The Silver Cup

LakeCowley Taranaki

August 8^th & 9^th 2009.

Article Bob Gutsell                                                                Photos Andrew O’Neil

Well as they say there's a first time for everything and for me competing at a SUHA round could have qualified, or even better still it was to be my first time visiting the mighty "Naki"! And so it was that this weekend of firsts was to be rewarded by some of the best weather we've had in weeks if not Months, I tell you those "Nakians" had it all laid out for us visitors on both days.

The weekend of August 8/9^th was scheduled for the first round of the Annually run SUHA Highpoints series and also the traditional annual running of the SUHA Silver cup for 1/8 Scale hydros. The weekend was to be a relatively low key affair with 7 entries in Scale hydro, 6 entries for Scale (Sport) 45, and 4 entries for Petrol Classic Hydros. There were supposed to be Electric Hydro events as well but with only two boats entered, the events were not run.

First up for Saturday was Scale 45s starting with timed sprint laps. For those not familiar with this style of racing it's the boat/driver versus the clock and each boat gets 3 bites at the course, the fastest time wins. This event was duly taken out by John Nicholls and Ladybug with 14.41 seconds, Second place went to Steve Trott & Oh Boy Oberto with, a very close but no cigar, 14.46 seconds, and third went to Paul Garner with Annihilator at 15.35 seconds.

Following completion of the sprint laps saw the running of Scale 45 heat racing, all boats competing over 5 heats of 5 laps each followed by an all in final. (Normally had there been more than 6 boats remaining only the top 5 would have gone into the final and the 6^th boat gone into a Consolation heat with the winner moving up to the final. John Nicholls' Ladybug got a good start and was a whole straight in front second place boat, Oh Boy, when Lady Bug stuffed and spun out leaving Steve Trott and Oh Boy Oberto to take out the win. This left Paul Garner's Annihilator into second place.

After a short break for lunch, Saturday afternoon saw the Classic Gas Hydros get their first runs, once again the similar format of sprint laps followed by Heat racing was the order of the day.

Andrew O'Neill and the ever impressive Mountain Dew was certainly "doin' the Dew" with a very impressive 11.41 seconds around the course, followed by John Nicholls' Old Skool with 16.10 seconds and followed by Brian Dougan's Oh Boy Oberto in third place.

Mountain Dew took out the take all final followed by Old Skool. The other two boats did not finish.

The day ended with open water and a tune up session for the 1/8^th scale hydros. Which wasn't without incident; Two boats, Cellular One and Madison almost didn't make it to the start line on Sunday after something of a fairly heavy coming together in the fading light of Saturday afternoon. But luckily all was not lost and both boats lined up for sprint laps on Sunday morning.

Saturday night the team all reconvened at the local Nakian Cobb & Co. where some of the infamous amber liquid was used to lubricate the memory cells and stories of old were told well into the evening.

Sunday morning dawned bright sunny and windless, again, just like it always is in the Naki we were told. Who were we first time Naki visitors to argue?

Sprint laps were duly run after much more tuning and tweaking. Steve Trott's Executone was unbeatable again setting the pace with a very respectable 13.37 seconds, Yours truly brought Cellular One home to Second place with 14.31 seconds followed by none other than Merv Sowden's Miss Budweiser with 14.66 seconds.

The heat racing duly followed and the six boats with the highest points qualified for the winner take all final where the infamous Silver Cup was up for grabs. Yours Truly and Cellular managed to stay on the water long enough to secure Third Place, while Merv Sowden and Budweiser brought home Second place. The overall winner of the mighty Silver Cup for the weekend was the very predictable Steve Trott and the irrepressible Executone.

Overall, despite the relatively small turnout the weekend was brilliant and enjoyed by all and also marked one of the first weekends in a long time where SUHA and NZMPBA boats competed together.

The next event is back in the Naki in November and I for one cannot wait.

Seeya there.

Cheers

Bob

SILVER CUP    TARANAKI  08/08/09