21st August to 23rd August 2015 - Gold Coast Xcat power boats.

Gold Coast - XCat Power Boat Racing was on at the Broadwater. During my rides out to the Spit during the week, I watched the workers set up for the Friday - Sunday activities.

Friday
This was a practice day and the course conisited of in the smooth of the Broadwater and through the seaway about 100 meters into the ocean around a few buoys and back into the Broadwater. The most action was viewed from the Spit as the boat crossed from the smooth waters of the Broadwater to the chop of the seaway and beyond.

Saturday
There was the same practice course and during the afternoon, they raced for pole position andd this was a drag race maybe over a kilometer in the 'smooth' of the Broadwater. You raced an opponent and your time were ranked and that was your start position. Boat number 7 still managed to flip during this, as the wind lifted it skywards. Very spectacular.

Sunday
This is race day, with practice at 10am and race start at 2pm. I rode out to the Spit for practice and got some great photos. There was plenty of action with the boats hitting the chop in the seaway and getting airborne.
I watched the race live on the internet, it was a great coverage and while sitting in our fiver, I would glance out the window and you could see the boats racing, about 1 kilometer across the Broadwater.

It was a great event. Here are some of the 206 photos and videos that I took over the 4 days.



Videos of the weekend.
When video finishes - Click BACK button to return to this page.

Xcat Airborne 5524 - 17 secs 5.5Mb.

Xcat 3 Boats 5526 - 12 secs 3.4Mb.

Xcat 3 Boats 5522 - 11 secs 3.3Mb.

Xcat #22 Team Videx 5527 - 8 secs 2.8Mb.

Xcat #11 Team Gold Coast 5528 - 10 secs 3.5Mb.

Xcat #8 Team Australia 5528 - 8 secs 2.8Mb.

Xcat #5 Abu Dhabi Team 5525 - 6 secs 1.7Mb.

My best shot - Fully airborne - Heading out of the seaway.

Wednesday 19th August 2015.

At The Spit - setting up for the Xcat Powerboats.

At The Spit - setting up for the Xcat Powerboats.

At The Spit - setting up for the Xcat Powerboats.

Supercat 600 - parked at Southport YC.

Supercat 600 - parked at Southport YC.

Supercat 600 - parked at Southport YC.

Thursday 20th August 2015.

At The Spit - The Cats are coming.

At The Spit - The Cats are coming.

At The Spit - The Cats are coming.

At The Spit - The Cats in the 'cattery'.

At The Spit - The Cats in the 'cattery'.

At The Spit - The Cats in the 'cattery'.

At The Spit - The engines being tuned.

At The Spit - More Cats.

At The Spit - Another Cat.

Friday 21st August 2015.

The cranes used to launch the boats.

One of the Aussie boats.

The other Aussie boat.

Launching a boat 01.

Launching a boat 02.

Launching a boat 03.

Launching a boat 04.

Launching a boat 05.

Launching a boat 06.

Our CP in the background.

One of the posters.

Waiting for the rain front to approach.

Saturday 22nd August 2015.

MY Spit is taken over by XCat staff and spectators.

A brave cameraman.

#3 getting some air leaving the Seaway.

The Gold Coast sponsored Boat.

#3 heading back after rounding the buoys.

Another boat getting air.

The Helicopter videoing the boats.

The #11 Gold Coast boat with a rooster tail.

A closer view of our Gold Coast boat.

#5 Abu Dhabi Team.

The other Aussie boat - #8 Team Saracen Australia.

The water pit area.

Sunday 23rd August 2015
Race Day.

The Race Director.

Overcast during practice BUT sunny during the Race.

The Water Police were everywhere.

The Race Director.

Practice is go.

Team Australia.

Six came 3rd in the race.

Team Gold Coast.

#22 Videx at full throttle.

Team Gold Coast(left) Team Australia(right).

#5 Abu Dhabi Team.

Altman getting air.

#20 Marine Investimenti Team.

#46 Altman Marine approaching me.

Altman loves 'air'.

#5 Abu Dhabi Team.

My tranquil Spit was overrun with 'petrolheads'.

#7 Dubai flipped on Saturday.

The TV helicopter.

#7 Dubai didn't race well this round.

#7 Dubai also flipped during the race.

#6 is Team Six.

#96 is Team Yachts.

Seaworld Drive was chockers.

Tuesday 25th August 2015
Packing up.

Nearly finished.

The boats are packed and stored behind the fence.

Lucky, that I am tall.

To get these photos over the fence.

The boats are shipped on special containers.

The boats all packed and ready to head home.

The rakes can turn through 360°.

Very smart idea.

Wednesday 26th August 2015
Packing up.

The Doug Jennings park is back to normal. All clean.

Only the boats are awaiting to be transported.