TAREE Aquatic Powerboat Club will hold again its major event for the year next Easter.
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This is despite a decision by the Australian Powerboat Association to conduct the EC Griffith Cup in April. This year's Griffith Cup will be run at Lake Mulwala in Victoria from April 21-23.
Taree Aquatic Powerboat treasurer, Laurie Dege said moving the Griffith Cup so close to Taree's Easter Spectacular was the main reason boat numbers were down last weekend.
The club originally hoped to have around 50 boats on the water. Instead 34 were involved.
"The Griffith Cup has been jammed into the program and people just aren't travelling,'' Mr Dege said.
Club official, Scott Godfrey said last week a number of Blown Alcohol Displacement (BAD) boat teams would not be coming to Taree, preferring to concentrate on the Griffith Cup.
It's understood the decision to move the Griffith Cup to April is to bring it closer to the Anzac Day public holiday.
Good Friday falls on March 29 next year and Taree Powerboat commodore, Jay Milligan confirmed the Easter Spectacular would run from March 29 to March 31.
He said this at least gives the club some space before the Anzac holiday.
Mr Milligan said the club had no intention of forfeiting Easter, saying that another club - probably from Victoria - would quickly grab the date.
Mr Milligan said Easter powerboat racing was synonymous with Taree.
"We're not going to change that,'' he said.
