The 2023 Offshore Superboat Championship

The 2023 Offshore Superboat Championship marked the return of powerboat racing.

Harry Bakkr from Razorcraft Boats secured an emphatic win in the first race, driving his virtually brand-new vessel, Nut Case

. Bakkr and Shane Paton celebrated with arms in the air and fist pumps, thrilled to be at the front of a super-close class. The team's boat is a fishing hull with seats positioned 600mm forward, allowing for better forward balance and path cutting. Bakkr commented that there were choppy waters out there, but the boat performed well and Shane was safe. In the second race, however, they exceeded the speed limit and were disqualified.

Karl Wall and Mike Ratcliffe in the gloriously yellow Supercat Outboard, The Sting, impressed with averages of nearly 100mph around the track. They secured the lead early and maintained it throughout their 30 minutes of racing. Wall emphasised that The Sting’s engines were 20 years old, making the win even sweeter, especially since he was able to race with his son, Lachy. He revealed that Lachy acted as his crew chief and made The Sting an absolute rocketship. Wall also noted the good sportsmanship among the offshore family.

Tom Barry-Cotter, the driver of the Maritimo Racing Supercat Extreme, and Ross Willaton showed promising speed from the start, but two incidents put their plans asunder. Barry-Cotter missed a mark and had a distracting boat interfere with his line of sight, causing him to overshoot. Then, the motor jumped out of gear, resulting in a gut punch of a loss of pole position. They had to start in position three on the outside, where they had to fend off fast boats like Superbad.

Although some competitors suffered breakdowns, the overall mood was positive, with thrilling performances and good sportsmanship among the offshore family. The return of powerboat racing was a resounding success, drawing in many spectators and creating exciting moments for all.