Raceboat International issue 21

raceboat

international.com

Issue 21 - DECEMBER/JANUARY 2016/17

F2

LUNDIN REIGNS AGAIN IN PORTUGAL

OCRDA

FINAL ROUND IN PLYMOUTH SOUND

ABP AQUABIKE WORLDS IN CHINA

2016 KEYWEST

WORLD SUPERBOAT

F1

THUNDERCATS

UK CHAMPIONSHIPS IN GIBRALTAR

NATIONS CUP CHINA

AHMED AL HAMELI A Miracle Recovery and a Great Win in F1H2o CHINA

A FAMILY AFFAIR - THE PEEDELS

YESTERYEAR - THE 1965 raceboatinternational CALAIS RALLY1

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Available by subscription, or it can be downloaded from raceboatinternational.com EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES PO Box No. 4871 Poole, Dorset BH15 1HX Tel: +44 (0) 1202 625048 Mobile: +44 (0) 7946 230630 Email: david@raceboatinternational.com EDITOR David Sewell WEBSITE www.raceboatinternational.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Carolynne Sewell CONTRIBUTORS Nigel Quilter Tony Cossington Steve Michael Fiona Pascoe PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Tapping Simon Palfrader Vittorio Obertone Arek Rejs Graham Stevens Bryan Scott Mike Powell Dave Ormiston Paul Kemiel Bryon Scott SUBSCRIPTIONS (4 issues) £30 per annum (U.K.) £40 per annum (Europe) £45 per annum (ROW) Post cheque made payable to: Raceboat International or pay by Paypal on-line www.raceboatinternational.com FRONT COVER PHOTO OCRDA No.19 and Sunus racing at Plymouth, UK PRINTED BY - Headley Brothers While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy in the compilation of this publication, the Publishers cannot be held liable for errors and omissions. c Copyright - David Sewell All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior consent in writing to the publisher.

NOTE from the

Editor Looking back on 2016, I’d like to say it had been a memorable year but, with a few exceptions ie, World F1 and UK’s OCRDA, it has been another lack lustre twelve months with dwindling fleets worldwide.

A race that will stick in many minds this year is the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes marathon. There were new, young hopefuls entered, but the prize went to a veteran monohull, crewed by three gentlemen who are well past their sell-by-date. Richard Carr has been racing powerboats for as long as I can remember, Paul Sinclair is another one who most thought had retired long ago, and on throttles Steve Curtis MBE, after setting a new world speed record in the USA we thought he would settle down to the quiet life in a sleepy village in Hampshire. How wrong we were, the 40 year old aluminium Cougar, built by Steve’s father Clive Curtis, battled through mountainous seas to clinch the overall victory in the historic race. It would be great if their achievements inspire others to seek out those veteran classics to renovate and go racing.

The rumour mill was in top gear when all went silent in the X Cats stable. Certainly there has been problems that we are not privy to, but there is obviously still life in X Cats racing yet, as the 4th race of the 2016 series is to be run in Abu Dhabi for the finale of this year’s championship which will apparently see a new Russian entry. We have yet to hear what the future holds for this impressive series.

Likewise, since the shutters came down on Class 1 at the end of 2015, the UIM have been desperately trying to find a promoter to take up the challenge. No-one came foward so it has been left to Abu Dhabi to bring a small fleet of these ‘muscle boats’ together at late notice in a three race world championship in November, and the host’s two boat team ABU DHABI will be hoping they can retain the title they won in 2015.

Perhaps a three race world championship for Class 1 at different venues is not a bad idea as it was always an exciting event unil the late Mauro Ravena changed it to a fully blown Grand Prix series back in the 90s. That worked well for a while until the huge costs involved frightend off the smaller outfits.

Looking ahead, we hear in the pipeline of a few innovative idea for events pencilled in for 2017 and we look forward to a season of close racing without being bogged down by rule book politics.

A very happy New Year to all our readers around the world.

Dave

David Sewell Editor

44 22

contents www.raceboatinternational.com

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40 16 34

6

NEWS BRIEFING Who’s WHO and what’s WHAT

12

FAMILY AFFAIR Pat Peedel recalls how powerboat racing became part of the family

14

COWES POOLE COWES Very rough weather for 20 teams including national points for Guernsey

16

OCRDA FINAL A perfect weekend for racing in the Plymouth Sound

22

F1 CHINA A win for Ahmed Al Hameli at Round 5 of the World Series in Liuzhou

28

34

NATIONS CUP WORLD SERIES Russia retains the title at the Grand Prix of Shanghai

38

40

KEYWEST WORLDS The annual week long event for the US Superboat classes

F2 PORTUGAL Sweden’s Pierre Lundin claims the title for the second consecutive year

UIM-ABP AQUABIKE World titles in China for Runabout, Ski, Ski Ladies and Freestyle classes

44 THUNDERCATS

The Microlink 2016 UK Championship

in Gibraltarian shores

48 GP CIRCUIT

2016 UIM European F2, F4 and GT15

Championships at Stewartby

28

52 YESTERYEAR

The Calais Rally in 1965 - when small

boats needed to navigate as well as

drive fast

56 CLASSIFIED

Boats for Sale 58

PIT SHOTS raceboatinternational 5

4 SWANS A-SKIING

Powerboat photographer Tim Tapping took this picture at the ski-racing event in Plymouth in October. Amazingly, he says he had no idea he had caught the swans flying over until he saw the photo on his screen at home.

Astondoa 655 Coupe

Astondoa will feature the brand new 655 Coupe, launched at the company’s anniversary celebration in Santa Pola, Spain IN the summer This express yacht has a distinguishing inverted delta bow, and angular side windows provide additional space and natural light to the below deck quarters. Astondoa utilizes every inch of outdoor space with multiple sun pads and seating options, and huge windows, brighten the interior helm and salon.

Cristiano Gatto’s interior designs make the yacht modern, clean and welcoming - much like the Century 110, but in a smaller yacht that maintains the Astondoa level of quality and style. The salon has large pull-down shades and its flexible carbon fiber table can raise, lower, open and connect as needed to provide a cocktail, coffee or dining table. Sliding glass doors open to the protected aft deck, then recede into the engine room below.

Comfortable settees complement a large raised sun pad and transom doors provide water access from the side. The port and starboard transom also has “wings” that unfold for additional sunning space.

The teak deck flooring is replicated below deck in hardwood for the galley and staterooms. The mid-ship master suite has a leather headboard and leather is used generously throughout the furnishings and spacious storage cabinetry. Mirrors and carbon fiber are used as accents and are duplicated in the head where Italian marble and a smoked glass door add luxury touches. The VIP queen has its own head and two twins are also en suite, with one serving as a day head.

6 raceboatinternational

Aston Martin makes a Splash In scenes seemingly designed for the opening credits of a James Bond film, Aston Martin unveiled their 37ft AM37 powerboat against the glamorous backdrop of the Monaco yacht show.

Britain’s prestigious car manufacturer have produced a stylish powerboat worthy of carrying the Aston Martin logo, as part of a plan to to return to profit by stamping its fabled marque on a range of luxury goods.

The vessel, which will set buyers back about £1.3m, is part of a turnaround plan that its chief executive, Andy Palmer, hopes will breathe life into the company. His strategy involves extending the brand into other areas, such as clothing, handbags etc.

Speaking this month at the opening of a store in Mayfair, London, designed to showcase such products, Palmer envisaged wealthy customers immersing themselves in an Aston Martin-themed world. He said: “Many of the products in the Dover Street shop are the result of tie-ups with upmarket brands such as clothing firm Hackett London and Venetian lace maker Emilia Burano.

Parents who want their baby to have wheels like MI6’s top agent can buy a Silver Cross Surf pram, with the famous Aston Martin badge, for £3000.”

While Aston Martin has been selling products other than cars for some time, the AM37 is the first vehicle it has produced that is not

a car. Capable of racing across the waves at 50 knots, the boat was designed by “master craftsmen” who also worked on Aston Martin’s DB11 and Vulcan models. It was built at a shipyard in Southampton, with nautical engineering expertise from the Dutch yacht-builder Quintessence Yachts. The vessel which has room for up to eight passengers, features mood lighting, air-conditioning, a fridge, microwave and coffee machine.

Aspiring 007s in need of a nap can catch 40 winks thanks to a gadget almost worthy of ‘Q’ – a table that converts into a bed. The windscreen is made from a single piece of sculpted glass, while a sliding roof allows the owner to cover the cockpit – as with a convertible car. The cockpit borrows other elements that will be familiar to owners of the firm’s sports cars, including leather interiors, throttle handles and joystick.

DOCTOR ON THE BEACH

IN BRIEF

WANTED: CUVs

The exhilarating sport of Thundercat Racing, which starts from the beach and takes place in the surf, uses the specialist services of Enhanced Care Services who provide safety cover both on and off the water.

Based on the South coast, Enhanced Care Services has a long history with the watersports industry, and have provided emergency care for many events including the London 2012 Olympic Games, World Cup Series and National Championships.

Enhanced Care Services provides NHS Staff including Paramedics and Emergency or Critical Care Doctors and Nurses with water event experience, on and off the water response teams, RYA Safety Boat drivers as part of our medical team, understanding of inshore or coastal waters and the risks/injuries associated with different water activities.

A fully equipped Rapid Response Vehicle is on hand at Thundercat meetings which is crewed with a Doctor and Nurse who are able to deliver full and advanced procedures as well as minor injury care skills.

A fully equipped Rapid Response Vehicle on hand at the Thundercat Championships in Gibraltar

BLUEBIRD’S NEW ENGINE The restoration of Donald Campbell’s Bluebird has reached its most significant milestone yet, with the testing of the boat’s new engine.

Campbell died in January 1967 while trying to break his own speed record on Coniston Water in the Lake District, and volunteers have been working for the past 15 years on reconstructing the vessel, from wreckage salvaged in 2001. Now Bluebird’s return to Coniston is a step closer after an almost identical engine was successfully tested.

Campbell was 46 when the jet-powered Bluebird, travelling at more than 300mph, somersaulted repeatedly before crashing to the bottom of Coniston. The fuselage has been painstakingly rebuilt by a team led by North Shields engineer Bill Smith, with almost all the parts having to be specially made. The replacement engine was donated

by De Havilland Aviation in 2007 and is almost identical to the original Bristol Orpheus engine. It was successfully tested in the reconstructed chassis for the first time, at Mr Smith’s engineering yard.

Once fully rebuilt, Bluebird will undergo further testing at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire next spring, with the hope of it returning to the water in Coniston some time after that. Once complete, Bluebird is expected to be put on show at the Ruskin Museum at Coniston.

CUV’s, one of the most popular monohull’s from the l990-2000 era are in demand again but the problem is....where are they? One of our readers is keen to purchase one of two of the aluminium Italian built hulls, but apart from the pristine Muira which is up for auction, there does seem to be a shortage of the Class 1 classic. We know Peter Unwin is restoring Cinzano but what about Trussardi, Annabella, SDA, Fresh and Clean? They must be restng in a boat yard somewhere. If you know their whereabouts, please can you contact us.

POWERBOAT FESTIVAL HOPES FOR 2017

Nothing has been made official yet, but a new club has been formed affiliated to the RYA which is in the early stages of organising a week long powerboat racing festival in Falmouth, Cornwall. The event is hoped to feature a series of races for OCR, Class 3, Marathon and circuit boats. The courses will be set in Falmouth Harbour, while Marathon boats will head for the Scilly Isles. Circuit outfits will have a course laid out in the Malpas River and this could also be used by Thundercats.

As we say, the whole programme is still in the planning stages and the promoters are hoping to raise funds from the Tourism department.

OCRDA GOES INTERNATIONAL

After the resounding success of their three race Aqua Adrenaline this year, OCRDA are planning to expand the series to include Howth, Ireland as the 4th GP of their five race championship.

The picturesque town of Howth is on the outskirts of Dublin and is an easy place to reach from mainland UK. Alan Power and his Irish colleagues have made several pilgrimages to Britain so the least the Brts can do is return the gesture by taking part in this unique event. We understand already twelve teams have signed up for this overseas adventure. raceboatinternational 7

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MARKETPLACE ROUND THE WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT POSTPONED Team Britannia’s round the world record bid has been delayed due to a technical problem with its two sternhull plates

When Alan Priddy announced his record breaking attempt was to start on 23rd October there was concern that he was ‘cutting things a bit fine’. As the due date got closer and his boat was not even launched let alone tested, the news of its set back came as no surprise.

The problem was only discovered late on Monday (2nd October) night, which meant that Alan Priddy and his team were not able to set sail on 23rd October because the plates had to be recut.

Mr Priddy commented: “This is a hard day for the project and everyone involved with it - more than 100 men and women. I have been living and breathing this project for five years and we were flying. The boat was taking shape and everything was on track for the start later this month.

“All the kit and equipment we needed is on site waiting to be installed, including the engines, Castoldi jets and high tech communications and navigation equipment from industry leaders Raymarine.

“Having been advised that it could take several weeks before the new plates arrive, while other works had to stop, I reluctantly took the decision to delay the record bid until early next year.”

The whole construction process is expected to take four months before a programme of sea trials in the Solent and around the British Isles. It has been announced that Team Britannia will now

Boat specifications Length - 80 feet

Internal beam - 13 feet

External beam - 19 feet Draft - 30 inches

NOW K O O B

Material - Marine grade aluminium, including nearly 12km of framing

Hull thickness - 8mm

Build weight - 15 tonnes

Range - 4,000 nautical miles

Alan Priddy

Engines - Two customised Fiat Power Train C13 500, 6 cylinders

launch their record bid on Sunday March 12th 2017 to set off on the 23,000 mile voyage.

“This delay will allow us to undertake an extended programme of sea trials that will include breaking the unsupported round Britain record and revisiting the scope of work with our amazing wounded and injured veterans. It might be possible to increase their role as we move forward.

“We will also be able to fly the flag in more places, visiting the London Boat Show and other major industry events around Europe.”

AYD REFORMED RACETEAM

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JANUARY/FE BRUARY 2 011 579 raceboatinternational

when is an engine not an engine?

AUSTRIAN F2 driver Rupp Temper has successfully appealed against disqualification FROM the portugESE F2 grand prix and clarified a grey area in the uim rule book Rupp Temper and his team travelled to Portugal with one task - to beat Uvis Slakteris in the race for the Bronze medal. Bronze was the only medal available; Pierre Lundin had already won the UIM F2 Championship before the last round when his arch-rival Erik Edin crashed out of the Macon round a few weeks before, and it looked to be a walkover when Slakteris ended his chances before the start after an accident with another competitor.

Frode Sundsdal, Rupp Temper, However, it would and Micheal Werner take a greater effort from Tempers to end up with a medal when the UIM Tech Commissioner decided to disqualify Team Temper for connecting a 2nd battery cable to the ”hot stud” on the SST 200 Mercury Optimax engine. In this case he had 5 cables and not 4.

A protest was dismissed and team manager Micheal Werner

announced ”There was never any doubt, we had to make an appeal afterall he was responsible for the set up of Temper’s boat.

I asked my good friend, and long time team member Frode Sundsdal for advice.”“Looking at the evidence,” said Sundsdal after long discussions with both Rupp and Michael, “For me it was 100% clear, that what they did was the correct way to interpret the rules.

I actually race like this myself. Unfortunately, a technical inspector can also make mistakes, but he has to judge what he believes is correct at that time. We are all human, so mistakes and wrong interpretations can occur.”

It’s a very expensive procedure Euros 2000’ and if you lose, the money is lost. The UIM was holding its annual conference in the UAE so alTemper’s ddocuments had to be there within days.

For this hearing the UIM Vice President, and Comin Sport President Fred Hauenstein.

“The hearing in the end boiled down to the following two questions,” says Frode Sundsdal, “Is it allowed to connect a 3rd battery to the motor? And, what is regarded as an ”engine” in the rules, because you’re not allowed to modify or alter “the engine”?

1. You can install and connect as many batteries as you like (Rupp had 3) 2. The recommended place to connect the battery cable is the hot stud.

3. As long you have 12 V u comply with the F2 rules.

4. An engine, has to be interpreted and measured as the powerhead.

5. The battery and its conductors do not form part of the engine.

F2s PIERRE LUNDIN MAKES IT A HAT-TRICK

As the sunset over the F2 Grand Prix of Portugal podium, a champagne soaked Pierre Lundin felt he could now finally relax after a job well done. “A perfect end to a not so perfect season” said the 2016 UIM F2 World Champion. Many F2 fans assume Sweden’s Pierre Lundin won his second world medal in 2016 to add to the crown he secured last season in that mish-mash of a race series. (events were cancelled). However Pierre, one of powerboat racing’s ‘Mr Nice Guys’ won his first World F2 title in 1998, the same year he clinched the European F2 championship.

The Swedish pilot from Eskilstuna won his first race in 1980 at the tender age of twelve in Sport S-250, and his first F2 race was 10 raceboatinternational

in 1995. After conquering F2, Pierre moved up to F1 and finished 19th in 2002 his first season. He chopped and changed teams for a while then Pierre recorded his best F1 result in 2007 with a 4th place overall.

Then he made the decision to move back to F2 where he has remained a dominant force. Apart from being a skilled and experienced Formula driver Pierre Lundin also has the advantage of having a brother, Christian Lundin, who runs Lundins Marin, one of Sweden’s top engine preparers.

Away from racing Pierre lists Ice Hockey, Skiing and diving among his hobbies.

COMMODORE’S DAY at WINDERMERE

Spectators enjoyed the exhilarating sight of 15 power boats racing around a mile stretch of race course on the famous Windermere lake for a race day organised by the Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club.

Alongside the regular club racers were members of the Lancashire Power Boat Club and fellow racing enthusiasts from as far away as the south coast.

The Commodore’s Day prize went to Dave James and Linsey Fairhurst and was presented by the Commodore Roy Pugh.

Motor boat racing has taken place on Windermere since the end of the First World War, but it was not until October 24, 1925 that a group of enthusiastic motor boat drivers got together and founded the Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club to ‘promote motor boat racing and to

regulate safety on the lake’. That aim still stands today as WMBRC celebrates its 91st year, albeit with a couple of interludes; one being the Second World War and the other the speed limit on Windermere coming into force in 2005 when WMBRC took its racing to Ramsden Dock in Barrow, and Records Week was taken to Lake Coniston. However, after meetings with local parish councils and the Lake District National Park Authority, exemptions were granted for racing to take place once again on Windermere for the Regatta and the Commodore’s Race Day.

RECORDS WEEK on LAKE CONISTON

While Windermere now stages boat racing, near neighbour Lake Coniston holds the finale to the UK Racing which is the only event in the Powerboat Racing Calendar to bring together all classes of boat. Entry is open to all from tiny hydroplanes, through inshore circuit racers to the largest offshore boats. Coniston was also the lake that cost Donald Campbell his life when Bluebird took off as it approached 400mph.

The 2016 event recorded 23 National and World speed records being set.

CONISTON RECORD ATTEMPTS 31st October - 4th November 2016 WORLD AND NATIONAL RECORDS Peter Hart PR3000 Ben Jelf 01000 Ben Jelf S1000 Darren Leeper Runabout Modified 1200 Jack Bobin Offshore 3A Tom Williams Hawkes P750 Modified WORLD RECORDS Dorian Griffith Marathon C Shelley Jory Leigh Marathon C Endija Zaumane JT250 Endija Zaumane T250 NATIONAL RECORDS Tom Montgomery Swan Nationa Club Racing Unlimited Tom Montgomery Swan Marathon C Dorian Griffith Marathon C Bob McCarthy National Club Racing 2 Ben Jelf National Clubman 1000 Catamaran Ben Jelf Formula 4 Hugh Donnelly National Club Racing 2 Paul Etasse Offshore 3A Kerry Le Patourel National Club Racing 3 Sharon Atlee Z150 Bob McCarthy National Club Racing 2 Ben Morse GT60 Rob Clemas Amphibious Experimental Unlimited

New Speed

Old Speed

80.20 mph 79.24 mph 78.23 mph 74.39 mph 74.01 mph 71.37 mph

73.44 mph 67.69 mph 70.44 mph Established 72.75 mph 66.92 mph

88.47 mph 80.24 49.78 46.95

80.24 Established 47.40 46.71

93.01 89.22 86.29 85.68 79.90 79.56 74.98 72.75 71.70 69.63 69.38 59.88 39.08

Established 86.29 83.49 74.98 65.76 75.72 69.38 71.58 71.00 65.69 66.72 Established Established

Scott Gillman (left) with Ahmed Al Hameli

AL HAMELI Defies the Odds

Less than two short years ago Ahmed Al Hameli’s successful racing career came to an abrupt halt when he was diagnosed with a tumour on the brain. The resident of Abu Dhabi was whisked away to the USA for major surgery, but the medics were certain Ahmed would never get behind the wheel of a raceboat again.

And yet, not only has this 37 year old, who has been racing in F1 since 2006, defied all the odds and got himself back into the driving seat at the beginning of this year, he has managed to clinch Pole Position in Luizhou, China and go on to secure his first victory for almost two years.

This is not the first time one of the Emirate Racing Team has demonstrated such determination to overcome a serious ailment and keep on racing. Team Manager Scott Gillman was struck down with a heart attrack while leading an F1 race in China several years ago which effectively ended the multi-world champion’s competitive career.

Thankfully, Scott has now fully recovered and has taken part in a few races of late. Of course while Ahmed Al Hameli now looks to be back to his very best it’s too late on in this season to be chasing the gold medal, but next season we hope he sees his racing dream fulfilled. raceboatinternational 11

A FAMILY AFFAIR

PEEDELS - in the Beginning!

‘Behind every successful man there is a great woman’, and in the Peedel family her name is Pat - who tells here of how powerboat racing has impacted on most of her family members

Article: Dave Sewell

“September 1994 - The kids were getting fed up with Believe me, it doesn’t matter how many times you coming water skiing with us every weekend. Odette tear about in a fast boat, you will never know what and husband Mark Priestley were busy with their bakbeing in a race is like until you actually do it! You know ery business and 8 month old Daniel. Her sister Nicole sometimes when you think to yourself “What the hell preferred her horses, and our son Grant preferred to am I doing here?” Well, that was the time! We were in stay on dry land with his mates. tatters, frozen stiff and in need of clean underwear. I We took our ski boat, an 18’ Phantom, to our facouldn’t wait for the chequered flag! vourite haunt of Mudeford in Dorset, where there were Back at the Royal Motor though, you realise that more trailers left on the slipway than normal. Someone even the hardened racers hated those conditions just said there was a powerboat race going on in Bouras much. You start thinking “Next time will be better. It nemouth so we thought we’d take a peep. It was the will be much nicer in the spring. Think what it would be RYA National finals and we were mesmerised. Then like on a hot summer’s day.”

Brian said four little words that were to change our life Two weeks later and your aches and pains have for the next 22 years. “We could do that!” gone, and it seems like a really good idea to do it As luck would have it, a guy watching the race in again! the boat next to us was a member of OCR and told After Brian had seen the insides of the other race us our boat would be suitable for racing and gave us boats, he decided to lighten the load in ours. Our details for the club. Later that year we attended the really smart ski boat with the plush seats and carpet Brian and Pat Peedel OCR AGM and joined up. At the time we had a 2.4 was ripped apart on our front garden and everything litre 200hp Mercury which didn’t really fit into OCR 2 taken out was weighed. We bought a brand new XR2 litre class, but we were advised to have a try in the Brass Monkey engine from Offshore Power in Poole and were ready for our first basic race at Poole in February to see what we thought.

OCR race in Burnham on Sea. Everyone was so helpful when we turned up at that first race at This is where we discovered there was another side to racthe Royal Motor Yacht Club at Sandbanks. We were amazed, as ing…… the OCR parties! Our pits were in a holiday camp. We’d complete novices, to be treated the same as everyone else. The had a great evening getting to know the teams, but it wasn’t until weather was so bad that they decided to hold the race in Studland we left the club late that night and found some of the teams water Bay instead of Bournemouth. We gingerly followed all the boats skiing the length of the holiday camp swimming pool being towed by out to the course………..and…….. Bloody Hell!! We hadn’t even a rope attached to a van through the fence that we knew we were got past the chain ferry when we were swamped by a wave which going to have some fun with this lot! ripped our visors off and with them went our intercoms! (We had There were twenty five boats in the 2 litre class, several in 1.8 litre motorbike ‘coms so we learnt that lesson really fast!) and about ten in 1.3 litre.

Pat Peedel navigated for Brian in the 2 Litre Batboat ‘Full Circle’ when they moved from OCR to Offshore.

She now leaves the racing to her other family members From C Class to V24 Brian still enjoys racing his V13

12 raceboatinternational

Later that first season we took part in the Cancer Research race in Bournemouth. Brian had just lost his dad to cancer and Brian’s mum had raised so much money for the charity. There were trophies for the most amount of money raised and the highest amount of sponsors. We hooked it badly on a wake and both broke our collar bones, crashing our shoulders into each other. The safety boat nearest to us didn’t know we were injured as we couldn’t wave our orange flag, so Brian had to drive over to it. He then drove, in agony, all the way back to the Royal Motor with a doctor in with us.

The doctor wanted us to both be airlifted, but the thought of being on the end of a rope in unbelievable pain didn’t bare thinking about!

They put us on our trailer, towed us into the boat shed and we were sheepishly transferred into an ambulance. Several hours later we were back at the RMYC, both in slings, just in time to be awarded with the coveted charity trophies! I fractured my nose once but Brian wouldn’t stop because we were up the front. He kindly washed the blood from my face, mid race, by emptying the bow tank which used to hit me straight in the face!

We learnt a lot in that first couple of years, especially how not to get into a conversation with the late Paddy Reilly, founder of OCR, after a few beers. In rainy Pwhelli, Wales, it ended up in Brian volunteering to take part in the Worlds in Kragero in Norway as navigator for Rob McCarthy. We towed Sharon Atlee’s boat and went in convoy with several other teams. I became quite good at cooking meals for us, our son, Paddy and Betty Reilly, and Ian & Sharon Atlee while we were driving in the camper. Holding on to simmering saucepans, meat/pies in oven. When we stopped to re-fuel, I would dish up 7 hot meals! Ta dah! Then it would be my turn to bloody drive as well!

Around that time, something scarier happened than us racing.

Our kids started too!!!!

Odette and hubby Mark decided to join our 2 litre class in their Phantom 18 ‘Loads of Dough’ (they own a bakery). Consequently, instead of just directing Brian around a course, I was constantly looking out for them to check they were ok. Mark managed to get the signature OCR badge – another broken collar bone!

Our other daughter Nicole also navved for her dad occasionally.

At one point we decided to get a 16’ Phantom for me to drive in the 1.3 class, but towing two boats everywhere took its toll. Nicole drove the boat for some races, but eventually went back to her love of original horsepower - her horses.

I have this very fond memory of toddler Daniel walking around

Pat and Brian started out water skiing with the kids the pits with his prop spanner, trying to remove some unsuspecting crew’s prop. When I see him now, 6’ 2” with his great big hands making a prop look like a stress ball, it makes me smile.

Things were coming a long way from the original ski boats that we all used to race.

Argo’s, Rings, Tintorerra’s, Bernicos and the beautiful 19’ Phantom were changing the face of OCR. Over the next few years racing became a huge part of Daniel Priestley - handy with his our lives. We raced all over the prop spanner UK, Scandinavia, and Gibraltar seeing places we would never have seen and meeting people from all walks of life. As a family, our whole conversation would drive other relatives round the bend. You could see their eyes glaze over when we started talking props and gear box ratio’s. We sometimes had different navs due to accidents or the birth of baby Kayleigh.

Actually my grand daughter Kayleigh raced before she was born as Odette found out she was expecting after a few races! Another ‘fond’ memory was spending our 25th wedding anniversary cruise with me in a ‘Robo-Cop’ leg brace as I severed my medial ligament 3 weeks before!

Things took a different course for us all when it was decided by OCR to go green and 1.8 became the new A Class. We were to be X Class as the XR2 wasn’t a green engine. Not everyone complied with the new rules as planned so, we as a family, decided to try our hand at….. OFFSHORE! Now that’s another story!

RACING WITH THE GRANDCHILDREN

Brian and Pat’s grandson Dan Priestley in the championship winning offshore V24 Sick Children’s Trust V17 along with navigator Sam Brewster. Odette and Mark Priestley race in an identical boat V16

The Peedel grand daughter, Dan’s 16 year old sister Kayleigh, raced along with navigator Barry Culver in her Phantom 18 Priestley Racing

raceboatinternational 13

COWESPOOLECOWES Article & Photos: Dave Ormiston

Once again a very strong field of 20 teams were entered for the annual offshore race. Two V24s and two Class 3B were the only boats that were competing for national points and they all came from Guernsey After weather reports from the original course predicted very rough conditions, officials decided on a ‘rough weather course’ which featured three laps of the Solent starting off Cowes, down to Yarmouth, across to Lymington and back to Cowes, a total of 50 nm. A wise decision by the organisers, after the carnage of the first leg of the main race to Torquay.

After last year’s terrible season, with races being cancelled due to lack of boats, this year I am sorry to report was even worse, as Guernsey was the only club to hold any National races.

One of the favourites for the race Frankie Rose and Pete Little in U69 VINTAGE TORQUE, a 32ft Buzzi mono hull, failed to make the start due to electrical problems.

And with Frankie out of the race, it was no surprise that last year’s overall winner of this race Richard Carlton and Phil Payter in U49 14 raceboatinternational

BUBBLES a 39ft Cigarette with 1300hp went into the lead and stayed there to the end winning the race in 42mins : 52sec, averaging 75.72mph.

Contenders for the lead from the outset were Dave Corbett and Kerry Le Patourel from Guernsey in V8 DIABLO RACING, a 24ft Bat boat with only 350hp, who came a credible second overall - only 2 mins behind Bubbles with an average speed of 72.59mph which makes them 2016 V24 National Champions.

Third in his 33ft Rib, which he designed himself, was Adam Younger along with his brother Scott in U41 TECHNOHULL UK, crossing the finish line in 47 minutes having averaged 72. 28mph. Fourth was the other V24 from Guernsey, V3 IT WASN’T US, with Martin Roberts and Tom Sauvarin with a time of 50 : 43, 66.98mph.

In fifth place, and the oldest competitor in

the whole of this year’s event, was 79 year old Alan Goodwin along with his partner Colleen Sweeny and Will Brian in U33 ATLAS MR NOISY, in a time of 53 : 52, at 63.07 mph. As late as Friday afternoon before the race MR NOISY was alongside a boat yard in East Cowes having one of its engines lifted out by crane to correct a problem, which obviously worked.

Sixth was U4 LEPE PARTNERS with Ali Langdon and Lucci Levi, the niece of the famous boat designer Sony Levi, in a time of 54 : 44, 62.07mph. Unfortunately, they blew an engine near the end of the race after a close race with Mr Noisy who over took them.

Seventh was U22 TEAM EXTREME of Lawrence Philip and Stewart Eyre, in a time of 56:02, 60.63mph. As they crossed the finish line the conditions continued to play havoc and the team almost lost both engine

2016 National V24 Champions Dave Corbett and Kerry Le Patourel from Guernsey in V8 DIABLO RACING, came second overall (Top right) In fifth place, and the oldest competitor in this year’s event, was 79 year old Alan Goodwin along with his partner Colleen Sweeny and Will Brian in U33 ATLAS MR NOISY (Below) Third overall were the Younger brothers in U41 TECHNOHULL UK First in Club Class 2 was Rob Lister and Nick Crouch in JUPITER

cowlings, losing one completely which was later collected by a safety boat.

Eighth overall, and first in Club Class 2 in a 31 year old Forgecraft hull, was, 2-51 JUPITER with Rob Lister and Nick Crouch in a time of 56:43, 59.90mph. Only a week before the race they blew 3 pistons and had to borrow a new powerhead to make sure they could compete. The boat is now returning to the original builder Richard Lucas for a full hull repair and to be re-riveted ready for next season.

Ninth overall and second in Club Class 2 were Graham Reeder and Martin Foster in 2-77 ANANAB RACING. They will be the first to admit that due to engine problems their time of 1:02:56 and 53mph did not reflect the true capabilities of their Mannerfelt

designed Bat Boat.

Tenth overall and first in Class 3B, were National Champions from Guernsey Gareth Keast and Jamie Marquand in B92 THE GOVERNOR in a time of 1:05:51 and 51.59mph.

Eleventh overall and second in Club Class 3B, again from Guernsey, B88 DIRTY DEEDS with Mark Terry and Sue Cosgrove who is Class 3B National Navigator Champion.

Twelth and last boat to finish were brothers Jamie and Chris Owens in Club Class 2 boat 2-6 LETHAL WEAPON in a time of 1:41:26 and 32.84mph. This was their first race and they enjoyed it so much they did an extra lap.

raceboatinternational 15

PLYMOUTH OCRDA Article: David Sewell Photos: Tim Tapping

16 raceboatinternational

The third and final event on 2016 OCRDA calendar took place on Plymouth Sound and was as near perfect as you can get a great weekend With its Royal Naval Dockyard accommodating an armada of military hardware the city of Plymouth is steeped in maritime history and has hosted many offshore powerboat races over the years. The lush green grass under the lighthouse on the Hoe makes a superb grandstand overlooking the Plymouth Sound, and the city made headline news several years ago when local property developer and race promoter Chris Parsonage crashed his Class 1 catamaran King of Shaves at 100mph right under the noses of spectators. Thankfully, Parsonage and co-pilot James Shepherd escaped unharmed but his boat was virtually written off.

Under the Chairmanship of Rob McCarthy, OCRDA (Offshore Circuit Racing Drivers Associaton) ran their Aqua Adrenaline twelve race series over three events culminating

CLASS 2 No.

with the Grand Finale at Plymouth. The first GP in Torquay, Devon attracted ten teams, twelve boats lined up in West Bay, Dorset and twenty four entered the Plymouth extravaganza together with a small fleet of Ski-Racers. Apart from the Cowes Classic meeting no other UK club has attracted double figure entry lists this term, not even the Channel Isles.

Although many of the craft in the series fitted the OCR specification, the entry list was divided into three classes. Class 1 sported three teams, Tom MontgomeySwan’s marathon class 32 foot Phantom Sunus Racing and Brian Peedell’s V24 Circle Express. The third non-OCR entry was Pertemps Coleman Racing, a brand new Powerboat P1 RHIB making its racing debut. The team spent almost

the entire weekend trying to solve a mystery fuel starvation problem. However in the one race completed by this very attractive RHIB, it looked to have huge potential and P1 are confident there will be several more joining the fleet in 2017.

The wet and dry pits at the majority of Plymouth powerboat racing events are situated near the Hoe, but invariably they incringe on valuable car parking space. This year OCRDA enjoyed the open spaces of the Mountbatten Watersports Centre on the other side of the Sound. This facility was perfect with a huge dry pits area, a slipway and the centre itself provided a great meeting place for Saturday night’s welcoming party, and I can thoroughly recommend the Hotel Mountbatten with a magnificent sea view of The Hoe and Barbican from my bedside.

A8 - AK RACING 5 - POWER MARINE 192 - TEAM HYPERACTIVE

2016 OCRDA OVERALL RESULTS

Name

Driver

Co-Driver

3

WHO DARES SWIMS

Graham Lawton

Mark Johnson

9

IF ONLY

Bob McCarthy

Andy Nelmes

46

HYPERACTIVE

Barry Culver

George Gibbs

19

TBA

Jeremy Gibson

Barry Hollet

36

TOTAL TEE

Nick Newsam

Mark Hayward

8

AK RACING

Mark Power

Carl Kendelan

66

WHITE FOCUS

Malc Dopson

Joshua Lindsay

20

NO NAME

Mark Sansom

Guy Child

32

SKATE STORE

Tim Spink

Robb Webb

11

THE ROCK

Phil Hancock

James Goldsmith

24

MOTORVATOR

Kerry Bobin

Reece Farmer

CLUB 3 15

BLUEBELL

Mark Mawby

Lee Casey

29

RACING GREEN

Richard Mason

Max Nichols

60

FULL CIRCLE

Dave Wilcock

Tania Wilcock

5

POWER MARINE

Alan Power

Paul Hutchin

171

NO NAME

Craig Temple-Murray

Paul Scott

25

NO NAME

Lee Ornsby

Sam Jackson

2

AQUA ADRENALINE

David McCarthy

Chris Yeoman

18

SICK CHILDREN TRUST

Kayleigh Priestley

Odette Priestley

192

TEAM HYPERACTIVE

Scott Arthur

Glenn/Lee Norvall

A15

BLACK WITH ORANGE STRIPE

Lee Casey

Noel Bryne

12

Y KNOT

Kevin Edmundson

Anika Hawthorn

52

RYA MINIONS

Neal Ives

Kelly Waller

26

MOTORVATED

Jack Bobin

Lucy Mac

23

THE PAINT SHOP

Jamie Stickler

Andy Foster

62

TEAM HYPERACTIVE

Andy Hiscox

Andy Mac raceboatinternational 17

Jeremy Gibson (left) and Barry Hollet

18 raceboatinternational

Phil Hancock and James Goldsmith - THE ROCK

OCRDA FINAL PLYMOUTH

Going around the buoy in front of the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club WHITE FOCUS followed by YKNOT

Tom Mongomery-Swan in Sunus Racing

The weekend programme was made up of four heats, two on Saturday and the same on Sunday. Club Class 3 attracted the biggest entry and the star of their show was Mark Mawby and Lee Casey aboard BlueBell (150) who won all four heats.

Richard Mason and Max Nichols in Racing Green (29) occupied the overall runner up berth with two 2nds a 3rd and a 6th. Father and daughter team Dave and Tania Wilcock aboard Full Circle (60) collected the Bronze medal with a 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th.

It was not the easiest event to follow with three classes and several of the smaller boats heading their more powerful cousins.

Full marks must go the Tom MontomerySwan, who only weeks before was battling the elements in Sunus during the very rough Cowes-Torquay-Cowes marathon, and in Plymouth the same boat was tip-toeing around the many tight turns on a circuit basically designed for OCR boats. Likewise Brian Peedell’s V13 CIRCLE EXPRESS didn’t look comfortable taking some of the sharper turns on the circuit.

It was the ‘pocket rockets’ of Class 2 that were locked in a close fought tussle with little separating the top five. Phantom’s are the popular choice although McCarthy’s Bernico If Only was always in the thick of the action. First Class 2 victory in Saturday’s opening heat went to Jeremy Gibson and Barry Hollet in number 19. Gibson previously owned the almost unbeatable Y Knot now in the hands of Kevin Edmonson and racing in Class 3. Gibson’s arch rival Graham Lawton, in an almost identical black Phantom Who Dares Swims.

These two crossed the line ahead of Phil Hancock’s The Rock and McCarthy’s If Only.

Father and daughter Dave and Tania Wilcox

raceboatinternational 19

1st in Class 2 is Graham Lawton and Mark Johnson in WHO DARES SWIMS

Above: Last year’s winners of the Class 2 OCRDA Championship in a different boat Jeremy Gibson and Barry Hollet Right: The brand new P1 RIB made its racing debut in the hands of Daisy Coleman Below: 2nd in Class 2, Race Organiser Bob McCarthy with Andy Nelmes

20 raceboatinternational

OCRDA FINAL PLYMOUTH

1st in Class 3 is Mark Mawby and Lee Casey in BLUEBELL

2nd in Class 3 is Richard Mason and Max Nichols in RACING GREEN Saturday’s second heat also went to Gibson with If Only filling the runner-up place with The Rock in third place ahead of Lawton. Sunday’s opening race went to Lawton ahead of Gibson, The Rock and If Only. The final Class 2 race on Sunday went to Gibson with Lawton close behind while White Fusion relegated If Only into 4th place.

Dublin’s Alan Power was sporting a brand new boat Power Marine and this newcomer looks the business. It will only be matter of time before he clinchés his first victory.

It would certainly have helped if spectators had sight of an entry sheet as without a commentary or programme it was at times difficult to follow the pecking order as the middle order were chopping and changing positions throughout. Nevertheless, Plymouth’s ‘Grand Finale’ was without doubt an entertaining event with thankfully no incidents.

It’s too early to predict what 2017 holds for OCRDA members. This was a Club Class meeting and not part of the RYA National Series which has been almost no-existant this year. If OCRDA can be left

to their own devices their 2017 programme could be extended to five Grand Prix and Marathon teams might be tempted to join in the fun, afterall Sunus managed to cope with the tight circuit.

Adding spice to the weekend’s proceedings was a small contingent of ski racers.

This spectacular sport attracts little media attention and deserves more. We fully intend to give these brave ‘boys and girls’ as much exposure as becomes available to us, so look out for this next term.

raceboatinternational 21

ON

THE HEAT IS IN CHINA ROUND 5 OF 2016 SEASON

Article: Steve Michael Photos: Arek Rejs, Simon Palfrader, Vittorio Obertone

Emirate RACING’s Ahmed Al Hameli held off both tremendous pressure in extreme heat for all 50 laps to win the Grand Prix of Liuzhou at the fifth round of the 2016 UIM F1H2O World Championship in front of thousands of spectators on the Liu River just outside Liuzhou, China.

Ahmed Al Hameli 22 raceboatinternational

raceboatinternational 23

The 37-year-old driver from Abu Dhabi got a great start from pole position and held off last year’s winner and back-to-back World Champion Philippe Chiappe of the home CTIC F1 China Team to take a 6.37 second victory against a field of 18 drivers from 11 different nations on a very hot and steamy afternoon.

Ahmed Al Hameli, who is a resident of Abu Dhabi said, “I can’t believe it’s been five years since I last won a race back in Doha in 2012.

A lot has happened in my life since then and now, thankfully it’s come full circle and I now feel I am back. It was a great day for my Emirates Team and manager Scott Gillman as we came away not only with my victory but my team mate Erik Stark finishing fifth as well.

We can’t ask for anything better.”

It was a popular victory among rival teams, officials and F1 race fans around the globe as Ahmed, the one time dominate driver in the F1 fleet, had to take a one year break when it 24 raceboatinternational

was discovered he had developed a brain tumour and spent most of the rest of 2012 in North America getting treatment. Ahmed came back at the start of the 2013 season and has had mixed results, but now is back on top of the world with his seventh career victory coming in Liuzhou.

For China’s CTIC French driver Chiappe, he didn’t defend his race title, but he has taken another step forward in his goal to winning his third straight championship with 15 important points as runner-up in Liuzhou. “It was very hot today and even though I came within a half second of Ahmed late in the race, I realised the points were more important than pushing too hard and possibly making a mistake and throwing away everything we have gone for so far in 2016. Now, I have a 13 point lead in the championship with two races to go and we can focus on pressing hard in early December in Abu Dhabi if possible.”

Mad Croc Sami Selio of Finland continued his charge towards the front of the drivers’ championship picking up 12 more points for his third straight podium and a third place finish after scoring no points in the first two races of the year. “Yeah, we picked the wrong propeller in qualifying and missed pole by less than two/tenths of a second and had to fight our way to the podium today,” stated Selio. “I got a great start and worked around Carella for the 12 points and am 20 points back from Chiappe with 40 points still to be earned.

Funny things can happen in the Emirates. I’ve won two titles there and would love to do it again in December.”

F1h2o CHINA

“I can’t believe it’s been five years since I last won a race back in Doha in 2012”.

said Ahmed after his win in China and it’s hugs all round from a jubilant Team Manager Scott Gillman

raceboatinternational 25

Finishing fourth after starting sixth was Victory Team driver Shaun Torrente from Florida, the American starting in sixth and pushing his way past Swede Erik Stark to finish his fifth straight top four performance in a row. “True, we lost points to Chiappe today, but we are still on track to put together something special before the end of the season,” said Torrente. We are only 13 points behind and that keeps us squarely in the equation.”

Team Abu Dhabi got points from one of their drivers with Thani Al Qamzi, a two-time past winner in China, finishing sixth after starting eighth off the dock, while his team mate, Alex Carella of Italy ended up having trim problems slowing him down and dropping him out of fourth place down to 15th then retiring and earning no points, which drops him from third to fourth in the championship with 42 points.

Swedish driver Jonas Andersson of Team Sweden put on a clinical display after yesterday’s qualifying disaster with mechanical issues which saw him starting 18th and last off the grid. The Swede charged his way up to seventh despite damaging the left pickle fork of his sponson and slowing his progress. The driver from Fruvi continues to sit fifth in the title race with 37 points.

Portugal’s Duarte Benavente had his fifth straight top ten performance with an eighth place for his F1 Atlantic Team, while rookie driver Mike Szymura of Germany had his best day yet finishing a fine ninth place in his Dragon boat for the EMIC Team.

Rounding out the top ten was young Filip Roms of Finland earning one point after having his damaged race boat rebuilt after his Harbin accident picking up one more point, and is ninth in the championship for the Mad Croc Baba Racing Team.

The UIM F1H2O World Championship tour now heads to Abu Dhabi on the 7-10 December for the sixth and penultimate round in the world title chase.

With Philippe Chiappe’s runner-up spot, 15 more points and a 13 point margin he is now a cautious odds on favourite for his third world title.

Top right:Xiong (Leo) Ziwei, Mike Szymura, Philip Roms and Jesper Forss Victory Team’s Shaun Torrente now sits in second place in the championship points table Christopher Larigot is towed back to the pits after a break down The only Dragon boat, built by ex racer and now F1 commentator Jonathan Jones raced by Mike Szymura for EMIC Racing 26 raceboatinternational

F1h2o CHINA

Third in the Championship is Same Selio for Baba Racing

2016 DRIVERS POINTS TABLE AFTER 5 ROUNDS POS

BOAT

NAT

DUBAI

EVIAN

PORTIMAO

HARBIN

LIUZHOU

TOTAL

1

1

DRIVER Philippe Chiappe

CTIC CHINA TEAM

FRA

20

RET

20

12

15

67

2

4

Shaun Torrente

VICTORY TEAM

UAE

12

12

12

9

9

54

3

11

Sami Selio

BABA RACING

FIN

DNS

RET

15

20

12

47

4

6

Alex Carella

TEAM ABU DHABI

UAE

15

20

7

0

0

42

5

14

Jonas Andersson

TEAM SWEDEN

SWE

9

RET

9

15

4

37

6

27

Ahmed Al Hameli

EMIRATES RACING

UAE

-

3

2

0

20

25

7

28

Erik Stark

EMIRATES RACING

SWE

RET

RET

5

7

7

19

8

10

Duarte Benavente

F1 ATLANTIC TEAM

POR

5

4

3

4

3

19

9

12

Filip Roms

BABA RACING

FIN

2

15

0

0

1

18

10

50

Marit Stromoy

EMIC RACING

NOR

RET

5

0

5

0

10

11

73

Cedric Deguisne

MAVERICK RACING

FRA

-

9

0

-

-

9

12

2

Xiong Ziwei

CTIC CHINA TEAM

CHN

7

RET

0

2

0

9

13

5

Thani Al Qamzi

TEAM ABU DHABI

UAE

RET

RET

4

0

5

9

14

9

Christopher Larigot

F1 ATLANTIC TEAM

FRA

0

7

0

0

0

7

15

23

Bartek Marszalek

BLAZE PERFORMANCE

POL

1

DNS

1

3

0

5

16

80

Ivan Brigada

EMIC RACING

ITA

4

RET

-

-

-

4

17

51

Mike Szymura

EMIC RACING

GER

0

1

RET

1

2

4

18

24

Francesco Cantando

BLAZE PERFORMANCE

ITA

3

RET

0

0

0

3

19

3

Nadir Bin Hendi

VICTORY TEAM

UAE

0

2

0

0

0

2

20

15

Jesper Forss

TEAM SWEDEN

SWE

RET

DNS

0

0

0

0

raceboatinternational 27

2016 UIM NATIONS CUP WORLD SERIES

RUSSIA Retains NATIONS CUP

The sixth UIM H2O Nations Cup saw one of the strongest and most diverse line-up of teams and drivers as the series visited China for the first time for the Grand Rix of Shanghai.

Article: Nigel Quilter Photos: Arek Rejs, Simon Palfrader 28 raceboatinternational

The Russian Team defending champions Andrei Panyushkin and Roman Vandshev

Defending champions Russia fielded two drivers who have both lifted the trophy, Andrei Panyushkin with Russia last year and Roman Vandshev with Belarus in 2014, and the duo would prove too strong.

Looking to regain their title was three time winners Team UAE, rolling out young star Rashed Al Qamzi who won it in 2013 and Rashed Al Tayer who won in 2012.

The diversity came in the shape of two young Nations Cup rookies from Australia, Corey Davoll and Brock Cohen, and the not so young rookies from the USA, Scott Gillman and Jay Price, who would be relying on their international racing pedigree and five collective UIM F1H2O world titles to carry them through.

Xiong Ziwei and Ni Haojun carried the

hopes of China, with Roberto Lo Piano the sole Italy driver. Germany was back with an all new line up of Jorn Lassig and Dietmar Kaiser, with the Kadri brothers, Mohammed and Alffian back representing Malaysia.

In qualifying Russia, the USA and Australia slugged it out in a thrilling final ten minute session, with Russia’s Roman Vandyshev setting the fastest time to grab pole position for the first of two 20 minute sprint races.

In the tightest qualifying session in the UIM H2O Nations Cup previous six outings just three-one-hundredths separated the top three, Vandyshev posting the fastest time of 43.69 around the 1800 metre fourpin circuit on Dishui Lake, with American Jay Price taking second ahead of Australian Corey Davoll.

Each of the top three topped the time sheets over the three sessions, Davoll going quickest in Q1, Price on top in Q2 and Vandyshev at the top when it mattered most, with Team Germany’s Jorn Lassig in fourth ahead of Mohammad Kadri, Scott Gillman in sixth. raceboatinternational 29

The winning team

Andrei Panyushkin Roman Vandyshev for TEAM RUSSIA

30 raceboatinternational

NATIONS CUP CHINA

Second overall - four time F1 World Champion Scott Gillman (right) and Jay Price for Team America

In the match race Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al Qamzi was too strong for Australia’s Brock Cohen in the final, taking the overall victory with two straight wins and putting Team Abu Dhabi at the top of the overnight standings with 39 points.

The shoot-out for the final podium slot was an all-Russian affair between Andrei Panyushkin and teammate Roman Vandyshev, Panyushkin winning the duel with Russia moving into second place overall just one point behind the leaders.

Despite facing a raft of more experienced drivers in the knockout stages it was the two youngsters, Al Qamzi 24 and Cohen 19, who starred and upstaged their more illustrious peers in the match race format of two boats racing off against each other on an alternate course over the best of three runs.

Al Qamzi’s route to his second Nations Cup match race final saw him defeat Cohen’s team mate Corey Davoll, then his own

team mate Rashed Al Tayer and pole-sitter Roman Vandyshen in the semi-final.

Cohen will remember his Nations Cup debut for some time after first taking the scalp of four-time F1H2O World Champion Scott Gillman, then beating defending Nations Cup Champion Andrei Panyushkin, and with Davoll picking up 11 points Australia were in the mix to challenge for the title in third.

In race 1 Roman Vandyshev led from start-to-finish to take victory, and with team mate Andrei Panyushkin’s fifth place Team Russia headed into race 2 leading the points table.

Australia’s Corey Davoll produced another strong performance to move from third place off the dock to take a well-earned second place, holding off the attentions of American Jay Price. raceboatinternational 31

But there was disappointment for the second Australian driver Brock Cohen whose crash on lap three brought out the first of two yellow flags, ending his Nations Cup debut with the team’s chances of improving on third spot somewhat dented.

The restart saw Scott Gillman make an immediate move on Panyushkin to take fourth, with Germany’s Jorn Lassig running in sixth but losing out to Team UAE’s Rashed Al Qamzi when the second yellow was raised after Italian Roberto Lo Piano destroyed a buoy, the boats running the remainder of the race under yellow to the chequered flag.

Roman Vandyshev was at it again in race 2 and completed a near perfect weekend taking his second win of the day to lead Team Russia to a successful defence of their title.

Vandyshev was supported brilliantly by Andrei Panyushkin, the duo topping the overall standings with 120 points.

Second place overall went to Team USA’s Jay Price and Scott Gillman whose 73 point haul from the two sprint races edged them past Team UAE’s Rashed Al Qamzi and Rashed Al Tayer by a single point, 100-99.

Race 2 saw Vandyshev deliver another masterclass of winning from the front, and as in race 1 he led from pole position to take maximum points, his team mate Panyushkin repeating his race 1 result finishing in fifth.

The lead Russian driver was made to work hard for his second win and again was pressed all the way by Australia’s Corey Davoll who chased hard for 25 laps and closed to within 6/10ths of a second at the chequered flag, to help Australia to a very good fourth place on their Nations Cup debut. And but for Brock Cohen’s unfortunate exit in race 1 and unable to start the second, the outcome may well have been even more impressive.

Jay Price grabbed third spot for the second time with team mate Scott Gillman finishing sixth. But both were made to work hard, Price chased all race long by match race winner Rashed Al Qamzi, with Rashed Al Tayer applying the same amount of pressure on Gillman.

Team Germany’s two debutants Dietmar Kaiser and Jorn Lassig delivered a solid showing to take fifth ahead of Team Malaysia’s Kadri brothers, with China duo Xiong Ziwei and Ni Haojun seventh on their first outing and Team Italy’s solo driver Roberto Lo Piano eighth.

32 raceboatinternational

NATIONS CUP CHINA

2016 UIM H2O NATIONS CUP OVERALL STANDINGS TEAM

HULLS

DRIVER 1

DRIVER 2

PTS

Andrei Panyushkin

Roman Vandyshev

120

1

Rus

19 - 20

2

USA

7-8

Scott Gillman

Jay Price

100

3

UAE

9 - 10

Rashed Al Qamzi

Rashed Al Tayer

99

Left: Rashed Al Qamzi for TEAM UAE third overall

4

Aus

17 - 18

Corey Davoll

Brock Cohen

77

No. 17 Team Australia

5

Ger

15 - 16

Jorn Lassig

Dietmar Kaiser

63

6

Mal

11 - 12

Mohammad Affendey Kadri

Alffian Yanto Kadri

49

7

Chi

5-6

Ni Haojun

Xiong Ziwei

29

8

Ita

4

Above: 2016 Nations Cup podium

with drivers Corey Davoll and Brock Cohen

Roberto Lo Piano

20 raceboatinternational 33

UIM WORLD

LUNDIN STILL REIGNS RIBADOURO, PORTUGAL: October 9

Article: Neil Perkins

Sweden’s Pierre Lundin wins final race of F2 season on Douro River to claim the championship title for the second consecutive year, and second place went to Austria’s Rupert Temper Victory in the 50-lap finale after a thrilling season of European F2 racing fell to Swedish racer and recently crowned champion Pierre Lundin, who led a processional race from start-to-finish to reach the chequered flag a handful of seconds ahead of the Austrian Rupert Temper. Team Abu Dhabi’s Rashed Al-Tayer pressurised Britain’s Owen Jelf for long periods in an attempt to snatch the final podium position, but

Lundin’s Moore hull (Photo: Frode Sundsdal)

34 raceboatinternational

finished just behind the BaBa driver.

The Emirati duo had qualified in 10th and seventh positions and moved up to ninth and sixth before the off, when Portuguese veteran Duarte Benavente was forced to withdraw before the start.

Seventeen drivers lined up at the start of free practice on Saturday morning and that preceded the afternoon’s qualifying session.

Sweden’s Pierre Lundin wins final race of F2 season on Douro River to claim the 2016 Championship title for the second consecutive year

raceboatinternational 35

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UIM WORLD Jelf to take second and Al-Tayer made a storming start to hold fourth place after two laps.

Lundin increased his lead to 5.41 seconds through seven laps, and there were no changes in the running order after lap 14, although Lundin’s advantage had grown to nine seconds and Al-Tayer began to pressurise Jelf’s hold on third place.

As Lundin came into traffic and was forced to overtake a couple of the back markers, Rupp Temper reduced the Swede’s advantage to just 4.13 seconds through 27 laps, although everyone in the top 10 was holding station in what was developing into a processional conclusion to the F2 racing season. Edgaras Riabko became the first retirement after 27 laps and his demise lifted Steve Hoult into the top 10, although that was short lived and the Briton slipped out of contention six laps later.

F1 veteran Duarte Benavente clocked the quickest lap of 40.59 seconds in the practice session. Al-Qamzi and Al-Tayer ran for 27 and 36 laps respectively and were classified in fifth and eighth positions.

Mette Bjerknaes flipped her boat out of contention and a collision between Uvis Slakteris and Fabrice Boulier sidelined both drivers from the rest of the weekend’s action.

Qualifying followed in breezy conditions and Pierre Lundin claimed pole position with a lap of 40.94 seconds, which put the Swede 0.56 seconds ahead of England’s Owen Jelf. Al-Qamzi and Al-Tayer both made the third qualifying session and settled into seventh and 10th positions. Only 14 of the 17 entrants took part in qualifying after the dramatic events of the morning.

Pre-race favourite Lundin made the perfect start from pole position and led Rupert Temper by 2.91 seconds through lap one, as the Austrian displaced Owen

The first full season for the Abu Dhabi duo Mohamed Al Mehairbi and Rashid Al Qamzi and they have excelled considering their lack of experience

F2 DRIVERS FINAL POINTS TABLE POS

BOAT

DRIVER

NAT

PEUR

CAMP

TVED

TONS

ZARA

MAC

RIBA

TOTAL

1

1

Pierre Lundin

SWE

DSQ

20

15

20

DNF

20

20

95

2

21

Erik Edin

SWE

4

12

20

12

7

DNF

-

55

3

5

Rupp Temper

AT

DSQ

1

12

4

15

DNF

15

47

4

3

Owen Jelf

GBR

7

2

5

dns

12

DNF

12

38

5

2

Johan Osterberg

SWE

15

4

DNF

1

DNF

7

7

34

6

51

Uvis Slakteris

LAT

DNS

DNF

-

7

20

5

DNS

32

7

13

Matt Palfreyman

GBR

DNF

15

DNF

15

DNF

DSQ

-

30

8

44

Alberto Comparato

ITA

20

7

1

DNF

DNS

-

-

28 28

9

35

Rashid Al Qamzi

UAE

-

5

-

2

2

15

4

10

41

Edgaras Riabko

LT

DNS

DNS

3

0

3

12

DNF

18

11

6

Ola Pettersson

SWE

DNS

3

DNS

9

-

4

-

16

12

50

Nick Bisterfeld

GER

5

9

-

DNS

DNF

-

-

14

13

11

Bimba Sjoholm

SWE

12

DNF

0

DNS

DSQ

-

1

13

14

77

Tobias Munthe-Kaas

NOR

DNS

-

DNF

0

4

9

-

13

15

55

Frode Sundsdal

NOR

3

-

9

0

-

-

-

12

16

22

Konstantin Ustinov

RUS

DNS

-

-

3

9

DNF

-

12

17

10

Oskar Samuelsson

SWE

DNS

0

2

DNS

-

3

5

10

18

88

Pal Virik Nilsen

NOR

9

-

DNF

DNS

-

19

36

Rashed Al Tayer

UAE

-

-

-

-

-

DNF

9

9

20

54

Daniel Segenmark

SWE

DNF

0

7

DNS

-

-

-

7

21

9

Mette Bjerknaes

NOR

DNS

0

DNF

5

-

DNS

DNS

5

22

22

Roman Vandyshev

RUS

DNS

-

-

-

5

-

-

5

23

60

Christian Carlsen

NOR

-

-

4

DNF

-

-

-

4

24

27

Manuel Saueressig

RUS

-

-

-

-

-

-

3

3

25

82

Bela Cserni

HUN

-

0

-

-

-

2

0

2

26

29

Paul Balfour

GBR

-

-

-

-

-

-

2

2

27

36

Mohamed Al Mehairbi

UAE

-

0

-

DNS

1

-

-

1

28

16

Thomas Cermak

ITA

-

-

-

-

-

1

-

1

9

raceboatinternational 37

SBI SUPERBOAT INTERNATIONAL OFFSHORE

2016 KEY WEST WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Article: David Sewell Photos: Paul Kemiel

The week long annual event began with the traditional boat parade from the ‘racing village’ (dry pits) at Truman Waterfront. This is then followed by registration, boat inspections, dunk testing, fueling, launching, testing, parties and all the other necessary procedures to complete before the racing starts on day 4 There are three races at the Key West ‘Worlds’ for Superboat classes, but unlike many marathon events, each heat is made of several short laps.

The action started for the 36th annual Key West World Championships on Wednesday with all classes taking part. Last year, the bright yellow Superboat Unlimited cat Miss Geico had a nightmare meeting as it failed to finish in any of the races. This year was a different story as Geico featured in an exciting contest which included eight Unlimited entries. Driver Marc Granet and throttleman Scott Begovich battled with Randy Scism and team owner Bob Bull in CMS 3 and the

latter led for most of the first 8 laps. However, Scism left the door ajar allowing Geico to squeeze through the gap. The force of water caused a slight collision, but it was enough to allow the Geico team to claim the top prize.

Team CRC/Sunlight Supply’s Mike Defrees and Gary Ballough won the Superboat Stock class earlier in the day in his Dough Wright, FJ Propellers filled third place behind Geico and CMS 3, while Australia’s Maritimo and Envy wrapped up the top five.

Not to be overshadowed by the Unlimited cats, Billy Mauff and Jay Muller in WHM Motorsports, a 40 foot Skater, led for almost nine laps before being pipped at the post by Myrick Coil and John Tomlinson in their US1 Performance Boat Centre. Eight of the nine boats entered in Superboat finished with only HP

Mafia breaking down early.

In the days first race FJ Propellers ran away for victory ahead of Specialty Marine Centre 15 seconds behind, while third place 5 Brothers Grocery finished two minutes off the pace.

The 52 foot MTI cat CMS 3 powered by two Mercury 1600hp powerpacks, jumped into the lead from the start and never looked back. Almost a minute behind was the MTI second string Wake Effects crewed by Rusty Rahm and Jeff Harris. Scism was ecstatic, “To have both our boat filling 1-2 places is more than we could have dreamt of.”

However, the drama of the day came about when the OOD started issuing penalties. After taking the chequered flag on Wednesday Geico was hit with one minute penalty which dropped them to second place ahead of CMS, but they received a one minute penalty for htting a turn mark which elevated CRC/Sunlight Supply to first place.

WAKE EFFECTS, a 48’ MTI catamaran powered by a pair of 1650 hp ea. Mercury engines. The crew of driver Rusty Rahm from Olathe, Kansas, and Jeff Harris, from Greenville, North Carolina

38 raceboatinternational

PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER, a 38’ Skater catamaran powered by a pair of 750 hp ea. Sterling engines claimed the 2016 Superboat class title. The team of driver Myrick Coil, from Osage Beach, Missouri, and John Tomlinson from North Miami, Florida

2015 KEY WEST WORLD CHAMPIONS SUPERBOAT UNLIMITED 03

WAKE EFFECTS

7

TEAM CRC SUNLIGHT SUPPLY

3

CMS

52

ENVY

113

MISS GEICO

15

MARITOMO

19

AMERICAN ETHANOL CAT CAN DO SUPERBOAT

US-1

PERFORMANCE BOAT CENTER

5

WHM MOTORSPORTS

13

STIHL

77

TEAGUE CUSTOM MARINE

NZ-1

PRO FLOORS

4

CLEVELAND CONSTRUCTION

3

SAILOR JERRY AUTONATION

69

HP MAFIA

71

GONE AGAIN

1

AMH CONSTRUCTION INSTIGATOR

30

COOPER STANDARD

12

FREEDOM

43

OUTERLIMITS

MISS GEICO was damaged in the final race when it hit a wave, and more bad luck was to follow when the team was penalised by a minute for a technical infringement after winning the first race.

SUPERBOAT EXTREME

SUPERBOAT VEE V-1

LSB HURRICANE OF AWESOMENESS

2

BOATFLOATER.COM

51

SUN PRINT

29

BUY THE KEYS

7

MARKER 17 MARINE

17

MR TECHNOLOGY

04

TEAM OCTANE

9

PHANTOM SUPERBOAT STOCK

S-1

FJ PROPELLER

S-12

SPECIALITY MARINE CENTER

S-1115 BROTHERS GROCERY S-110

SMART MARINE

S-71

PHOENIX 30X

Mauff and Muller won Friday’s Superboat race and Mauff stressed, “I was not going to lose the race on the last lap like on Wednesday, and it means we won’t have to work so hard on Sunday.”

Little did he realise what was in store for Sunday. Pro Floors, Superboat class MTI, spun and rolled. Its crew Chris Handley and Wayne Valder escaped unhurt, but Mauff’s WHM running close behind ran over the upturned Pro Floors causing damage to the underneath of Mauff’s Skater. He continued to race but had to settle for third place behind Performance Boat Centre and STIHL with Teague Custom Marine 4th.

Wake Effects secured the Superboat Unlimited title, and owner Rusty Rahm was delighted with his world crown, “I still can’t believe i. I didn’t expect to win with Bob and Randy here. Behind them in the world Unlimited standing are Team CRC, Sunlight Supply, CMS and Envy, a 50 foot Mystic.

Earlier in the Superboat Unlimited race, Geico came down hard off a roller and badly damaged its rear port side, Maritimo dropped out after spinning out on the fourth lap and CMS struggled with the engines going into gaudian mode on every lap.

raceboatinternational 39

CHINA GRAND PRIX PROVES DECISIVE

as UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championships Heads to Sharjah for Season Finale in December Article: Nigel Quilter Photos: Arek Rejs, Simon Palfrader

Two Grand Prix in ten days in China in September and October always had the potential to shake up the 2016 UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship. And that is exactly what happened in Shanghai and Liuzhou.

Heading to China, wind the clocks back and all the world titles in Runabout, Ski, Ski Ladies and Freestyle were open and up for grabs. Wind forward and the picture is now very different.

In Runabout defending champion Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq has one hand on retaining his trophy as the battle is reduced to a two horse race, with James Bushell the only challenger left and with an outside chance of overhauling the 36 point deficit.

There were twists and turns from the moment the Runabouts took to the water in Shanghai; new boy Marcus Jorgensen arrived leading the title race, broke in race 1 didn’t start race 2 and went

James Bushell - winner in Shanghai still has a 36 points gap to the leader

40 raceboatinternational

home to Denmark.

Bushell was brilliant, stole the race 1 win from Abdulrazzaq halfway round the final lap and then thumped him to win by over 30 seconds in race 2 to cut the Kuwaiti’s points lead to six, third place overall went to Christophe Agostinho.

In Liuzhou came another twist; Abdulrazzaq won race 1, maximum points, Bushell broke a driveshaft, managed to get back to the pits fixed the bike and got back out but missed out on any points, finishing 14th and where he would start race 2 from.

Defending Champion Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq won the race in Liuzhou

James Bushell

Bushell gave it everything and from over 30 seconds behind Abdulrazzaq on lap 1, scythed his way up through the field of 15 to get to within touching distance at the chequered flag in second place, but the Brit will need something special and some luck in Sharjah as he stares at a 36 points gap to the leader. Second place overall went to Sweden’s Lars Akerblom with Poland’s Andrzej Wisniewski taking third place.

In Ski, Jeremy Poret was somewhat gifted back the crown he relinquished to Kevin Reiterer at the end of last year, when all three of his title rivals failed to post points in race 1 in Liuzhou. Reiterer broke on lap 3, Nacho Armillas joined the race several laps down and limped round completing just 5 laps, and Stian Schjetlein failed to make the start line. Poret took the win and maximum points, and with his rivals all starting race 2 on the outside of the field of 19 Poret needed no more encouragement. He swept to victory to take his fourth world title and the GP title, with Alberto Monti and Mickael Poret completing the podium.

His rivals gave it their best shot to keep the title alive, Armillas and Schjetlein coming through the pack to finish fourth and fifth, Reiterer in seventh. But with just two races to go and with 50 points on offer, Poret’s 52 point advantage is unassailable. For Poret the turnaround from despondency and self-doubt in Shanghai where he only managed third overall behind Reiterer and Armillas and saw his lead reduced was remarkable or as Armillas put it ‘we handed him that on a plate’!

In Ski Ladies there really has only ever going to be one champion and that is Emma-Nellie Ortendahl. The 18-year-old from Alvangen in Sweden won all four races and both titles in China by a country mile and has now won seven of the eight races this season. And with two races to go she needs a mere four points and that she can do going backwards.

raceboatinternational 41

Rok Florjancic

Behind her the race to be best of the rest is between Jennifer Menard, Estelle Poret and Beatriz Curtinhal. Curtinhal and Menard taking second and third spots in Shanghai and Liuzhou, Poret’s title chances taking a hit after crashing in Shanghai and not making either podium.

In the upside down inside out topsy-turvy world of the Freestylers Rok Florjancic all but ended the title challenge of series newcomer Rashid Al Mulla. The duo traded GP titles in Italy and Spain but in China ‘the Rok’ was imperious and unbeatable claiming all four heat wins and both titles to extend his championship lead to 34points with only 50 on offer in Sharjah, Al Mulla taking both the runners-up slot ahead of the younger Florjancic brother, Nac. 42 raceboatinternational

ABP AQUABIKE CHINA

Emma Nellie Ortendahl

UIM-ABP AQUABIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ..after rounds 4 of 5: SKI GP1…top 6 1

Jeremy Poret

fra

169

2

Kevin Reiterer

aut

117

3

Nacho Armillas

esp

111

4

Stian Schjetlein

nor

103

5

Mickael Poret

fra

84

6

Alberto Monti

Ita

82

swe

188

SKI LADIES GP1…top 6 1

Emma-Nellie Ortendahl

2

Jennifer Menard

fra

142

3

Estelle Poret

fra

124

4

Beatriz Curtinhal

por

116

5

Virginie Morlaes

fra

94

6

Kylie Ellmers

nzl

81

RUNABOUT GP1…top 6 1

Yousef Al Abdulrazzaq

kuw

156

2

James Bushell

gbr

120

3

Marcus Jorgensen

den

86

4

Lars Akerblom

swe

77

5 Jeremy Christophe Poret Agostinho

fra

72

6=

Jeremy Perez

fra

64

6=

Johan Johansson

swe

64

FREESTYLE…top 4

Jeremy Poret

1

Rok Florjancic

slo

191

2

Rashid Al Mulla

uae

157

3

Nac Florjancic

slo

140

4

Roberto Mariani

ita

92

raceboatinternational 43

Article: Fiona Pascoe Photos: Mike Powell

ThunderCat Championship hits the

GIBRALTARIAN SHORES

Gibraltar provided a fantastic setting for the penultimate rounds of the MICROLINK 2016 ThunderCat UK Championship

The weekend of 4-5 June saw close racing in the beautiful Catalan Bay of Gibraltar with the championship title still to be resolved. The ThunderCat championship is now going down to the wire with Gary Tolman and Scott Brown in Multispark Racing 61 holding off Rob Davies and Darren Phillips in Microlink-Ahmad Tea from the title till the finals of the season which is 44 raceboatinternational

being staged at Watergate Bay, Cornwall 15th – 16th November.

Gibraltar also saw our farewell to Stuart Croxford and Ryan Edwards-Pritchard from Team Endeavour who used Round 12 as their final time that they would be competing in a ThunderCat Racing Event. Team Endeavour was set up by Croxford who was injured in Afghanistan in 2012 where

he suffered extensive injuries to both feet.

Croxford and co-driver Edwards-Pritchard achieved their best ThunderCat Racing result, taking third place overall in Round 11...a remarkable achievement. However, it isn’t goodbye to Team Endeavour as two new crew members will be competing in the ThunderCat racing championship next season with a full squad of ground crew.

26 - SEA VACATION - Simon Matthews and Martin Jerome 5 - TORBAY ECO ENERGIES - Rob Webb and Lance Lewis

raceboatinternational 45

THE BRAND THAT BUILDS

MANUFACTURER OF HAND TOOLS, POWER TOOLS, FIXINGS, HARDWARE AND MORE

53 - ENDEAVOUR RACING - Stuart Croxford and Ryan Edwards-Pritchard 55 - TEAM 55 - Andy White and Scott Kershaw 4 - GALAXY GIRLSAHMAD TEA - Jo Foxx and Ria Pandey

The weekend also provided a special announcement from long-time supporter and sponsor Alan Priddy of Team Britannia who announced that 12th March 2017 will be the start date for his proposed world record bid, the fastest ever circumnavigation

of the globe in a powerboat. To complete the record attempt the boat must pass through the Suez and Panama Canals, cross the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator and start and finish in the same place. The world record authorities, UIM (Union Interna-

tionale Motonautique) have approved Team Britannia’s proposed route, which will start in Gibraltar and call at Puerto Rico, Manzanillo, Honolulu, Guam, Singapore, Oman and Malta to take on fuel. On behalf of everyone at ThunderCat racing, we wish him and Team Britannia every success.

Finally, a huge thanks to Visit Gibraltar, Gibraltar Government, Customs, The Police, Gibraltar Car Parks and Gibraltar Port Authority – their commitment and continual financial assistance was vital to the smooth running of the event. “What more needs to be said about Gibraltar, apart from we wish we could race there every sweekend,” says organiser Fiona Pascoe, “Sun, sea and fantastic hosts. Roll on 2017… already set to be bigger and better than ever!” raceboatinternational 47

SILVER AND TRIPLE BRONZE MEDALS FOR BRITS AT EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS Article: Tony Cossington - Photos: Bryan Scott

2016 UIM European F2, F4 and GT15 Championships Stewarby Powerboat Racing Club - September 24/25 The weekend hosted by powerboat GP saw 50 teams from 11 European countries make the journey to Stewartby in Bedford for the two day competition. The line up was world class with reigning champions Estonia’s Stefan Arand in the GT15 class and Joho-Matti Manninen of Finland in the F4 catamaran class looking to secure the double championship crown. pion would see him untouchable in all three heats leading the way from start 15 youngsters lined up to challenge to finish in a flawless performance to Stefan Arand for the Junior GT15 claim the Double World and EuroEuropean crown, and first to lay down pean crown for 2016. Meanwhile, the gauntlet was Sweden’s Adam Magnus Sedeholm, Ben Morse, Wrenkler who claimed pole position Nikita Ljics, along with Finland’s Kalle 11 hundredths of a second faster than Viippo and Sweden’s Morgan Jernthe World Champion in qualifying. fast battled for the Silver and Bronze British Champion and British Sprint medals. Heat 1 saw Sedeholm take Champion Thomas Mantripp was the second with Brit Ben Morse in third. highest placed Brit amongst the fleet Heat 2 saw a repeat performance in qualifying in 4th place, and with just and with worsening conditions and over half a second separating the top British medalists fading light the championship would (left to right) Mantripp, palfreyman, Jelf and Morse four boats the action was set to be be decided on just three heats. The intense. final heat saw Magnus Sedeholm At the start of heat 1 Wrenkler

by Thomas Mantripp he couldn’t pass secure another second place finish behind took full advantage of his pole position, and Sweden’s Adam Wrenkler and was forced Manninen to claim the Silver medal, and as the spray settled rounding the first turn to settle for the Bronze medal with Wrenkler despite a late attack from Morgan Jernfast he had Arand hot in his wake with Britain’s claiming the Silver. Fourth place went to taking third Ben Morse battled home to Thomas Mantripp chasing both of them Estonia’s Georgi Iljin, and claiming fifth was finish in 4th and claim the European Bronze down. Wrenkler led from start to finish leav- Britain’s Jonathan Brewer working his way medal. ing Arand to settle for second and Mantripp up from his 12th qualification place.

Britain’s Sam Whittle and Rob Veares to claim third.

FORMULA 4 were both plagued by problems all weekend Heat 2 saw a determined Arand set on Thirteen teams from 8 different countries seeing them both well off the pace. Meanclaiming back the lead. Conditions were arrived at Stewartby for the UIM F4 Euroless than perfect for the 10-16 year old pean Championship. Amongst the contend- while, Brit Ben Jelf finished a strong 6th in his first international catamaran competition. powerboat racers, but they all focussed ers were 2016 World Champion Juho-Matti

GT15 CLASS

and despite a couple of near misses as Brits Harvey Smith and Jonathan Brewer both being caught by the wind and nearly heading skyward, the youngsters all brought their boats home safely. Arand clained the lead in heat two and despite trying to pass his rival at every turn Wrenkler was forced to settle for second with Mantripp once more claiming third.

Racing 4 heats with the best three results to count Stefan Arand went on to dominate in heat three and four to claim the European Crown for the second consecutive year.

Despite the grit and determination shown 48 raceboatinternational

Maninnen from Finland, Latvia’s Nikita Ljics and British contenders Sam Whittle and Ben Morse, all looking to put in a viable challenge for the title.

It was the reigning European Champion Maninnen who set the bar setting a sub 57 second time on his 7th lap claiming him the all important pole position 1.2 seconds faster than Sweden’s Magnus Sedeholm in second. Ben Morse was the highest placed Brit in qualifying claiming third on the grid ahead of the formidable presence of Latvia’s Nikita Ljics.

Flying form from the Finish World Cham-

FORMULA 2

The biggest fight of them all for the weekend came in the F2 European Championship. A world class fleet of top experienced racers took to the water to duel it out for the crown. British Champion Paul Balfour was the first to crash out of the championshlip as coming down to the bottom turn he was sent skyward and left with an irreparable boat for the rest of the weekend’s event.

In qualifying it was birthday boy Sweden’s Johan Osterberg who claimed pole postion with a narrow margin ahead of Tobias Munthe-Kaas of Norway and Britain’s

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F2 European Champion Uvis Slakteris from Latvia

F4 European Champion Juho-Matti Maninnen from Finland

GT15 European Champion Stefan Arand leads the way

own Matthew Palfreyman in 3rd position.

Set for a strong starting position the young Brit headed out in Sunday’s free practice to perfect his set up and get used to the conditions when disaster struck as he barrel rolled out the session leaving his team with very little time for him to make the start line for the first heat. However, a delay due to September squalls coming through Stewartby gave Matt and team just enough time to repair his boat and for the young racer to focus on the task ahead.

The boats lined up and as the start lights went out 13 F2 catamarans roared away from the dock. As all eyes watched the first turn, clearing the spray first was the plucky youngster in boat number 13, determined

to reward his team’s hard work and dedication Matt held the lead and drove a blinding race to take the first important points of the weekend. Latvian Uvis Slakteris followed him home in second with Johan Osterberg taking third.

Slakteris soared from second to take the lead in heat 2 and hot on his wake was Colin Jelf with Palfreyman right behind him until a red flag saw the fleet return to the start grid. Once again Slakteris got the best start, but this time Palfreyman was ready for the former 3 times World Champion Jelf and held on to second place as they rounded the first mark. Positions remained throughout the session with the championship to be decided on the third and final heat.

On fine form the Latvian used his pole position advantage to soar away from the start once more in the lead and managed to stay in front to the chequered flag and in doing so claimed the European Championship crown. Palfreyman followed in second and with it rewarded his team with a very hard earned Silver European Medal.

Despite a strong fight from friendly rival Frode Sunsdal Colin Jelf took another third place finish in heat three to return to the European Championshlip podium claiming the Bronze medal.

As the teams celebrated a busy but successful weekends racing poidium presentations were made, champagne was sprayed and champions crowned. raceboatinternational 51

YESTERYEAR

1965

17ft. 3in. Glastron streak out of “Pan Yan” - the winner, Sven Ulander and Peter Hicks in their passage to Calais and back. gruelling their on s machine Ramsgate, Evinrudes running like sewing (Photo: Mike Peters)

THE CALAIS RALLY

the course - and it all goes to show that when small Out of the thirty-nine starters only eighteen completed drive fast. boats go offshore they need to navigate as well as t team in .A. and driven by Tim Curtis and John Fleming - an excellen This year’s Putney-Calais Rally organised by U.K.O.B of two Evinrude 75s aid the with time, Their race. of type this by won held on Sunday June 13th (unlucky for some) was Yan”. was 8 hr. 9 min. 42 sec.

Sven Ulander and Peter Hicks in the Glastron boat “Pan Third to finish, but placed second on corrected time were the covered boat Class C this 75s Powered by twin Evinrude Fletcher and Len Viser in “Tornado” the new Fletcher Norman overall £500 the course in 7 hours 56 minutes 1 second, to take powered by a 100 Merc. After a gruelling thrash 150 Arrow winner’s prize, and the Regent Trophy.

Estuary o”, a in the Channel, they skimmed home up the Thames Second was Norman Fletcher and L. Viser in “Tornad m.p.h. to reach Putney in 8 hr. 9 min.

50-plus at calm flat in Tim third, Any .

Mercury 100 Fletcher Arrow 150 powered by a pipped Norman Coffin” Tim Curtis in “Boffins Coffin” may well have Curtis and John Fleming in another Glastron “Boffins had it not been for the flag-drag of the Irish place second to also with twin Evinrude 75s.

Colours blowing bar taut from Tim’s stern!

The Race was No one would have guessed, when the weather forecast entrants 42 the of ne At 5 a.m. on Sunday morning thirty-ni by the wayside. It was fall would 21 that , morning that given from s (the biggest entry yet) started at 1-minute interval fog patches. at 4.25 said that the wind strength would be 1-2 with some Putney, and of the eighteen survivors, the first home was an understatement and as the forecast was patches Fog r Ulande Sven winner, Class tion p.m. was last year’s Produc the Thames 17ft. announced at the Drivers’ Meeting at 4.15 a.m. in with Peter Hicks as co-driver/navigator in “Pan Yan”, the ed at the concern looked boys a deep-se the Club Rowing race, 3in. Glastron. This was Peter’s first successful Class III ! worried have not need they ns conditio calm and possibility of and he couldn’t have chosen a better one. Second home Coffin” “Boffins n Glastro 10 minutes later was the big black

Putney on Lights Bridge still lit, traffic to beginning just move - theboats wait in the half-light of early dawn on Putney Embankment ready to be launched by Land Rover into the Thames.

Drivers’ meeting at 4.15 a.m. - launching started at 4.45 a.m. and the first boat was away at 5 a.m.

(Photo: Studio Ten)

52 raceboatinternational

NOW AND THEN

The first race between London and France for outboard powered craft was in 1962 and given the name ‘Rally’ because the Port of London Authority would allow boats to rally but not race on the lower Thames. Running 250 miles it was called the world’s longest outboard race, and following the success of that first Rally UKOBA was formed 12 months later which was to successfully promote offshore racing in the UK during the golden years of the 70s and 80s. The teams involved in the 1965 Putney-CalaisPutney Rally regarded this annual event as an adventure and a challenge, and this was reflected in the rules, or lack of them compared to today’s equivalent Marathon races.

The majority of boats were ‘off the shelf’ ski-boats as water skiing was very much a popular sport in the 1960s. Rough water, thick fog, iffy navigational equipment and skills were all taken in their stride by crews and race organisers who were obviously not under the scrutiny of many safety regulations in those days. It is recorded that - ‘Bad visibility in the English Channel eclipsed the chances of most of those who dropped out, but navigational ineptitude helped. Competitors, generally, had but an elementary knowledge of navigation and slight regard for the necessary equipment. One relied upon a hand bearing compass, another “dropped the compass overboard”, and a third bemused boatman admitted that it took him two hours to find (cont’d...)

The last time a race in the UK was allowed to proceed in fog saw two class 1 boats ending up on the rocks in Torquay and the OOD got suspended for two years.

Norman Fletcher in “Tornado” on the “The bus trip was washed out - so we decided to take the boat!”

Leviathan, the capsized bus-carrying early morning run-down Thames looks very small beside that German freighter, still lying off Erith.

(Photo: Mike Peters) t The first to start was R. Stapley and J. Brumby in the Tremlet The outfits were hastily launched at 4.45 a.m. and it became followed at 1-minute fleet the Then (66).

Knife” the “Mack e 1-minut a starter’s nightmare, as boats were sent off at The last boat while intervals. First Class A, then B and finally C. intervals. Some were well on their way down the river 65 a.m. was A. Groves and Ian Driver in the before just away no r, Howeve road. the in trailers others were still sitting on their Ramage in and Boston Whaler. Bad luck dogged one starter, Peter one missed his cue, and the first away started at 5.1 a.m.

Just as he was about (15).

V143 n Glastro ” Fleming g “Flamin of d the last just before 6 a.m. Over the course which consiste he couldn’t were to set off his throttle cable broke and try as he might several timed sections hop fewer than 27 time keepers his beard, he was forced to retire back through cursing So it. fix total their to s penaltie add spread out to catch the unwary and to the slip-way. Pity! elapsed time.

The field was obviously well spread out by now. Most Regent the and Putney n betwee river the of stretch first The fully by taking than 4 people completed the timed sections success depot at Wandsworth had to be covered in not less m time allowed. Running down the minimu the than longer start the at point check minutes. The drivers could see this t dodging this river proved uneventful apart from the constan - it was only half-a-mile away - and with an ebbing tide in Andrew J. was r howeve y casualt early One d. to of driftwoo took some doing. The next section was from here down “Slo’Mo’Shun” (20). He retired off Northfleet with Bristol the was e distanc thuds for duration m Gallion’s Point. The minimu into view it the a broken engine saddle. When Sea Reach came 43 minutes. If anyone completed those sections under not exaggerated. was t forecas r weathe the that obvious was 10 time allowed, the they were penalised 1 minutes for every to remain so out for Visibility here was down to half-a-mile and it was seconds under time. Timed sections sere also worked e. passag the of part a quite for leg. return the on again Calais Harbour and the London river All this gave the event a true rally flavour.

Glastron “Boffin’s Coffin” masterfully Destined to finish second home (though placing third overall) the Now in sparkling sunshine, the allte. driven by Tim Curtis and John Fleming head out from Ramsga Irish flag. black outfit, powered by a pair of Evinrude 75s flies an outsize (Photo: Mike Peters)

raceboatinternational 53

by a (Above) The Tremlett Slalom 18ft. C Class, powered the Mercury 100. Note the alternative steering positions and lightweight O/B motor stowed forward for emergencies.

(Below) “Pan Yan’s” cockpit, with Morse controls and pump the handle easily reached. The instrument panel is neat and “man-sized” compass is floor mounted.

54 raceboatinternational

of While passing Margate, Clive Curtis and Brian Braine a C and B Marine - Owens offshore “Kinky Goose” (3) blew race. the of out them put which o magnet They had spent a great deal of time preparing for the day, won and it must have been a bitter blow. Clive and Brian had similar the first two races of the series, and they retired in es for circumstances last year, but were tipped as hot favourit this season. Better luck next time.

Over to Ramsgate Harbour where everyone was awaiting The the first arrival. Here the organisation was excellent. furling two with up lined tankers had ny Compa Regent Oil - as points. All petrol and oils were supplied free by them were has always been the case with this race. The W.V.S. now standing by with refreshments to warm the inner man (by it was very misty and cold at sea). the The first to arrive was John Jones and Mick Grimes in Tony Arrow 150 at 7.51 a.m. As soon as they were alongside make Needell and Bob Glen jumped aboard to scrutineer and now sure all was well for the crossing to France. The position M. was that three more had retired in the Thames. They were Meadford (Kelvin Cruiser No. 6) he had stripped his forward gear, while E. Freeman (Kelvin No. 68) was found to be making -Uwater off Gravesend. A. Shepard and D Ross in “Pickles fire.

Tink”, a Bristol Rapide (19) had one of their engines catch They packed it in and returned to Putney.

Navigational errors were now taking their toll, and there last was a gap of 2 1/2 hours between the first arrivals and the at Ramsgate. in John Jones (9) roared off to find the South Goodw d which turned out to be easier said than done. He returne ful without seeing it and shortly after this, those two success (2) new comers Clive and Grand Wilson in a Bristol - “Y-Not” and Potter Ray across came and in Goodw rounded the South Fred Miles in “Red Herring” Arrow 150 (32) who had broken them down and were burning red distress flares. “Y-Not” took France. towards headed and in tow this The gallant Wilson boys were right out on their luck ” weekend for they were lying third when they took “Red Herring at in tow and this sporting gesture cost them disqualification the Ramsgate for arriving after 5 p.m. Also, four days before to be race, they had a puncture in their trailer, took the wheel had repaired, and when they returned, found that their engine race! the for one new a e purchas to had and stolen, been By now the mist had thickened and the sea was far from , and calm. Several boats looked for the S. Goodwin lightship Brown having no success turned back to Ramsgate. Arthur split his fuel tank and retired at this time. off Bob Franks, Glastron V161 “Sunset Strip” (77) tore chop, from Ramsgate at a great pace, slamming through the in the when suddenly - crash! He stopped with a two-foot split boat. rescue a by back towed was bottom, and in First into Calais was Fred Shaw and Bernard Siviter “Typhoon” Arrow 150 (52) followed by the American entrant , Howard Weiler (crewed by the redoubtable Doug Norvall) d outboar the in race assau Miami-N the of three times winner d class who had brought his American-built “Wildcat” powere ful by twin Johnson 75s over for the first time. This big purpose 22-footer is ideal for the sort of short, nasty seas usually last encountered on this course. Weiler was one of the very ate to start at Putney because of size, and by the time Ramsg the was reached on the outward leg, he was actually 24th into going. good was harbour which On the cross-Channel trip to Calais however, the extra boat ately length and sea-keeping ability of “Wildcat” was immedi size smaller of others many past swept she and t, apparen into or less seaworthy shape to be no less than second boat in Calais. The eighteen-and-a-half miles from the S. Goodw lightship to Calais she covered in 35 minutes at an average speed of 30-plus m.p.h.

In the Channel it was as rough as any rally so far held n the (barring the ‘63 fiasco), and more people retired betwee and South Goodwin and Calais. One of these was J. Breden and landfall a make to failed They (54).

R. Nichols, Invicta when turned back home. Several boats were far from Calais

1965

YESTERYEAR

...the South goodwin Light Vessel. His search brought him to a fisherman who gave directions to Calais’.

In 1965 crews were more or less left to their own devises and Ray tells us that the first Putney-Calais race two years earlier, compasses and a bucket were recommended but not compulsory, but few teams complained.

In comparison, with 596 pages making up the current UIM Offshore Rule Book, offshore powerboat racing today would seem to be bogged down by rules and regulations which to a degree is understandable considering the all too frequent incidents of serious accidents and fatalities over the years which have often resulted in legal battles costing the RYA dearly, (the insurance issue has now been placed in the hands of clubs) it has now long been ruled that boats undergo strict scrutineering before a race to comply with precise engine and construction regulations. Crews have to wear regulation helmets, lifejackets, etc, have the correct safety equipment on board, and are granted a racing licence after proper training and obtaining First Aid, Sea Survival and Immersion Test Certificates.

There are strict requirements for the installation of fully synthesised VHF transceivers and waterproof hand held VHF radio which require an operators licence. None of the boats in 1965 would have passed scrutiny.

The CPC was organised by UKOBA and they had over 70 boat owning members to call on. It was this large number made up of smaller ski boats that was the birth of OCR. They adopted circuits to suit the boats, tight inshore tracks and OCR’s popularity grew in status leading to UKOBA and OCR promoted events. Sadly, it also led to long distance races that required accurate navigation becoming rarer and rarer. y sea they hit France, due mainly to the bad visibility, unstead conditions and the high set of the spring tide. by Hospitality was given to all competitors reaching Calais the Yacht Club du Nord, and very welcome it was too.

Two late arrivals here were Tony Biggins and Colin Duval D. in “Grey Goose” (Owens Kent No. 21) and C. Larkin with in Bristol Larkin’s towed Tony 55).

(No. Bristol Nelson in a lot of when it was found to be making water. He used up a no petrol doing this, and was forced to retire as there were . facilities g refuellin d Both boats were left in Calais and their crews returne it is home by way of the ferry and train to Victoria. When other remembered they were all wearing wet suits, the Bill with g travellin were they thought have must passengers were and Ben the Flowerpot Men. Meanwhile the leaders making their way back to the South Goodwin.

Some found the The fog had become even worse. travelling for an After e. fortunat so not were lightship, others a hour for instance Geoff Tobert and Ray Bulman were within for the mile of the Light Ship - Ray suggested a stop to listen Bristol fog horn and as they did so, Keith Horsemen in the being “X-Lax” (11) came looming out of the mist, his intent . In similar to their own. Both stopped engines and listened they the stillness, the fog horn came over quite plainly. As and neared the South Goodwin they discovered R. Stapley J. Brumby in the Tremlett “Mack the Knife” (66) also listening they intently. This manoeuvre, however, was costing time as many were being swept up channel at about 3 1/2 knots. How t other competitors were lurking out there in the mist? Contac picked was lost and about ten minutes later Geoff and Ray of the up the Lightship. After the race it was found that 90% falling were nes (hailsto damp cold, this in trouble had entries at the time) corner of the Channel.

Two people in the same area at the same time were none ick other than Les Bryant and Ken Davidson of the Brunsw ride the for purely race the entered had They Corporation.

“Royal and only spent two days preparing their Owens Royal more Goose” (37). Equipment-wise they carried nothing they But s. compas shelf the off ordinary an than te elabora “Boffins (Below) The purposeful interior of the all-black Glastron, in this Coffin”, driven by Tim Curtis and John Fleming into third place third in strenuous Putney/Calais Rally. Glastron boats took first and this event. Note the well secured line of fuel tanks for each Evinrude 75, and easy-to-reach fire-fighting equipment.

hit everything spot on, and were surprised to hear on entering Ramsgate on the return leg, that they were running second come in Class B. This goes to prove that it is still possible to somewhere in this big race - without having to spend a fortune.

First back to Ramsgate was Sven Ulander in “Pan Yan”, When closely followed by Tim Curtis in “Boffins Coffin”. they Fred Shaw and B. Siviter, Arrow “Typhoon” (52) arrived Luck! failed to pass the scrutineering and had to retire. Hard at The American Howard Weiler was fourth to arrive back d of Ramsgate, but as the calm section seas all that remaine of the race it became pretty obvious that he had little hope others many Like ratio. eight power/w low his with up, g catchin in this race Weiler was fog-bound in the Channel. the The position from here back to Putney remained almost Curtis same, Sven Ulander arriving home at 4.25 p.m., Tim Two at 4.35 p.m. and Norman Fletcher three minutes later. last entries who finished on half power were Jeremy James “Pink year’s overall winner, Shakespeare (46) and D. Wynne, laving Panther” (99). They each had an engine pack up after one Ramsgate and did the last 50 miles or so with the duff effort. tucked up. They finished 11th and 17th - a very good of Incidentally Jeremy must have used the least amount first the at gallons 5 on take to needed only He H.P. fuel for refuelling point. , Heroes of the day were Dave Ward and Len Russell A. Glastron “Wardee” (29). They were first home in Class under While crossing the finishing line a girl capsized a dinghy and a barge and Dave roared off to the rescue, pulled her out - alive! took her to the shore where she was rushed to hospital Well done!

When one boat came across another in trouble, there was were no hesitation on anyone’s part, regardless of where they While placed, to render assistance even if it meant retiring. this spirit remains, so will offshore power boat racing.

Howard (Below) The American “Wildcat” refuelling at Ramsgate with assau Weiler, three times winner of the Outboard Class in the Miami-N d Race and his co-driver Doug Norvall. Fifth overall they were fogboun houses in the Channel after being second into Calais. Centre benth 75s. two of the three 50 gallon fuel tanks that feed the two Johnson (Other pictures of “Wildcat” on pages 67-71) (Photo: Mike Peters)

raceboatinternational 55

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