Gold Smiths?
Powerboating fanatics Kelly Smith and her dad Grant Smith.
Wellington’s Kelly Smith and dad Grant feared for their lives when their Rayglass superboat flipped at speed.
“We hit a rogue wave and did 180 degrees,” says Kelly Smith. “My hatch wouldn’t open. I was petrified. We were stuck upside down under water for four minutes (with an oxygen tank). We had to wait for the cockpit to fill up with water before we could get out.” This happened during one of the eight races in the NZ Offshore Championship series, which are held throughout the North Island until May.
If it wasn’t for intensive “dunk test” powerboat training, which is compulsory before getting out on the water, the Smiths would have had trouble freeing themselves from their five-point harnesses, and coping with the stress of the accident and then resurfacing.
“As soon as we started going over I had to concentrate. I hope it never happens again.”
Unable to finish that race, Smith and dad are now ranked second to last in the 100 Mile Championship division. The defending champions will have to win the rest of the races in the series, including next Saturday’s race in Wellington, and hope one of their competitors is unable to finish one of the races in order to win “as terrible as that sounds.”
The NZ Offshore Championship is split into two fields, with those competing in the Superboat, Superboat Lite, and Sports 100 classes competing for the 100 mile title while those in the Sports 60, Sports Classic and Formula Honda Classes compete in the 60 mile event. The 100 mile boats can reach speeds of 190km/h. Those competing in the 60 mile event, including Kelly’s brother Michael, are more typical of your normal ski and trailer boat.
Smith vividly remembers, 12 years ago, making her dad promise she could take part in the sport as soon as she was old enough. These days she drives the boat and dad controls the throttle. Much to her disappointment, the legal age to participate in the sport was dropped a few years after she started which meant her younger brother Michael got to race at 16 instead of 18.
“I was disappointed they didn’t lower the age earlier then I would have three years more experience,” says Smith.
Regardless there is more support between the siblings than rivalry. Each competes in different fields and “we are pretty good at supporting each other.”
Mum watches all the races from the beach, and Michael was one of the first boats on the scene when Kelly and Grant’s boat did its flip.
NZ Offshore Powerboat Series, Evans Bay and inner harbor racing, 1pm, March 27.
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