There’s no question that 2025 has been a challenging year for the sport of boat racing in Australia; from droughts to flooding rains and financial constraints applied by governments all affecting the ability for teams to get out on the water and go racing, but in fantastic news for the fans of the mighty Hydroplanes, we now have an event locked in for the 2025 Lucas Oil Hydroplane National Drivers’ Championship!
“It’s been a tough year across the board,” the NDC’s Rob Psaila admitted. “Each time we’ve put something in place to get the Hydroplane NDC underway, a road-block has been put in the way, but fortunately, through persistence and the vision of some of the Victorian Clubs, we now have events locked in place for both this year, and 2026; Glenmaggie hosting the 2025 event at their Glebmaggie Cup event in early November [01-02] whilst we’ve already finalised an agreement for an early start to the 2026 schedule.
“The Hydroplanes are without question the most spectacular Circuit Boats in the country, they’re fast, dramatic and loud, just the way the fans love them, but while there are quite a number of boats in Australia, traditionally these days, we rarely see them, so in conjunction with Lucas Oil Australia we conceived a plan to build a dedicated NDC Series, and started talking to the teams; the feedback was very positive.
“Unlike the Forced Induction Unlimited Displacement events, the Hydroplanes are also limited with respect to where they can race, so open lakes are obviously the preference and Glenmaggie has a great history with Hydroplane racing, so we’re looking to build on that come November.”
“We’re overjoyed to have the Lucas Oil Hydroplane NDC as part of the Glenmaggie Cup,” Glenmaggie & District Boat Club Commodore Heath Hamilton admitted. “Our Club has a long history with the Hydroplanes and over recent years we’ve enjoyed a number of boats coming to the event, notably ‘GP1’ and ‘GP101’ who really turned on a show when they were there across the last couple of seasons.”
The event is a feature of the annual Australian Power Boat Association [APBA] calendar towards the end of every calendar year, attracting some great boats across a variety of classes, however it is the Hydroplanes that will take centre stage this year. The Lucas Oils Hydroplane NDC is expected to host the Unlimited Displacement category, the 5-litre and 6-litre Hydroplanes; for which there are a number in the country – many of them regulars at Glenmaggie – and the popular 1.6-litre ‘OzLites’ which always turn on some incredible side-by-side action.
“We’re excited to be launching the Lucas Oil Hydroplane National Drivers’ Championship at Glenmaggie this year,” Psaila added. “It’s a class that needs to be on the water more often, however opportunities for the fastest boats in the country have been limited, that’s something we’ve been looking to change, and this November, we’re looking to kick off something that will have a big impact on the sport!”
With just over eight weeks until the Glenmaggie event, teams will be full steam ahead preparing for the round with an event schedule expected in coming weeks.
For more information on the Lucas Oil Hydroplane National Drivers’ Championship, please follow the NDC Facebook pages; facebook.com/NatDriversChamp and facebook.com/HydroplaneNDC
For the past three decades, Sean Henshelwood has been fortunate to build a career that is never dull, consistently challenging, and offers an extraordinary breadth of experiences. His work spans Asia and Australia, encompassing commentary, media support, and the development of television programmes. He collaborates closely with a dedicated Beijing-based team, delivering a diverse range of media services to motorsport and motoring clients across the Asian region.