Battle of Stokes Bay to decide 2014 P1 Champions
SuperStock and AquaX national champions to be crowned at Gosport Grand Prix of the Sea finale
“With national titles at stake, it’s going to be a tense and exhilarating weekend.” These are the words of P1 chief operating officer Robert Wicks as he looks ahead to the final round of the P1 SuperStock and AquaX UK Championships this weekend (06-07 September).
The battles for championship glory will be fought out at Stokes Bay on the challenging waters of the Solent with a fleet of ten P1 Panther race boats and more than thirty jet-ski riders set to serve up two days of fast, furious and free to watch action in the P1 Gosport Grand Prix of the Sea.
The results of the three SuperStock races in Torquay last month have left the title chase wide open, with just seven points covering the top three teams. John Wilson in the Pertemps boat has set his sights on a second P1 title and, with navigator Daisy Coleman alongside him, he will be defending a slender lead in Gosport.
Snapping at the heels of the 2011 SuperStock champion in joint second place are the Welsh duo of James Norvill and Charlie Parsons-Young in the GD Environmental boat and IFX Racing crewed by the Buckinghamshire pairing of Nick Williams and Martin Robinson. Both teams believe they have a very real chance of pipping the wily Wilson to the crown with the Welshmen, who criss-cross the Atlantic to race in both P1 SuperStock series and currently top the championship standings in the USA, looking to achieve a remarkable double.
Throughout his P1 racing career Wilson has excelled in testing conditions, and he has made no secret of what he is hoping for this weekend: “I know that I have a great chance of regaining the championship title if the weather works in our favour – we like it rough! Unfortunately the forecast suggests that won’t be the case in Gosport and when the sea is calm our two closest rivals have better acceleration off the line than our boat. That will make things difficult, but Daisy and I will be giving it our best shot whatever the weather.”
Norvill and Parsons-Young moved to the top of the SuperStock USA championship table after the last round on the Florida coast and driver James Norvill is confident about their title chances: “That round was the first time we had been on top of the podium in the States and it’s where we intend to be at the end of the season. There is just one round to go in both the UK and USA series and we will really need to be on our game to do the double. Both championships are so close, which means you have to be out there placing in every race to stand a chance.”
IFX Racing is level on points with GD Environmental and, like Norvill, team boss Nick Williams is determined and confident: “Although we have led the championship for much of the season, I think we are seen as the outsiders for the title. We are going to Gosport to win and nothing else will do. We are more than capable of pulling it off.”
P1’s double bill of marine motorsport action includes AquaX jet ski racing, and championship manager and former world champion, Lisa Barsby, is excited about the season finale: “The Solent is notorious for south westerly winds and coupled with the high level of traffic exiting Portsmouth harbour towards the Isle of Wight it could make for challenging conditions. Mathematically, none of the championships have been decided and mechanical failure could throw things wide open.”
In the 300hp class Phil Pope consolidated his lead in Torquay with an excellent display of skill and strength to record three straight wins. He has not put a foot wrong this season and looks a sure bet to take the crown. The leader in the 250 class is former 200 champion Duncan Johnstone, being chased hard by Robert Higgs and Steve Hockney, whilst Damian Evans heads the 200 class and the Rookie division. In the AquaX ski classes former junior world champion Lewis Goodchild leads the Elite riders and looks set to take the title, with Rookie racer Paul Taylor expected to pick up the amateur title.
Wicks and Barsby are quick to thank everyone in Gosport for their tremendous support and anticipate an outstanding weekend of sport and entertainment. Their advice for the championship contenders is to “relish the occasion, avoid mistakes and turn in consistent performances.”
The two-day race programme at Stokes Bay will commence at 1.00pm on Saturday when the SuperStock boats take to the water and at midday on Sunday with the AquaX riders getting proceedings underway.
On the land there will be a funfair, food and drink stalls, family activities and an international market, with local radio station Wave 105 staging a live music event on Saturday from 4.00pm.
For more information visit www.powerboatp1.com
Article by Roy Mantle Powerboat P1