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Mercury powers ahead at Grafton ‘09

Mercury powers ahead at Grafton '09

Mercury engines scored an impressive clean sweep in all outboard classes at this year’s Grafton Bridge to Bridge ski race classic.

Mercury outboard powered boats won the SMOC Expert, MOC Expert, Formula 2 Expert and Unlimited Outboard Expert trophies. Conditions were even tougher than usual with a 14kts breeze chopping up the Clarence River.

“Grafton is a tough race, so the results really show which outboards are up to it,” said Mercury’s Guy Williamson. “Mercury outboards are race-bred – simple as that.”

Mercury said that in the ultra-competitive SMOC class, which had 20 entrants this year, the trophy went to the OptiMax 250hp Pro XS powered AlienForce, which won in 47 minuets and 28.57 seconds.

The team consisted of Rod Bickerton, Diana Micaleff, Craig Walker and Matthew Campbell. The AlienForce team crossed the line more than 60 seconds clear of second-placed Mercury Pro XS, also propelled by an OptiMax 250hp Pro XS outboard.

Mercury said that, along with the trophies and glory, both the AlienForce and Mercury Pro XS teams scored an additional $750 and $350 in prize money. The amount money comes from Mercury’s season-long prize money boost, under which SMOC crews using Mercury engines can collect additional cash if they score a podium finish.

Mercury also said that the busy weekend saw other Mercury-powered teams take home a swag of wins.

In the MOC competition, first place went to the Pro Max 300X-powered Twisted (46 minutes and 07.43 seconds). Mercury OptiMax 300 XS outboards brought home the first three boats in the Formula 2 Expert category, with Tuff E Nuff (46 minutes and 44.43 seconds) finishing well clear of Ultimate Force (52 minutes and 37.31 seconds) and Gale Force (53 minutes and 07.32 seconds).

In the Unlimited Outboard Expert competition, it was yet another Mercury one-two, with Ring of Fire (47 minutes and 35.02 seconds) powered by two OptiMax 300XS engines finishing more than 30 seconds ahead of 2 Wild, which pushed by a pair of Mercury 280hp EFI offshore outboards.