Maximum points a must for leaders

Sunday's fourth round of the national championship in Hawke's Bay will be a defining one in the chase for title honours for class leaders Richard Burt (Palmerston North), Baden Gray (Auckland) and David Stone (Bulls).

All three need maximum points to secure a points buffer before the final run, late next month at Featherston.

Of the six rounds, the spring-fed lagoon at Crownthorpe near Hastings is the newest on the calendar. Its third time hosting the New Zealand title series will offer no favourites for the 30 teams contesting the sprint event for V8-powered, jet-propelled boats.

Six points clear, the Suzuki superboat team of Richard Burt and Roger Maunder have two round wins, while Lites team Stone and Steve Greaves have a slender one-point lead, also with two round wins.

Illustrating the need for consistency, the 30 points-for-a-round win is almost matched by 29 points for coming second.

That leaves fifth-placed Waitotara farmer Duncan Wilson and navigator Jamie-Lee Lupton within striking distance of Burt.

While Burt has been the fastest outright, the one-point differential between finishing first and second provides plenty of incentive to first finish for the top five who could easily leap-frog the leader, should he be eliminated early.

Another duo pressuring the defending champion, Wanganui's Leighton and Kellie Minnell, make a competitive return after their Chevrolet engine exploded during testing before the last round.

Superboats points: Richard Burt, Palmerston North, 86; Leighton Minnell, Wanganui, 80; Jamie Cooper, Wanganui, 77; Pat Dillon, Wanganui, 76.

Lites class points: David Stone, Bulls, 89; Ray Thompson, Whangamata, 88; Graeme Jones, New Plymouth, 81; Gerry Linklater, Wanganui, 73.

Jet Group A Class: 3NZ Baden Gray, Auckland, 90pts; 30 Reg Smith, Taupo, 83; 1NZ Bevin Muir, Thames, 79; 15a Sam Newdick, Hamilton, 75.

- © Fairfax NZ News