Before moving forward into the future of air cushion vehicles at HoverWorld Expo 2004, we invite you to step back in history and experience the debut of hovercraft racing 40 years ago in Canberra, Australia.

The articles in the following news archives capture the excitement surrounding the "new-fangled machines" at the world's first hovercraft race, and illustrate how far the sport has evolved since 1964.

BP Accelerator
June, 1964 - Number 226
Editor: E. J. Butterfield
Australia's First Hovercraft Race
(Article donated by Judi Power Thomson judi@briarhill.bu.aust.com)

Hovering As A Pastime

Sun - Herald
Won Race on a Cloud

Power and Sail
Big Day for Canberra's New Lake

13 Mar. 1964
12 Craft in First Hover Contest

14 Mar. 1964
Hovercraft Races on Lake Today

Canberra Times, AU, 14 Mar. 1964
Course for Hovercraft Race

RAAF News, April 1964
Scooped the Pool in Hovercraft Races

Commonwealth of Australia - News and Information Bureau Department of the Interior, AU
April 1964
The World's First Hovercraft Race
"The world's first hovercraft race was run recently in Canberra, the national capital of Australia, and the enthusiasts who took part learned valuable lessons from it. The race was organized by the Canberra branch of the Royal Aeronautical Society - which gave it the "first-ever" label - and run on Canberra1s large artificial waterway, Lake Burley Griffin, on March 14, 1964."

Flight International Magazine, UK, 23 Apr. 1964
World's First Hovercraft Race
"March 14, 1964, may become a famous date in ACV history, for on that day, at Canberra, the world's first competitive hovercraft trials took place … thousands of people began taking up vantage points on the banks of both sides of the lake…"

Eric Shackle's eBook, Sept. 2001
World's First Hovercraft Race / Melbourne Entrant's Success Story
"Ten mostly backyard-built mechanical hares and tortoises competed in the world’s first hovercraft race in Australia’s capital, Canberra, on March 14, 1964. One of the amphibious hares sank, three had to be towed ashore, and a tortoise was first of only five to cross the finish line. The 10th failed to start."