Red makes it go faster

Waihola man Nick Hoskin drives his V bottom mono-hull power boat right on the edge with crewmate Michael Sullivan at the Lake Waihola Boat Marathon on Saturday.

"The way Nick drives it, visually it’s the most spectacular thing out there", Milton Boat Club race secretary Hugh Howavat said.

The event comprised two runs, first of eight and then of seven laps of the lake — all together more than 100km. Twenty power boats took part in the speed event, which Waihola resident Paul Rutherford won with an average speed of 129.1kmh.

Mr Howavat said the boats used about a litre of fuel every minute.

The race was the last of seven South Island events commissioned by the New Zealand Boat Marathon this winter. There would be a prizegiving in Methven on August 24.