A TOTAL of 42 races will be decided during the weekend at the World Circuit Power Boat Championships will be held on the Manning.
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This is the second successive year the championship has been held at Taree and more than 60 competitors in three international classes will be in action. Two world titles will also be decided.
Promoter, Tony Walsh said the event will provide virtually non-stop action Saturday and Sunday, with practice to be held today. Racing will start from 9.30am both days.
The classes will include the Unlimited Displacement World Championship, UIM 6.0 Litre Displacement World Championship, SST120 outboard tunnels, Grand Prix Hydroplanes, and KT/5.0 Litre Hydroplanes combined.
There will also be barefoot skiing demonstrations along with a junior classs and an F4 tunnel boat demonstration.
Troy Marland will be chasing a hat-trick of world titles in his Blown Alcohol Displacement (BAD) boat Madness. Last year Marland set the world speed record in the unlimited class.
However, promoter Tony Walsh said competition in this class will be strong, with Darryl Quinn in Bad Influence and Dean Barry in She's the Culprit expected to push Marland.
Marland warmed up for this weekend by dominating Taree Aquatic Powerboat Club's Easter Classic this year.
Walsh added that there will be 10 boats in the 6.0 litre class and this will be one of the highlights of the program.
"They're the 10 fastest 6 litre boats in the country,'' he enthused.
This is only the second time there has been a world championship in the class, with Chris Whalan winning the last title decided in 2012.
Whalan will be a starter this weekend in Sacrifice. Marland will pilot Sick Puppy.
"Every entrant has the opportunity to win and it will be tough worlds for sure,'' Walsh said.
He added the SST120 outboard tunnel class provides dock starts with more than 10 boats heading to the first corner together.
Races will be over 15 laps.
There will be four GP Hydros led by current world grand prix champion Grant Harrison, who is no stranger to racing here.
Wayne Smith in GP1, Matt Ferris in Tattoo and Ian Bryant in Mathemagic will also contest the class.
A briefing and all the heat and poll draws which will take place at 6pm today in the World's Fastest Bar licensed marquee in the general admission area at Endeavour Place. All teams will be there and Walsh said the public is welcome to attend.
"The weather forecast is perfect and we're looking forward to a great weekend of racing on the Manning,'' he added.