1973 Kimbolton Cup - Won by Stampede

Owned and driven by Melbourne power – boat enthusiasts Stan Jones and Bob Sanigo, Stampede was the only boat which could handle the rough conditions.

Jones and Sanigo drove the boat in one of the two heats each and both managed to guide the giant home.

While Stampede took the jump at the start and the led from to finish, other boats were not so lucky.

Pat Hawthorn’s 440 c.i. Dodge magnum super charged Black Knight had to drop out of the race – sinking.

Mistic Mist, which is designed for an aircraft jet engine and driven by Tom Watt, also dropped out, with a blown-up motor.

Mariah, driven by J. Cooper did not quite make the finish line. The engine seized just 10 yards short and the boat came to a fast stop.

There were two casualties among the drivers. One was treated at the scene and another was taken to Bendigo Base Hospital.

Ray Shaw, driver of Prometheus, was taken to hospital with suspected broken ribs after he was thrown about in the boat when it hit a bad wash.

The driver of Osprey, Neil Northfield, was treated by ambulance men, for a suspected broken collarbone. His boat almost hit another and he was badly thrown about when swerving to avoid the collision.
No trouble
But the giant 1600-cubic-inch Rolls Merlin-powered Stampede found no trouble in the water.
The two heats of the Kimbolton Cup all had the same first, second and third boats.
Stampede won both heats, Bendigo driver Peter Wade in his 500 c.i. Chev-powered hydroplane, Vulture driven by John Lewis, was third.

Bendigo Power Boat Club public relations officer Mr. Norm Quin said after the racing that the low level of the water and high wind made racing difficult.

He said that another obstacle that faced drivers was spectators in small craft blowing out on to the course.

The other main race on yesterday’s program was the H. Hinton Memorial trophy which was won by Trevor Matthew’s skiff Assassin Too. Second was Pufnstuf driven by W. Baberton and third was Allan Beale’s runabout, Psycho.