Weekly Powerboat and Fishing Summary

POWERBOAT RACING

Brooke Dixon stunned the field in the Continental Tyres Australian Superboat Championships at Maryborough in Queensland by setting the second fastest time in the opening qualifying session, and backing it up with P2 again in heat two. By heat three she hit the front and was never troubled as she took the fourth championship round win of her career to the rapturous applause of all present. Her victory in the final put her just five points off the title lead on cumulative points. With just one round of the championship remaining at Hi-Tec Oils Park Temora on October 30-31, just five points separate the top five in the International Group A class, and a similar margin separates Daryl Hutton and reigning world and Australian Group A champion Slade Stanley in the Unlimited class. Check out V8superboats.com.au for more details.

Redcliffe, north of Brisbane, will host Round 4 of the Offshore Superboat Championships on 18-19 September. Teams will start arriving in the pit area at the Scarborough Boat Harbour on Bird ‘O’ Passage Drive, Scarborough, on Friday afternoon for the Saturday Morning scrutineering. The pit area is open to the public to get a close up look at these racing machines. www.superboat.com.au

The World championships for Grand Prix Hydroplanes will be conducted at the 2010 Lake Mulwala Power Festival on 26- 28 November. Event organisers have also secured the running of the ‘Marj Watson’ – an Australasian Unlimited Unrestricted Displacement Championship which is the most sought after trophy on the Australasian race boat calendar for B.A.D (Blown Alcohol Displacement) boat drivers. www.lakemulwalapower.com.au and www.gpworlds.vicapba.com.au

The International Offshore Team Association (IOTA) has officially presented its candidature to the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), to reacquire the worldwide commercial rights to Class 1 for the next five years. IOTA is advocating and giving its full support to the revision of the technical rules, which aim to reduce overall running costs, boost team participation, improve competition between teams and place the emphasis on driver ability. www.class-1.com

After winning the Evolution World Championship in the GPS powerboat series, Italian throttleman Giampaolo Montavoci has hinted at a possible return to Class 1 racing. Montavoci started the year in Class 1 alongside Guido Cappellini, finishing fourth and third in the Brazilian Grand Prix, to extend his remarkable run of points finishes in Class 1 to 26 races from 22 Grands Prix, before switching his focus to the GPS monohull series. www.class-1.com

POWERBOATS

The 175 Bowrider is the newest entry level addition to the Savage Fibreglass range. Its features include a central ski hook for water skiing and tubing, a large sun deck for relaxing, plenty of storage and a swim platform that is manufactured as part of the top deck mould.

FISHING

Anglers aged between 8 and 14 years can learn how to fish, or brush up on their fishing skills, during the school holidays at an Industry & Investment NSW workshop on the Far South Coast. Youngsters will have a chance to practice casting, rigging and tying knots, while at the same time learning about recreational fishing rules and regulations, ethical fishing practices, fish species and aquatic habitats. The workshop is on Monday 27 September at the Apex Reserve in Narooma from 10am to 2pm. Bookings essential. www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries

NEWS BRIEFS

NSW Maritime advised boaters to keep off the Murray River after the waterway was closed to boating and swimming on 10 September. The State Emergency Service (SES) issued the closure after heavy rainfall across southern NSW and northern Victoria resulted in significant flooding. www.maritime.nsw.gov.au

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Sep 18 - 19 -- Australian Offshore Powerboat Championship Round 4, Redcliff, Queensland www.superboat.com.au

Sep 18 - 19 - Windsor Spectacular, conducted by the Upper Hawkesbury Powerboat Club. Boats are expected to reach speeds over 230 kilometres per hour. www.uhpbc.net

Sep – Oct 3 – Melbourne Leisure Fest, Sandown Racecourse - the latest in boats, RVs, camping, fishing, 4x4 and accessories. www.melbourneleisurefest.com.au

Oct 2 – 3 – Heaven Can Wait (HCW) 24 Hour Yacht Race and the associated One Lap Dash will be held on Lake Macquarie, near Newcastle, NSW. The event raises money for the NSW Cancer Council and Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie. www.heavencanwait.com.au

Oct 2-17 -- BIGFI$H COMPETITION at the Murrindindi and Mitchell Regions in Victoria. Keen anglers have the chance to win $50,000 as four tagged fish worth $50,000 each will be released into Lake Eildon and the Goulburn River. www.watchusgrow.com.au/bigfish

Oct 8 – 10 – Club Marine Mandurah Boat Show, Mandurah Offshore Fishing & Sailing Club WA www.mandurahboatshow.com

Oct 9 – 24 -- Sydney Harbour Island Hopping gives people access to the harbour islands of Sydney Harbour National Park via one looped tour, with tailored entertainment and experiences on each. Cruises will run each Saturday and Sunday. www.harbourislandhopping.com

Oct 15 - Barra Bounty, Rockhampton’s five-star fishing event staged on the Fitzroy River, where anglers compete to tag and release Barramundi. www.capricornholidays.com.au

Oct 15 - 17 -- Sunraysia hosts the first ever UIM World Unlimited Displacement Powerboat Championships at Gol Gol NSW, approximately ten kilometres north east of Mildura. www.fastwater.com.au

Oct 16 – 17 -- 2010 Classic and Wooden Boat Festival, National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney - 100 boats from graceful yachts to streamlined speedboats, a festive marketplace selling all things nautical and an outstanding display of boating products. Discover the skills of traditional maritime craftsmen including blacksmiths, rope knotters, caulkers and sail makers. www.anmm.gov.au

Nov 5 – 7 -- Wide Bay Australia Bundy Thunder, Bundaberg will be jammed packed with adrenalin pumping boat racing, water and boat displays and fun for the whole family. www.bundythunder.com.au

Nov 6 - 7 -- Australian Offshore Superboat Championship - Round 5, Geelong. www.superboat.com.au

Nov 13 - 14 -- Australian Offshore Superboat Championship - Round 5, Geelong. www.superboat.com.au

Photograph: Brook Dixon at Maryborough courtesy of