The 2025 to 2026 New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Association Championship has wrapped up across five rounds held at Gulf Harbour, Taupō, Napier, Gisborne, and Whitianga. Across every class, the teams that kept their boats running and scoring through each round were the ones who ended up with trophies.
Rainbow Haulage secured the Superboat 600 and 100 Mile title, with Colin Dunn and Darren Butterworth banking 4450 points over the season. Their margin at the end was substantial, 1375 points separating them from second-placed Langslow Engineering, where Paul Greenfield and Jason Way rounded out the campaign on 3075 points.
Sports 200 saw GEN2 dominate from the outset. Mikey Smith and Shane Rumens put together scores across all five events to finish on 4350 points and claim the class crown. Alex Smith and Mark Taiatini brought Triple Trouble home in second on 3394 points, with Ryan Archer and Joe Den-Hertog completing the podium aboard Supersonic on 2500 points.
Sports 140 was never really in doubt once Tom and Phillip Haycock got Gold Ship rolling. They took the class title on 3200 points, with Grant Henry and Jessica Morley finishing second in Nakita on 1925 points. Coranto rounded out the top three on 1800 points.
Cougar made the Sports 70 class its own territory. Grant Smith and Matt Hopkins put together a near-flawless campaign, collecting the title on 4750 points. The only other boat to post a finishing score was Chindit, which ended on 525 points, a gap that reflects just how thoroughly the class was controlled all season.
Owen Mackay brought Fury II through a difficult season to claim the Sports 80mph title on 2525 points, with setbacks at both ends of the campaign making the result all the more creditable. Keith Riddell and Rodger Puttick in Captain Caveman dealt with a mid-season rebuild before completing the championship on 700 points.
The 60 Mile Overall delivered the tightest contest of the season. GEN2 came out on top with 3713 points, but Cougar was right in the mix on 2952. Triple Trouble took third on 2696, Fury II fourth on 2525, and Supersonic kept the pressure on throughout to finish fifth on 2182 points.
The pattern that defined the season was straightforward: finishing races mattered above almost everything else. DNFs proved costly for any team that suffered them, while those who kept their boats on the water and scoring across all five rounds consistently rose to the top of their class standings.
Fleet numbers were healthy across most rounds. With participation growing and close racing on show throughout, the 2025 to 2026 campaign has built a solid base for offshore powerboat racing in New Zealand heading into the next season. The Championship prizegiving is now the next event on the calendar.
