Power boat driver’s wild ride

With his new rudder installed, Southland power boat race Allan Ballantyne was confident of mixing it with the younger drivers at Lake Rotoiti last Saturday.

The 69-year-old didn’t bargain on the bolts shearing off the rudder on the first lap and his hydroplane, capable of more 200 kilometres per hour, losing its steering.

The fish and chip shop owner wasn’t worried about cashing in his own chips, more the threat his out of control craft posed to a lot of spectators lining the bank.

“Then I was just left there for the ride. The boat hit the bank and surged into a tree,” he recalls.

“No one was injured but a couple of deck chairs were broken. The starboard side of the boat, the wing and nose cone were damaged,” says Allan.

But his safety harness did the job, and it was just his pride left hurting.

“Some people rushed up and couldn’t wait to show me what they had filmed on their cell phones. Someone rubbed my back and talked about buying a lotto ticket,” reveals Allan, who started racing boats 50 years ago.

“I can still run rings around a lot of the young fellows on the water.”

Allan had travelled up from Riverton to help out with numbers for the South Island GN Championships.

The buckled boat is now back in his workshop after the 13-hour drive home.

“I can’t get it fixed for the next race in Twizel in three weeks, but I plan to be back racing eventually. I am still enjoying it. I am fit and healthy.”

Asked if he was an engineer, Allan responds he was a fitter and turner by trade but had been in the fish and chip business for 38 years, Bay Side Takeaways.

“Although I am not out the front of the shop these days,” quips Allan, who turns 70 later this year.