Whitianga bathtub racer John Booker finished the Nanaimo bath tub race early today New Zealand time, eighth in class and 19^th overall.

John won the trip when he took first prize at the Bay of Islands Bathtub Regatta in February. Nanaimo is in Vancouver Sound and the bathtub race there is across 57km of the open water of Vancouver Sound.

John Booker working on his tub. Photo: Julie Chadwick, Nanaimo Daily News.

Of about 200 or so bathtub racers enter the race each year but only about 50 finish. Each racing bathtub has to be accompanied by an escort vessel.

'If I could finish the race I would be happy,” says John in February after learning he was going to Nanaimo.

Before the international event, the biggest field he raced against was 16 tubs at Whitianga on Labour Weekend. But the last race of the meeting was 15 laps starting off a reverse grid.

The Nanaimo Daily News reports John was helped into his tub by local resident Jamie Garcia.

Jamie had a spare tub and over two days they prepared it for the great race.

'I'll have to take it out for some sea trials before the big race," says John four days before the race.

"The types of races that I've taken part in before were much shorter and were usually over in less than 10 minutes. The course here is much longer and very different and difficult, so I expect it will be a trying experience to get a grip on it. I intend to try as hard as I can, but I will need some luck, at least for this year."

Sunday's was the 47 Nanaimo bathtub race.