Superboats race in Coffs Harbour this weekend

Last hurrah as Coffs Harbour to be crossed off the 2015 Superboat circuit

Up to 15 high-octane Offshore Superboats will hit Coffs Harbour this weekend August 30-31 for Round 4 of the Australian Offshore Superboat Championships (OSC).

Last year’s high-profile event was hailed as the biggest offshore event Coffs has ever seen. Staged on the harbour it was a huge success, providing a free family outing that brought with it over 20,000 visitors injecting more than half a million dollars into the local economy for the weekend.

The OSC coverage of the race was shown World wide showcasing amazing Coffs Harbour to the rest of Australia and the World. OSC President, Graham Fraser, said it is great to have Coffs Harbour on the race calendar again this year.

“The town has so much to offer, presenting the perfect arena for fans and spectators alike with a looping course that stretches from the harbour past the eastern break wall and seaward of Pig Island. You can expect us to create quite a spectacle!”

Without the support from local residents and businesses including RMS, Coffs Harbour Marina, the Fish Co-op as well as the Coffs Council, the OSC would not be here again this year.

Sadly, due to a lack of funding, it recently seemed certain that the best harbour in Australia would miss out and loose the event to Queensland’s Mackay in 2015.

Yesterday when local National Member, Mr Andrew Fraser, heard that this exciting event could be lost to Queensland, he was immediately on the phone organising a meeting with the OSC to see how he could assist to keep this event in Coffs Harbour.

Mr Fraser will try and get the funding needed to keep the event in Coffs Harbour and will approach Destination NSW for funding, he believes the event is a great boost to Tourism and the local economy and is well worth the effort to keep this high profile event for the Region and NSW. If not, the event will most likely go to Mackay, Queensland in 2015, helping stimulate their economy, instead of the Coffs region.

Meantime, Team SUV Dodge Ram throttleman, Conn Saloumidis, said the Offshore Superboat drivers love racing in Coffs Harbour, as the crowd is always awesome and make us feel welcomed to the region.

“It is the Forth race on the calendar and is always hotly contested, due to the great harbour and challenging offshore conditions. The drivers and owners of the race boats are pressing hard to come to Coffs Harbour in 2015 and with the assistance of Andrew Fraser, and Destinations NSW, I hope we can see this event in Australia’s Premium Harbour Town, Coffs Harbour.”

This weekend staff from McDonalds Coffs Harbour will be out in force at the pits collecting a gold coin for Ronald McDonald House Charities. The OSC encourages you to come on down and help them raise much needed funds for seriously ill children and their families. Last year, over $1200 was raised for the kids and hoping to at least double that amount this year.

Pole Position Shootout was to be held between 1pm and 2pm on Saturday, however due to extreme weather conditions the boats will take to the water on Sunday with two, 30-minute races at 11am and 1pm with the Harbour closing 15 minutes before each race.

An FM transmitter channel will be set up for both days of racing so spectators can tune into 88.3FM to hear the commentary alongside the action.

The Meet and Greet held at the Coffs Harbour Yacht Club tonight is a great opportunity for the fans to catch up with the race teams.

Alternatively, spectators can come down to the pits at the Fish Co-op/Marina to meet the drivers and see the boats up close. The teams are more than happy to answer any questions and share their passion for offshore racing.

Presentation and drinks will be held at the Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club on Sunday night, with all welcome from 6pm. More at www.superboat.com.au.

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Superboats race in Coffs Harbour this weekend

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