Round 2 of the 2026/27 New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Racing Series is at Marsden Cove, Whangarei, on Saturday November 14. Two races are scheduled, the first at 11am and the second at 12pm local time.
The series opened on October 17 at Gulf Harbour, where Gen 2, Cougar and Hidromek each won twice. Marsden Cove is the second of five rounds.
Race Day Timetable
The race day schedule comes from the New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Association. All times are local New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT, UTC+13). The “Your time” column converts automatically to your device’s time zone.
| Session | Local time (NZDT, UTC+13) | Your time |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday November 14 | ||
| Race control set up, Marsden Marine Supplies | 6:30am NZDT | |
| Scrutineering of day entries | 7:00am NZDT | |
| Race day entries close | 9:00am NZDT | |
| Briefing, Race HQ | 9:30am NZDT | |
| First race start | 11:00am NZDT | |
| Second race start | 12:00pm NZDT | |
| All boats off the race course | 1:00pm NZDT | |
| Prize giving, Marsden Cove Fishing Club | 4:00pm NZDT | |
In the UK, where clocks are on GMT, New Zealand is 13 hours ahead, so Saturday’s racing falls on Friday night. The first race starts at 10pm GMT on Friday, the second at 11pm, and the prize giving is at 3am GMT on Saturday.
Race Course
The course map shows five marks, A to E, laid out in the water off the Marsden Cove shore. It also marks two spectator viewing points on the shoreline, in keeping with the event’s “watch the action from the shore” billing.
Lap distances and the number of laps are not published.
Race Pits
The Race Pits are on the grass beside Rauiri Drive, close to the marina buildings at Marsden Cove. Race control is set up at Marsden Marine Supplies, and the briefing is at Race HQ.
Championship Position
After Round 1, Espresso Engineers lead Supercat Lite/Superboat 600 and the 100 Mile class with 850 points, ahead of Rainbow Haulage on 550. Cougar leads Sports 70mph on 950, and Gen 2 tops the 200HP/Sports 200 class on 950.
In the 140HP/Sports 140 class, Gipsy Danger lead on 850 points from Coranto on 675. Gen 2 also head the 60 Mile standings on 950, with Cougar second on 750.
Entry details for Round 2 have not been published.
The Rest of the Season
The championship continues at Napier on January 30 and 31, 2027, then Wellington on February 27 and Whitianga on March 13. Our 2025-26 season round-up covers last year’s championship, and the full dates are in the 2026 powerboat racing calendar.
Entries and enquiries go to the association at [email protected], and the series website is nzoffshore.co.nz.
NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship Coverage
Powerboat News follows the New Zealand Offshore Powerboat Championship through the 2026/27 season.
NZ Offshore News
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
Cite as: John Moore, "NZ Offshore Powerboat Championship Marsden Cove 2026: Everything You Need to Know", Powerboat News, 9 November 2026. https://powerboat.news/nz-offshore-powerboat-championship-marsden-cove-2026-everything-you-need-to-know/
