EDITOR'S CHOICE NEWS FROM THE PEWS News from the Pews May 12 News from the Pews May 8 MUSIC REVIEW: N-Dubz and the KO Kid at The Academy REVIEW: S.O.P.H.I.E weekender at The Great Western THEATRE REVIEW: BATS - Crazy for You at The Anvil Don't miss Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre! Silchester Players present Agatha Christie's The Hollow ADVERTISING FEATURES Click here to view a selection of advertising features that have appeared in your Gazette EVENTS You can now add your own events to our events calendar GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 Rico quits Town to link up with Vines 2 Residents in revamp fight 3 House conversions denied 4 Keep the good days coming 5 Detectives gain more time 6 Car details released in murder probe 7 Fun run set to end in ruin 8 Live life in the fast lane 9 Big bash tribute to 'Little Trace' 10 Rico praises Town after final victory Today | 7 Days 1 Landlord’s fury over rules for outside plastic beakers 2 Upgrade plans spark debate 3 Borough council leader set to go out on a high 4 Newsagent’s exit threatens post office 5 House conversions denied 6 Residents in revamp fight 7 Building’s future in doubt after protection bid fails 8 Tory election triumph 9 Big bash tribute to 'Little Trace' 10 George takes the chain as borough first citizen

HOOK powerboat duo Jackie Hunt and Mike Shelton continue to make waves in their sport - and they were certainly among them on their way to their latest grand prix win.

In the latest world championship round, off the Isle of Wight, Hunt, the driver of the Aspro racing craft, was at one point confronted by a nine-foot wall of water coming straight at her.

She managed to pull the bow of the boat up and crash right through it.

The Hook driver said: "That is all you can do, and it feels like the boat has stopped still for a second before it goes through.

"You end up soaking wet, but that is all the fun of racing."

She admitted to being a bit battle-scarred after the last of the two races on the Sunday, when the Solent was very rough.

But that did not deter the Hook husband-and-wife team.

Hunt said: "We still managed to do between 60 and 70mph and, I have to say, I have a lot of bruises on my forehead where my helmet kept hitting the side of the boat.

"But it was brilliant and we won by six minutes and even managed to beat some of the more powerful Evolution boats."

Hunt and Shelton race in the less powerful SunSport class and, with one round left in the world championship, they are very much back in contention for the overall crown, having cut the lead of top boat Ocean Dragon to 30 points.

This means that, if the Hook racers can beat their Chinese rivals in the last two races - which are in Lisbon at the end of September - they will be crowned world champions.

In race one of the domestic grand prix off Cowes, in flat water, Hunt and Shelton had to settle for second spot but they were only one second behind the Jolly Special boat.

The Hook pair, having got off the line fourth, battled up to second place, but just failed to overtake Jolly Special.

On the second day of racing, the Aspro boat lapped up the rough weather and Hunt steered it to a comfortable six-minute win, despite somehow bending the steering wheel.

After two excellent results on home waters, the British duo will now look for more of the same off the coast of the Portuguese capital later this month so they can take the overall title.

4:24pm Wednesday 6th September 2006

Print

Email this