One of Australasia’s most prestigious motorsport trophies was once again up for grabs for the fastest team from Australia or New Zealand. Yarrawonga, on the NSW / Vic border was the venue where the big boys came out to play. And in regard to hydros, not just the big GP and unlimited boys, but the medium 6litre Hydros, and the little OzLite boys and girls.

Even though the trip down the highway was approx. 7hours in each direction, I can tell you that it was pretty good to go to a race meeting and see over 15 hydroplanes in the pits.

While there was also the Yarrawonga Gold Cup trophy was also on offer on Sunday, it was the big EC Griffith Cup race that most people came for. A stroll through the pits on Saturday morning was just the thing for a
hydroplane fix.

Harrison’s brand new GP1 boat built by Grant Rollason

The kiwi Annihilator2 with a spare engine ready to roll

The spare Merlin V12 for Aussie Connection

Also in the GP pits were the two Howard Hydros of Impatient and Impatient. It was even commented on by a punter that these two boats were just like GPs only smaller. No doubt the two owners appreciated the comment, but also the smaller budget required.

Paul Vella’s Impatient prepares for action

Down in the hectic ramp pits, the remainder of the hydros had to contend with a very congested set up. Not only was this the place that every other race boat (other than the GPs) had to launch from, but the fact that each team used their own tow vehicle, but for some tight squeezes.

Beer’n’Boats also joined the squeeze in the pit area

The complete list of runners for the big EC Griffith Cup race included:
- Aussie Connection, Barry Taylor - Mark Healy (hydro)
- Red Bellies, Bruce Sanders (disp)
- GP1, Keith Harrison, Grant Harrison (hydro)
- Another Madam, Bob Webster (disp)
- KT11, Darryl Hamilton (KT/hydro)
- Kryptonite, Dean Gleeson (disp)
- Dragula, Tom Heffernan (hydro)
- Annihilator, Warwick Lupton (hydro)
- Annihilator 2, David Alexander (hydro)
- Annihilator 3, Ken Lupton (hydro)
- Warlord, Ron Burton, Brett Niddrie (hydro)
- Image, Craig Lewis (disp)
- Kick Ass, John Ford, Darryl Hamilton (disp)

A late scratching form the above list was the Rival log boat from Victoria way. The engine being in pieces was the reason for not running.

6litre Hydros were:
- KT11, Darryl Hamilto
- Long Shot, Corey Whittaker
- Disturbed, Mark Ward
- Impatient II, Paul Vella
- Impatient, Andrew Petty
- Beer’nBoats, Kane Holland

Certainly a promising list of boats, giving the indication that there are a number of more boats to join this list in the future.

1.6litre / OzLite field consisted of:
- S17 Chris Burns
- Lil Terra, Natasha Heffernan
- RKM Quality Systems, Rick Macansh
- Times R Tuff, Grant Harrison, Elizabeth Wolfe (USA)
- Tiger Cub, Leo, Brad, Rowan Nankervis
- Hydrophobia, Rob Fraser

EC Griffith Cup heats

Heat 1 of the EC Griffith Cup had a non-starter in Kickass leaving 3 GP Boats. The race was a clean start and GP1 was hanging on to the outside of Annihilator 3 with Annihilator 2 keeping pace in the first turn. The 3 boats staying bunched up for nearly the whoel race. The narrow turns seemed to slow A3 up and Harrison’s Boat managed to just sneak away from the end of the second lap to win by half a straight from A2 and A3. While finals are special races, this was one of the best ever GP hydro races - full stop! At the end of this race, it was easy to understand “that’s why we come to Yarrawonga!”

Heat Two was won by Warwick Lupton (A1) with relative ease over a very gutsy drive from Kryptonite, but only after three laps. Kryptonite stunned the crowd with a slingshot of pure speed early in the race. Another Madam brought up the rear. KT11 failed to finish with electrical problems along with Dragula who lost his prop and came to a drifting halt. Annihilator1 did sustain some hull damage, that would need repairs before the final.

Heat Three showed a strong performance from Warlord, which saw him take an easy win over Image from Red Bellies and the big old Aussie Connection almost a lap back.

EC Griffith Cup final

Warwick Lupton in Annihilator1 won a very dramatic and exciting final beating home Ken Lupton (A3) and Dean Gleeson in Kryptonite. Next came Aussie Connection, Warlord and Image . Grant Harrison had a DNF while leading on Lap 2 thanks to a thrown prop blade which then caused the skeg to break. A2 broke its canard wing and that damaged the Rudder and did not finish. Warlord had its canard wing jam ‘on’, so it was constantly burying the nose. A3 had issues when his trap door broke open and that made him slow down on the last lap.

Warwick Lupton’s hole repair, courtesy of an aluminium panel off the trailer, only just managed to hold with the plate pealing off the back of the repair.

Final placings
1. Annihilator 1, Warwick Lupton
2. Annihilator 3, Ken Lupton
3. Kryptonite, Dean Gleeson
4. Warlord Brett Niddrie
5. Aussie Connection, Mark Healey
6. Image, Craig Lewis
DNF. Annihilator 2, David Alexander
DNF. GP1, Grant Harrison

Lining up for the start of the final

One lap in and this is the scene

Two laps down and it’s still tight up the front

To the Kiwi victor goes the spoils

Other Unlimited Hydroplane races

While that was it for the EC Griffith Cup, there were further Unlimited Hydro races throughout the weekend. And the damage continued as well. From the ‘high’ of winning the Griffith Cup, to the low of a bent prop shaft was A1’s idea of a great weekend. Plus a ‘role over’ from Annihilator2.

Warlord back on track after the wing jam.

A2 getting a lift out of the water after finding a hole in the water

6litre Hydroplane races

As we mentioned, the hydro action wasn’t restricted to the GPs and unlimiteds. The 6litre Hydro racing was awesome all weekend.

Paul Vella’s Impatient is really learning to stretch his legs, mostly duelling with Longshot, until a plywood panel separates from Corey’s big white Jones.

The consistent battle back in the pack was for Andrew Petty and Beer’n’Boats. The smaller 6l boats put on excellent and entertaining

As per Longshot, the other 6l Jones boat suffered from hull damage. This time the outside sponson. KT11 had on and off electrical gremlins, causing a couple of DNFs.

Can you see the family resemblance? The two Impatient boats off the line.

OzLites races

And you couldn’t forget the OzLites, even if you tried. These were some of the most entertaining racing all weekend.

American import for the weekend, Elizabeth Wolfe learns that the water certainly isn’t any flatter here down under. The very experienced driver (she had her first ever race in a 7litre Hydro) held her own well against the local blokes.

Graham Howard’s old Paradise Afloat also ‘airs it out’ up the back straight.

One of the most entertaining races of the weekend was when one of the oldest boats in the field, Tiger Cub, digs deep and claims a ‘come from behind win’ over a couple of more fancied entries. The lighter, more modern boats just didn’t see it coming. Heading up the back straight and into the wind, the young lion driver got the boat way too high and nearly (ohh so nearly) blew the boat over. The driver shook it off and plowed on to register the race win.

On the return to the ramp, the driver got a standing ovation from the majority of the pit area, but no doubt a “never do that again” speach from the family.

Photos form Nathan Mills, NZ GP website and Terry Paull.