Sport
Powerboats
Bridge win family effort
16May06
RICKY Howard returned in triumph to the Richmond Club Bridge to Bridge powerboat title with a spectacular come from behind win.
Howard stretched his line of victories to five in his hydroplane Hyperactive but did not lead the contest until Newcastle's Garry Hamilton Crazy Horse and dual winner Kelvin Black's The Axe encountered engine problems early in the race.
Hamilton scorched beneath the Brooklyn Bridge to edge Black who was considered a big chance to win his third successive trophy in the 61 turn, 112km contest.
``I no sooner got the lead when our engine blew a gasket and it was all downhill after that,'' Black said. ``I'll just go down as a contented two-time winner.'' Black announced his retirement at the end of the race.
It was a family finish to the Bridge to Bridge for the Lawtonvale driver as Ricky ``rooster tailed'' across the line in his V8 Chevy hydroplane lovingly put together by his boat builder father Graham.
Brother Garry achieved a remarkable result by placing second in the Toyota-powered hydro Paradise Afloat.
``We gave away tons of horsepower to a lot of folks, but it all came back to the boat balance and how effectively we cut the water,'' Garry said.
The race winner entered the Bridge at the last minute after his father spent 100 hours re-crafting and tooling his hydroplane.
He was a last minute cancellation from last year's race and over-stressed the craft during the world hydroplane titles at Taree when the boat had a steering failure at 250 km/h and turned sharp right.
``If I hadn't been wearing a full harness the impact would have spat me 150 m across the water,'' Ricky said.
