Forget jet-skis and kneeboards, and please remember to leave the wake-board at home. This is the perspective of speed demon Darren Penington, who prefers 165 kilometre an hour thrills on the water, with just a few centimetres of thin timber separating his tightly harnessed body from the glass-like surface he races on.
The 23-year-old from Drouin has raced at ridiculous speeds since he was 17, and loved every second of it.
Darren grew up in Alambee near Mirboo North and is Australia’s number one hydroplane racer, a hotly contested title he has managed to hold for the past three years.
Also the reigning Victorian champion, Darren is off to New Zealand early next year to compete in the Hydroplane World Championships on Lake Karapiro where the world’s best boat racers will compete.
As a child, Darren remembers the days of playing football and tennis, while watching his dad, Tony, rocket fearlessly across lakes throughout Victoria with a definite ‘pedal to the metal’ attitude.
It didn’t take Darren long to realise that skimming across water at frantic speeds was a sport he would grow to love.
Tossing up between go-karts and boat racing, top-end speed soon became a consideration.
Darren’s need for speed turned his attention to a sport that combined powerful petrol engines with the unpredictable environment of water.
His $20,000 1.6 litre twin-cam boat won Darren the rookie of the year award in 1999 and since then a string of back-to-back national and state titles.
Among his hoard of trophies Darren has collected the Ron Wilkins Memorial Cup which is considered the sport’s most prestigious award.
Despite his winning ways in Australia, Darren says winning in New Zealand won’t be easy.
“The biggest factor is I won’t be driving my own boat.
“That changes things quite a bit,” he said.
The boat will not only be different, but considerably more powerful than the boat Darren has raced for the past six years.
“The boat waiting for me in New Zealand is a 2.5 litre, quad-cam V6.
“The difference in power will be noticeable but I think after spending a couple of days getting used to the boat before the competition will bring me up to speed quickly,” he said.
Darren said despite being on top of the competition in Australia, he expects some fierce competition when he races off across the Tasman.
“The secret is having the guts to drive the boat flat out through each of the corners.
“No braking at all, flat out down the straight then pedal to the metal turning through the corners.
“It’s not easy to do – it takes a long time to get used to,” Darren said.
Like every sport, hydroplane racing has its accidents. Darren can vividly recall a number of hair-raising incidents.
“I’ve had a couple of close calls, run up banks and once caught on fire,” he said.
With flames bursting from the engine bay of his boat, it took Darren over a lap of the Glenmaggie track to realise his boat had turned into a speeding fireball.
While spectators tried to gain his attention, it was a cockpit dial that brought the problem to his notice.
“The oil pressure gauge was blinking red and I knew straight away there was something wrong.
“I stopped the boat and started fighting the fire. The little fire extinguisher took some time to start working and I ended up burning my hands.
“But just like all sports, the good times come with the bad. Luckily there wasn’t too much damage sustained.”
Long nights spent working in the garage tirelessly fine tuning his boat is an aspect of the sport Darren loves.
The course he is racing on greatly influences the weekly set-up of his craft.
“You need to take into account the dynamics of a course, and change the size and dimensions of the boat’s propeller accordingly.
Propeller sizes are very important – they balance speed and turning ability.”
While boat racing is tagged a hobby in Australia, boat-racing careers are common among top drivers overseas.
“The sport is very big in the United States and money is up for grabs. I hope to one day break into the sport in the USA,” Darren said.
Darren’s racing team, Twin Cam, is made up of a dedicated support group that is eager to see Darren reach his racing potential.
His mother, Maxine, and father, Tony, head the team, with sister Kim and mates Paul Ellis and Sean McCormack all pitching in to ensure Darren’s boat stays afloat.
His girlfriend, Kristy, said watching Darren race does make her nervous, but not quite as nervous as it makes his mother.
“Darren will be on the water in the middle of a race, and his mum will be screaming out ‘slow down, Darren!’ from the spectator area,” she said.
Approaching the World Championships next year, Darren is desperately seeking a sponsor or two so he can continue on his winning ways.
“At the moment, Repco Warragul are helping me out with discounted parts but I’m looking to get another sponsor on board,” Darren said.
Like other elite sportspeople on the verge of international success, Darren is self-funding his racing adventures and it is clear that his passion for the sport will see him do so for as long as required.
“I’m going to New Zealand. Whether it means taking a loan,” he said, “I don’t care, I wouldn’t miss the opportunity.”
