Bathtub Racing!

[Island Time 1,246]

WHITIANGA MAN WINS NEW ZEALAND’S INAUGURAL BATHTUB RACING CLASSIC

Winner will travel to Canada to World Bathtubbing Championships

 

24 May 2014 – Whitianga local, John Booker, has taken out 15 competitors to take the overall winning title at this year’s inaugural Bay of Islands Bathtub Classic in Paihia this afternoon in front of a huge crowd at Ti Bay, Paihia.

John completed the final five lap course in a hotly contested finish, with second place going to George Oates from Te Puke.

“It was such a fun day and I am absolutely stoked to have taken out the title. I’m looking forward to picking up some tips and tricks when I’m in Canada for when I compete again next year,” says John.

The Bay of Islands Bathtub Classic saw motorised bathtubs competitively raced on a specially designed short course around Te Ti Beach. As well as an outboard motor, stabilisers were added to the bathtubs; which could be built from any material to form the hull – surfboards, jetskis or wood, and innovative designs were encouraged.

Competitors had to be over the age of 16, with separate classes for men, women and teens. The winners of each class were John Booker for men, Helen Horrocks of Paihia for women and local teenager Lewis Kidman for the junior class.

Noel Brown, Director of Marketing & Events for the Bay of Islands and Far North, was impressed by the huge spectator turnout which is a promising sign for the event in its first year.

“Bathtub Racing has become a highly popular sport worldwide and is a fun, inventive way of getting people motivated to get out on the water, and up to the beautiful Bay of Islands. This event combines Kiwis’ love of the water with our dynamic bent and attracted many enthusiast competitors and vocal supporters,” says Noel Brown.

As well as receiving the coveted title of the best bathtubber in the Bay, John Booker will be flown by Air New Zealand to Nanaimo, Canada to the World Bathtub Championship and Marine Festival in July this year.

Ross Blackman, former Team New Zealand Business Manager and popular Bay of Islands identity, traded his AC72 catamaran for a plastic tub and lent his 25 years sailing experience into making the event a success.

“New Zealanders are pretty talented on the water and as the race showed, they’re pretty talented in a bathtub too,” says Mr Blackman.

“The beautiful Bay of Islands was the perfect setting for a race of this kind and we expect next year’s event to be even more incredible,” he says.

Canada’s Nanaimo harbour is home to bathtub racing, hosting the first quirky racing extravaganza in 1967.

For information on the race and winners, please visit: http://www.bayofislandsbathtubbing.com

-Ends-

For more information please contact:

Lucy Cleary, Mango Communications

09 374 0034 / 0224 311 411 lucyc@thisismango.co.nz

[wheels 543]

Did you know our very own Bimini Babe Won a Trophy as well?

[Bimini Babe 0]

And had an excruciatingly looooong interview for the NZ Herald video. Shame!!!

[Guest]

Its clever what they do with some of the tubs.

[wheels 543]

Its clever what they do with some of the tubs.

Yes it is, but at the same time, there is not a lot of that Actual Bathtub in the water. I was thinking that perhaps the rules should call for far more Tub and less additional Extras of Hull. Of course the downside would be less speed and stability. It's kind of like Lawnmower racing. OK, so under the rules they have to be able to cut some grass, but some of them are far from being able to go mow the Lawn, so are they really Lawn mowers anymore.