Surf's up at Fistral Beach 

Rounds 5 and 6 in RYA P750 British Championship

James Tapp, ‘The Surf Master’, driving Microlink / Ahmad Tea put together another master class in racing both, on and off the surf, winning both of the rounds held at Fistral Beach last weekend (30-31 May).       

Fistral Beach – Round 5

Bligh Julius racing in Team 33 – Multispark Racing Products, was expected to be Tapp's main challenger, but was forced to pull out of the weekend's racing when his co-driver Dan Lewin was injured during the second heat on Saturday. Julius the 2014 ThunderCat British Champion said afterwards: "I could have continued racing with another co-driver but I like to race with someone I know. It's looking like my focus will now have to be on the international event later this year in Malta".  

Julius however, didn't come away from the weekend empty handed, setting the record for the highest leap into the air for a ThunderCat this year.  

The final, which was red flagged after the Racing Angels, Demelza Johns and Tracy Robinson suffered a spectacular blow over in the surf, with the driver Demelza, ejected some 20 feet away from her Bobkat hull.  

Both brave ladies received minor injuries, only engine damage was to stop them from racing the next day.  

The final was restarted and for the first couple of laps James Tapp tentatively followed Rob Davies / Hoonagan / Ahmad Tea around the M – Shape course until getting past with a clever move where the surf was at its worse.  

• 1st) #22 Microlink – Ahmad Tea James Tapp Ed Redman
• 2nd) #46 Bulletproof Marc Newton Martin Pullen
• 3rd) #26 Sailstyle – RK Marine Simon Matthews Ryan Edwards-Pritchard  

Fistral Beach – Round 6

After starting with 19 entrants at the start of the weekend, the final of round 6 was contested by just eight boats, as the weather took its toll on even the most experienced of racers.  

The final, in which James Tapp took the win, had just five boats left to battle through the boiling waters.  

David Finlayson who skilfully drove Haggis Hunters to fifth overall said before his long drive back to Edinburgh: "I was so proud of my daughter Ashleigh, the lass held on tight and was so brave. We are going to remember this weekend for a long time".  

It was quite simply an outstanding weekend of ThunderCat Racing.  

The competitors will head to Southsea, Portsmouth for rounds 7 and 8 later this month (27-28 June) and most must be praying for some slightly calmer water!  

• 1st) #22 Microlink – Ahmad Tea James Tapp and Ed Redman
• 2nd) #9 Who The Hell Steve Pidsley and Jason Ellis
• 3rd) #7 Team Majengo – Moku Racing Darryn Harrison and Tyron Pryor  

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Photos by Tim Tapping