One of the most iconic names in the history of Offshore Superboats in Australia will return to the fold for the Geelong round of the Championship, Bricker Pipelines, through their traffic management division supporting the event on the Geelong waterfront, bringing the family back in contact with a sport in which they have been indelibly linked for more than five decades.
“My father used to race Offshore Powerboats from the mid-60’s and into the 80’s, but more recently, I’ve had the opportunity to jump behind the wheel of the ‘TCR Offshore’ Supercat Outboard boat and have a steer myself,” Gavin Bricker explained.
“Boat racing has been in our family since I was born. My father was one of the early members of the Powerboat Club and ultimately the Commodore of the Club, peaking in 1980 as the man responsible for organising and managing the UIM World Championship event held in Melbourne – for which he was awarded the ‘Boatman of the Year’ from the international body. After he stopped racing, he became a life member of the Club and we’ve been racing ever since.”
Having moved across to ski racing as a young family which led to Gavin competing himself – ultimately claiming the runner-up position in the Southern 80 three years running – the Bricker’s perhaps became most recognised in recent years for their involvement in Formula GP competition culminating in Gavin’s son Ewan becoming the 2024 Australian Champion.
“We’re pretty passionate about our boat racing,” Gavin admitted. “I have this idea that at some point down the track Ewan and I might share an Offshore boat to keep the family relationship with the sport alive, but for now, he’s pretty committed to claiming back-to-back titles in the GP, and I’m looking at getting back behind the wheel at some point too with an Unlimited outboard engine for various events, but down the track, who knows..!”
For the Geelong event, which is held in the heart of the city, operating from the Royal Geelong Yacht Club at Steampacket Gardens, the Bricker’s will throw their weight behind the round by supporting the safety of the fans and competitors as boats are craned in and out of the water from the pit area.
“We love racing in Geelong,” Australian Offshore Powerboat Club Commodore Antony De Fina admitted. “To be able to race in the middle of a major Australian city and bring the fans right up close to the boats is the perfect scenario for us, but of course that also brings safety into account, so when we spoke with Gavin about assisting us through his Traffic Management branch, he was only too eager to help. For the Club, to reunite the Bricker name with the sport was an added bonus as Geoff ‘Bulldog’ Bricker is an icon in our sport and instrumental in building the foundations of where we are today.”
Round three of the Hornet Property Services Australian Offshore Superboat Championships gets underway in Corio Bay, Geelong on Saturday, 15 March with three, 30-minute races starting from 1:00pm, followed by three additional races on Sunday starting at 11:00am. Get down to Steampacket Gardens on the Geelong foreshore and witness the boats up close.
2024/25 Offshore Superboat Championships – calendar
R1. Lake Macquarie, NSW – 19-20 October, 2024
R2. Wyndham Harbour, Victoria – 22-23 February, 2025 (sponsored by Hornet Property Services)
R3. Geelong Harbour, Victoria – 15-16 March, 2025 (sponsored by Hornet Property Services)
R4. Port Adelaide, South Australia – 12-13 April, 2025 (sponsored by Symons Clark Logistics)
Further dates and locations released soon.
For more information on the Australian Offshore Superboat Championships, visit us at;
www.superboat.com.au
www.facebook.com/OffshoreSuperboats
www.facebook.com/ausopc
About Bricker Pipelines
Established in May 1966, Bricker Pipelines services the needs of corporate and residential customers across Melbourne. Their commitment to continually updating equipment, training staff and being at the forefront of innovation keeps Bricker Pipelines as a preferred supplied to Melbourne’s many Water Boards.
For more information, please visit https://www.brickerpl.com.au
