Grant Harrison and his father Keith at the EC Griffith Cup, held in New Zealand, in 2012.
Melton powerboat racer and nine-times EC Griffith Cup winner Grant Harrison has all the motivation to return to the winners podium this year.
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Harrison, 52, has been shooting for his 10th title the last two years but was brought undone by an engine breakdown in 2022 while a fuel line blew off in last year’s final.
And when he tries again for that elusive 10th title at Lake Mulwala on the weekend, it will be without his father and team manager, Keith, who passed away last year.
Keith Harrison won one EC Griffith Cup as a driver (1986) and nine more as team manager with his son at the controls, the first of which was in 2003.
“For the last 30-odd years I’ve only ever raced with my father as team manager or owner, so to win it as a tribute to him would be awesome,” Harrison said.
“That’d be a dream come true.”
Father and son, together with the GP1 team, celebrate taking the cup off the Kiwis in 2012.
Harrison has taken the reins as team owner now, and is confident the red, white and blue GP1 hydroplane which has delivered him so much success, including two world championship titles, is ready.
“The team has continued his (Keith’s) legacy. It’s a great race boat,” he said.
“We’ve been fine-tuning things a little bit.
“We had a run at Easter and won all three races so we’re happy.
“And we’re bringing two complete engines up, so we’ve got spares.”
Harrison is a part-local after holidaying in Yarrawonga annually for the past 40 years.
To record his 10th title he will have to overcome class opposition including last year’s winner, Queensland’s Troy Marland in Warlord and NSW’s Ricky Howard in White Noise.
“I don’t get nervous but I am getting close to my use-by date,” Harrison said.
“They’re the best of the best in Australasia – it should be a hell of a race.”
Harrison in action in GP1 at a world championship event on Lake Karapiro, NZ.
If Harrison is victorious this weekend, he will equal Rob Saniga’s record of 10 cups which he won during a dominant era throughout the 1970s and 1980s in hydroplane boats Stampede and Miss Bud.
The EC Griffith Cup is the blue-ribbon event in Australian powerboat racing, part of the big four alongside the Taree King of the River, the Glenmaggie Gold Cup and the Lake Eppalock Gold Cup.
Boats can be of any design to contest the cup, as long as they are inboard and powered by a single automotive engine.
They can reach speed of up to 280kmh and GP1, which is lowered into the water by a crane and which requires an oxygen mask to drive, can complete a lap of the 1.8km Lake Mulwala circuit in 37 seconds.
The cup will be held over Friday and Saturday, with the heats to be whittled down to a final six or seven and is one of a series of race formats over the three days.
50 per cent increase in drivers
Entries from teams areup more than 50 per cent this year, organisers say, with 93 drivers signed on to compete in a range of races including the National Drivers Championship (16 entries) which is in its inaugural year.
The four-round inaugural championship – which features forced induction boats, with supercharged or turbocharged engines – is being covered by the Seven Network’s 7Mate with the broadcaster to be filming across the three days.
Other highlights of the program include the Anzac Day Trophy, with the final to be held on Sunday, and the addition of the Formula GP and Formula 4, both tunnel boats with outboard engines, with the latter to feature some up and coming drivers all under the age of 20.
Event organiser Stephen Scott, of the Victorian Speed Boat Club, said the entry levels were fantastic and drivers were looking forward to putting on a show.
Yarrawonga Mulwala Tourism and Business executive officer Noel Wright said 400 tickets had been sold by mid-last week, with organisers hoping to see big crowds on the foreshore.
“Crowd numbers have been up each of the last three years and we’re hoping that continues,” he said.
Mr Wright said the event had attracted an increased number of amusement rides for the Yarrawonga Fair while pilot Matt Hall of Red Bull Racing was set to conduct a race against one of the hydroplane boats around lunchtime on Friday in addition to his daily solo show (11am) and formation show (2.30pm).
Ticketed for first time
The event is ticketed for the first time this year, but with entry costing $10 and under-16s free. Go to yarrawongaboatracing.com.au to book tickets.
Gates open at 8.30am each day and the racing starts at 9am.
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