AS the boats line up at the end of the month for the start off the Royal Yacht Squadron of the 50th Cowes Classic Celebrating the anniversary of the Cowes Torquay Powerboat Race I’ll be enjoying the festivities on shore in the race village.

Under doctor’s orders I am not allowed to race for three months which will mean I won’t be able to retain the First Lady Driver trophy that I’ve secured the last two years running.

Unfortunately during testing for rounds five and six of the UIM World Championship Grand Prix of the Sea in Poltu Quatu, Sardinia, Throttleman Patrick Huybreghts and I in Spirit of Belgium were involved in a second serious incident in a month.

Nobody can say the world of Powerboat Racing isn’t exciting, as I found out at the GPS World Championship round in Malta last month!

After securing the Silver medal on the Saturday and the championship leaders Baia down in fourth we were set for a fantastic weekend and the Malta Podium if we could finish higher than second on Sunday.

However, things didn’t go quite to plan and instead of another silver medal my prize for the day was a trip in an ambulance to hospital.

It was little over month ago that I was left asking myself if my 2010 dream of a World Championship title was a possibility or shattered before the season had even started.

The race promoters pulled out leaving the Powerboat P1 teams without a championship. But with the passion and commitment that powerboat racers possess in abundance, race officials and competitors alike made sure the season continued.

Meanwhile it was back to business for me with a new team and sponsor to promote.

I headed to the Jersey Boat Show to meet Jersey’s TV Chef Shaun Rankin as we opened the show by cutting a very, large, old fishing rope with a chef’s knife to fanfare by Royal Marine trumpeters.

Wow what a month! While most people have been doing last minute preparations to their boats for the season ahead of them Powerboat P1’s World Championship competitors were left wondering if they would have a season to race in at all.

At an extraordinary meeting of Powerboat P1 Management and the race teams on April 1 in London, The chairman of Powerboat P1, Asif Rangoonwala, said the 2010 World Championship would not happen.

“Following seven years of investment totalling almost €30m, Powerboat P1 Management has, like any investor, taken a very careful look at the return on investment which is being generated from the championship,” he said.