Peedells get their reward

THE husband-and-wife crew of Circle Express claimed their first national victory in 12 years of powerboating at the weekend. After failing to finish race one on Saturday because of alternator problems, Slough-based Brian and Pat Peedell took advantage of Brita Racing's capsize in the second race to take top spot for Class IIIC boats.

The Condor Ferries Liberation Grand Prix doubled as the opening rounds of the Royal Yachting Association British Champ-ionships for Class IIIC, F1 ribs and V24 boats.

'I'm a bit gob-smacked, I don't think it's sunk in,' said Circle Express navigator Mrs Peedell.

'On Saturday, although there was a swell, it wasn't rough, but it was for race two, through Gouliot Passage and back out it was really bad, and when we first came out of St Martin's Point.'

She retired last year, but decided to come back into the sport for this season, having started racing in 1994.

Despite taking first in their class on Sunday, they finished well down on the race leaders.

The four monohulled and larger-engined V24 boats battled it out at the head of the field in a tightly fought race.

Eventually Sea Horse.com triumphed, but not before some aggressive manoeuvring on the course by Bat Out of Hell, who led at the final turn of each lap apart from the one that mattered.

Maverick came home third.

Sea Horse's driver Marc Lamont afterwards complained about the runner-up's tactics.

'I had to back off in the middle of a wave to avoid a collision. The boat nosedived into the wave: that's what caused the damage.'

The boat suffered splits to the front of the hull.

'The rest was under control, but that was out of control, but you have to be a gracious winner.'

He said the conditions on Sunday suited the boat: any rougher and he would not have been able to drive properly.

It was another boat to suffer alternator problems, which stopped working half- way through, meaning every time they adjusted the trim, the GPS cut out.

The boat finally gave up working just after it turned after crossing the line.

Saturday's race took competitors on a longer course that included an opening stretch around the island.

Brita Racing took what was in the end a comfortable win overall.

After a great start it was overtaken halfway around the north of the island by two C class and two V class boats as the rougher conditions hit sending boats into the air.

'We had the wrong propeller on. Around the island it didn't suit us. As we got to the sheltered waters we pulled away, so it was never really a problem,' said driver Peter Little, who was racing alongside navigator Dave Arthur.

The experienced pair won the two-litre world championships in local waters in 1997, taking the worlds in 1999 and 2000, the same year they also won the Europeans.

'The course is superb, a proper offshore racing course, they get very short and simple at home. In Dubai it's just like going up and down a beach. Today, especially being in front, you have to find the marks, it's about team work when you're racing like that, both working very hard to get it right.

Bat Out of Hell took second overall in race one and first in theV24 class.

It led the field on the long lap around Guernsey and battled hard with eventual the eventual winner.

'As the cats burn fuel they get faster and we couldn't catch him up,' said navigator Mark Bridges.

Driver Cliff Smith said the race went perfectly, apart from the interference of a jet ski at the end of the first lap.

'To be second boat home has got to be great for us.'

He described racing through the Gouliot Passage, which runs between Sark and Brecqhou, as superb.

'It seems like you're heading straight for a cliff, you don't see it until the last minute.'

He added it was an excellent race, comparable with the Isle of White, but better because of the navigation required.

Competitors praised the friendly atmosphere at the event and organisers are hoping to get the World Championships for 2008.