THE first round of this year’s Powerboat GP National Championship will take place at the Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club, St Helens, on May 2 and 3.
Of the seven categories of boats in action, the North West yielded three champions last year including the winner of the hotly contested F4s class where drivers from Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club finished in the 1st and 2nd placed spots.
Ben Morse,21 and Natalie Craddock, 19 both from Wigan, fought throughout the year and Natalie held her own among the field of eight drivers, and over the course of the six race series, to take the runner up spot in what was her first year in this class.
This year she returns with a new sponsor and her intentions firmly set on taking home the championship trophy in September.
Neither of these drivers are new to championship wins. Ben has many lower category championships under his belt and has won the F4s championship for the past two years, and Natalie was GT30 National Champion in 2011 and GT30 British Sprint Champion in 2012.
The F4s class boats are catamaran hulls and are powered by Mercury 850cc motors, which produce 60HP. Capable of speeds in excess of 70mph, these boats effectively fly along above the water rather than sitting in it, providing a spectacle for spectators as the driver’s battle at close quarters.
The youngsters don’t have all the glory to themselves, Bill Owen, 58 from Ashton–in-Makerfield, drove to victory as last year’s Powerboat GP National Champion in the T850 Monohull Class. Bill, who has been racing since 1971 is part of “The Last of the Summer Wine” racing team and will be competing alongside his team mates in what has become one of the hottest contested classes in the National Championships.
Powerboat championships about to launch
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