships (OSC) highlights just how much the re-energised sport has taken off in the last couple of years across Supercat Extreme, Supercat Outboard, Super Sport 85 and Super Sport 65. Even the Day Racer category, where you can come along and try your hand out on the water, has seen each round of the series attract those that are keen to give it a go.
Darren Nicholson from the all-conquering 222 Offshore team said, “As a team we’ve had a great year away racing. Winning the Class 1 World Championship has really topped it off, but there’s nothing quite like racing on home waters.”
“It’s really special for me to come home to Lake Macquarie and race on the water I grew up sailing on… kind of feels like I’ve come full circle in some respects. It’s a nice feeling knowing we’ll be finishing up the Australian series at home, in front of family and friends.”
“We’re bringing the boat down early, and will have a few marketing activations around Newcastle. We’ll be at the newly opened Gym on King on Wednesday 11th October. We’ll also be down at the Belmont 16’s Skiff Club on Thursday 12th October, even putting the boat in the water for a run, so we welcome everyone to come down and say hi.”
Coming back across The Ditch (Tasman Sea) is Ryan Shan’s 26-foot Shifty Cat. It was built as a 25-footer in 2004 for the 2005 season, which it then won, as well as 2006, and 2007 in the 3-4 litre class. It was lengthened in 2006, and also has the pedigree of being the first to be raced offshore in Australia with Mercury’s venerable 200XS 2-stroke high performance dynamos with their distinctive exhaust note. Paul Gibbs and Paul Fowlds raced it superbly, and very famously under the Hog’s Breath livery, before it was sold to Mick Walker Racing to become Tiger Racing.
It was subsequently sold to BC Racing in New Zealand who bought two new Gen II 200XS powerheads for the boat, but ultimately decided to sell it. Ryan purchased the historic craft in June this year, and will race initially in the 85mph Super Sport class before advancing into Supercat outboard.
As a softly spoken, and Gentleman Racer type, Shan epitomises the advancement up the scale, as he previously raced an open cockpit boat. Quiet? Perhaps, but dedicated and ultra-enthusiastic he most definitely is, and is so totally in the style of new racer the OSC has been attracting for the last little while.
It’s not all about the racing, either. On the Saturday night, Australian music lovers are set for a stellar line-up of artists featuring legendary Australian musicians Skunkhour, who will be supported by local band, SF Wrens. Enjoy a night of live music as MAP mima lights up the night. Bring along a picnic blanket and food and enjoy locally sourced drinks from our on site bar. There is a ticket deal to take advantage of – two tickets for only $70 (plus GST and booking fees) – Secure your tickets now
Photo by AJMcKinnon Photography
Photo by AJMcKinnon Photography
On the Sunday, the Newcastle Restored Vehicle Club Inc (www.shannons.com.au/club/carclubs/newcastle-restored-vehicle-club/) will be having ‘the biggest, free show and shine event’ in Speers Point Park for vintage, muscle, classic, custom cars, hot rods and motorbikes. Another free event, head honcho Bill Kalb added, “There are over 42 Lucky Car Prizes, along with 10 Trophies. You don’t have to have the biggest, or the best car or bike to win a lucky car prize, just put your entry in to get drawn out. So mark your calendars now!”
“Lots of folk come for a look as they walk through the park. It’s always a great day. DJ Vinnie is playing the tunes, and we have stalls for coffee, food and soft drinks, as well.”
Antony de Fina, Commodore of the Australian Offshore Powerboat Club that administers the OSC commented, “It is really fantastic that we have completed an agreement to run for another three more years at Lake Macquarie. It is a great venue that also has so many other activities on offer, with multiple vantage points for spectators to watch all four divisions go racing.”
“The round at Lake Macquarie is also the culmination of our 2023 calendar, which is bound to make the competition even tighter, especially in the Super Sport 65 class, where it is very close. Look out for commentary that is broadcast on the FM band at 88.9MHz, and also our live stream that you can tap into off our Facebook page.” (https://www.facebook.com/OffshoreSuperboats/)
David Randall, General Manager of the Empire Marina Lake Macquarie said, “We are thrilled to host the Offshore Super Boat Championships back at the Lake again this year. Formerly Marmong Point Marina, and now Empire Marina Lake Macquarie, we have provided the staging and pit facilities since the very first series back in 2016.”
“The weekend not only delivers the high-end technology of motor sport with the thrill and excitement of powerboat racing, it showcases what a world class waterway Lake Macquarie is. Several Day Racer entries have applied to be in the 65mph and 85mph Super Sport categories, which allows the general public to participate, so it will be wonderful to have even more boats racing for the season finale.”
This tremendous event would not be possible without the great support provided by Destination NSW, Roads and Maritime Services, Lake Macquarie City Council, Dantia, and their 200 club of supporters, Empire Marina Lake Macquarie, Wilson Lift, and Crown Lands.
Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser commented, “Our city is spoilt when it comes to natural assets, but it’s always special when our namesake Lake Macquarie is transformed into a playground for aquatic events and sporting spectacles.”
“The lake is a perfect amphitheatre to enjoy the thrills and spills of the super boats, supported by a raft of community activations at sites right around the city.”
“Whether it’s music, food, boats, cars or sport, Fast and Loud has high-octane entertainment for the entire family to enjoy.”
Racing commences on Saturday at 12 noon to 1230pm for the first event for the Super Sports 65 and 85 classes. They are followed at 1 to 130pm by the first race for the Supercat Outboard and Supercat Extreme classes. At 2pm the Super Sport 65 and Super Sport 85 classes return for their second race. The pit area is open to spectators during the day.
On Sunday, racing commences at 1100am with the second race for the Supercat Outboard and Supercat Extreme classes. The two Super Sport classes have their final race at 12 noon, and then the two enclosed cockpit classes return for their last outing of the season at 1pm, and race again for another 30 minutes.
Presentations are back at Empire Marina at 4pm.
Further information at superboat.com.au
