Wilson gives new boy a scare

PETER WILSON gave his first-time navigator, Jan Falkowski, the fright of his life when he took his Argocat to the Torbay Classic Offshore powerboat race. Wilson's Condor Lucky 7 boat was involved in a spectacular 60mph crash which saw the catamaran plunge nose first into the rough sea.

Both men escaped with only slight bruises.

'We were both lucky to escape undamaged,' said the Guernsey powerboat star.

'I ducked my head just in time,' said Wilson, describing the moment his boat nosedived into the sea off the top of a wave.

'You don't have time to be scared. But it is blooming nasty to go under like that,' he added.

Condor Lucky 7 was among 26 boats in the race which saw sea conditions deteriorate as it wore on.

After a poor start - they were last at the first turn - Wilson forged his way through the fleet and actually led.

But at 55-60mph Condor Lucky 7 went up a wave created by the wake of what Wilson described as 'a gin palace' and the next second was 10ft underwater.

The catamaran popped back up quickly enough but after a few seconds the boat turned over backwards, full of water and temporarily sank. Guard boats were quickly on the scene and took both men and the undamaged boat back to Torquay Harbour.

Wilson, who was assisted at Torquay by team manager Peter Henley, reports neither he or the boat is none the worse for the accident and will compete in Condor Lucky 7 in a charity race in Bournemouth on Sunday week.