|
Thursday, 10 May 2012 00:00 |
|
 THE offshore season for 2012 is finally underway. The first event of the 2012 RYA National Championships took place at Fistral, Newquay, from 21-22 April. The event saw 14 Zapcat teams battle with almighty surf conditions and unyielding onshore winds, producing some of the harshest conditions teams have seen in recent years.
I had the opportunity to have a go in a Zapcat a few years ago. That was in sunny Solent conditions and, despite being great fun, it’s not a class I’d jump at the chance to race in - let alone in pounding surf - so I can only begin to imagine what the teams feel like after this tough weekend.
Of the 14 teams that started the battle this year to become British RYA Zapcat Champion, five brand new ‘Rookie’ teams joined the fleet. Having been put through their paces during race training, they then received a real baptism of fire that even experienced crews wrestled with.
|
|
|
Friday, 02 March 2012 00:00 |
|
 We’re all now busy gearing up for the 2012 season, but there was just one final formality from 2011 to be dealt with before we could really push forward to the season ahead - the 2011 RYA Powerboat Racing Awards ceremony.
So, on 4 February, 350 powerboat racers, families, friends and sponsors descended on the De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton to see the 2011 powerboat racing champions crowned.
I was honoured once more to co-host the awards ceremony with RYA Powerboat racing manager, John Puddifoot. It was great to be able to meet so many outstanding people and share their achievements with everyone.
|
|
Thursday, 08 December 2011 09:47 |
|
 While I was preparing to head out to Key West for the 31st annual Super boat World Championships at the beginning of November, Britain’s speed demons were pushing the boundaries at Coniston Records Week in search of the elusive World Speed Records.
From 31 October to 4 November British Powerboat Racers from all over the country descended on Coniston Water in Cumbria for the 41st annual records week, in a bid to set new national and world speed records. Coniston week is the only event in the powerboat racing calendar to bring together all classes of boat.
Entries ranged from tiny hydroplanes, through inshore circuit racers to the largest offshore boats.
Competitors and officials from all over the country assemble annually for what has been a popular event since its inception in 1970. It is regarded as the grand finale to the racing season.
|
|
|
Monday, 11 July 2011 14:18 |
ELEVEN months to the day after that incident in Sardinia that put me out of racing and I found myself going back on my promise to my mum that I would never race again.
On June 11 and 12 at the Powerboat P1 SuperStock Jersey Peter’s & May Grand Prix I was back in a boat with my helmet on and waiting for the green flag to drop.
It was probably the most difficult event of my racing career to date. Not because of the conditions or the hard racing but for me personally and mentally, as an individual.
So here I am, another new boat, new team sponsors - Helvetia Wealth and a new navigator Dan Smith but I still I’m still not sure I’ve got my full racing drive back I think that may take a while yet.
|
734
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
|
Monday, 13 June 2011 14:24 |
|
 Well, I wasn’t sure whether this day would actually happen and I had resigned myself to not racing this season.
I would probably have been a bit bored and lost not mixing it up at events with my fellow racers. I would certainly have missed the buzz and adrenaline rush racers get from waiting on the start line through to the chequered flag.
If someone had said to me at the end of last year or even a couple of months ago that I would be back in a race boat looking for another British title when the season begins, I wouldn’t have believed them!
But as always in powerboat racing things change and here I am facing my first race of a championship with a new team, new boat, but somewhat familiar race series in the new P1 Superstock 250 Championships.
This race series is like the very successful Honda 4 Stroke series – one design, affordable racing and hellishly competitive!
I’m glad to say I’ve got that buzz again, the pre-season build up feeling, the wanting to be back behind the wheel waiting for the green flag to drop and it feels good.
June 11 and 12 will see me competing in the first round of the 2011 RYA National P1 Stock Championship in Jersey.
Joining me on this new adventure is my husband Trevor as the team’s chief engineer and my navigator Dan Smith. He used to help me test in my Honda days when Libby wasn’t available.
|
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 Next > End >>
|
|
Page 1 of 4 |
