Speedboat driver injured

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33154, 19 February 1973, Page 3

Speedboat driver injured

Speedboats in collision and being holed and swamped, and a driver injured in a spectacular crash provided excitement for about 3000 spectators at the Rothmans regatta on the Estuary off South Brighton last evening.

The regatta was called off with two races still to be run, about 7 p.m. when R. Denson, the Christchurch driver of Cost-A-Lott, suf-; fered suspected broken ribs; and severe bruises to his; back and legs when another’ ‘speedboat ran up the stem; of his boat in the Carl Augustin trophy race. The engine of Cost-A-Lott stopped when the boat was doing more than 80 m.p.h. in the first lap. Cost-A-Lott stopped suddenly and the driver of a following boat, unsighted by the water flying astern of Cost-A-Lott, crashed into it. The bow of the following boat crashed into Denson and ripped off the cowling of Cost-A-Lott. Denson was partly protected by his life jacket and the back of his seat. He was wearing a crash helmet, compulsory for all drivers. A St John Ambulance man in a crash boat attended to

Denson. Cost-A-Lott was towed to the beach and Denson taken to hospital by ambulance.

The racing was notable more for mishaps and withdrawals than for tight finishes. Miss Aero (W. L. Stokes, New Brighton) bear Bel Air (P. R. Knight, New Brighton) in a thrilling finish to win the South Island unlimited auto hydroplane title. Both speedboats were doing more than 100 m.p.h. as they hurtled down the finishing straight, Miss Aero coming from behind with terrific aciceleration to win by a length.

The feature race of the day, the Rothmans hydroplane 1650 c.c. challenge race was won by the Southland boat, Dial 999 (M. Crawford): after mishaps and withdraw-’ als in the two heats and the final. In the first heat Mista Dolla (K. Bickerstaff, Hawke’s Bay) a national title-holder, could not get started and missed the race. The only outboard in the event, Glasskraft Again (G. Cooke, Christchurch), collided with Alarice (P. Hilston, Southland) while the boats were circling before the start of the first heat.

Glasskraft Again swung across the bow of Alarice. Hilston took violent evasive action and the stem of his boat holed Glasskraft Again on the port bow and the boat

was out for the day. Miss Kendall (L. Meharry, Auckland) won the heat comfortably. In the second heat the winner of last year’s race, Cost-A-Lott, could not make the start. Latimer Lodge (P. R. Knight, Christchurch) stopped in the middle but managed to get started again and win easily.

In the eight-boat final Latimer Lodge and Hot Spot (G. O’Kane, Otago) almost collided in the rolling start. The rudder control of Hot Spot collapsed and the boat swerved to port. Knight managed to miss Hot Spot by a coat of paint but Latimer Lodge was swamped and the engine stopped. Miss Kendall led from the start and was a i comfortable 300 yards ahead of Dial 999 when the motor stopped on the sixth of the eight laps. Dial 999 won easily from Torino (J. Syrnon, Manawatu) with Alarice third. Other results: South Island 1300 c.c. R.R. championship— Br’er Fox (P. Stokes, New Brighton) 1, Atom xiv (A. Johnson, New Brighton) 2. South Island 3000 c.c. R.R. championship — Xanadu (S. Wheeler, Manukau) 1, Miss Huntly (G. Wallace, Waikato) 2, Trouble Shooter (S. McLauchlan, Southland) 3. Dulux Cup—Miss Aero 1, Bel Air 2, Challenger (N. Butler, Southland) 3.