Thrills and spills as powerboating returns

OFFSHORE national powerboat racing made a spectacular weekend return to the island. Spectators on the Castle Breakwater had their hearts in their mouths as the navigator of Willpower Marine, Dave Simpkins, was thrown from the boat as it finished race one of the Condor Ferries Liberation Grand Prix on Saturday, with a following catamaran AJC Frenzy narrowly missing him as he floated.

He was not the only competitor to end up in the water, with the crews of Condor Ferries and Brita Racing also running into trouble.

None suffered serious injuries.

Mr Simpkins was apparently unfazed by the incident once back on land.

'We were just coming in to finish the lap, there was a bit of wash from another boat and our boat jumped and hooked at the same time,' he said.

'It lifted me out of my seat, hooked to the left, I was thrown to the right and bumped over the wing and out.'

He was holding the GPS, which had broken earlier in the race, in his hand at the time and he clung onto it until the guard boat came over and he climbed aboard.

'The boat behind missed me by 10 or 15ft. The GPS is worth about £200 and I want that back.'

His wife was watching from the breakwater.

Running third in Class IIIC at the time, driver Rob Irwin had to climb to the back of the boat to restart it after the safety cutout had been triggered. He drove over to pick up his colleague and then crossed the line.

'It was dramatic stuff,' said Mr Simpkins.

'All's well that ends well, nobody has broken any bones, it was just a bit of drama.'

It was the opening round of the Royal Yachting Association British National Championship for Class IIIC, F1 Rib and V24 boats.

Race two was held yesterday over a shorter course, but it was a case of hero to zero for the experienced Brita Racing crew.

The catamaran had won race one overall against the larger engined, mono-hulled V24 boats.

But yesterday they flipped over while mixing it with the more powerful opposition just south of the Lower Heads buoy, having to escape from the fully enclosed canopy.

'We were running along, leading our class and among the V24s,' said driver Pete Little.

'There was a lot of action around us.

'They were having a good race and I was not totally focused.

'I fully believe we hit the Condor wash. The boat just took off and landed on its side.'

They scrambled out of the water and sat on the upturned boat before being picked up and brought to shore by the Flying Christine III.

'I've never been over in a canopy before. I've been racing with them for 10 years. We have to take a dunk test every year, so it all goes through our mind when you go over, but it's one of those things.'

Local co-organiser Kevin Walsh said that everybody seemed impressed that powerboating was back.

'We just hope we can build on it. I've spoken to some drivers - they think it's fantastic. They love the course, although it wasn't spectator-orientated on Saturday,' he added.

'It's only preliminary, but we've been told if we can make a run of this event, there's no reason we can't get the worlds in 2008.'

There would be support from the British racers, he said, because the world championships had not been held in British waters for about a decade.

'This was done on a shoestring budget this year, but next year hopefully we'll have more time to build it up.'

The world championships would attract about 40 boats.

'We've had a few little, not problems, but hiccups, but it's excellent here at St Sampson's, the marina is excellent and the harbour staff could not have been more helpful.

'The only problem is we couldn't grow much more. If it ever got bigger than 30 boats, it would have to move to St Peter Port.'