RYA British Powerboat GP GT30 Championship

by Emma Slater on 27 Sep 2012 RYA British Powerboat GP GT30 Championship was held during 22nd and 23rd September 2012 where JPL Racing’s Kevin Hill (44) from Chertsey secured his first British Powerboat Racing title, in what has been one of the closest championship campaigns this year.

As the green flag dropped at the opening round of the season the competition was intense with the top five all within a second of each other in all heats.

Current GT30 World Speed Record holder Ben Morse from JPL Racing took all three heat wins to take the overall win, despite only just holding off a serious challenge for the lead in the last heat from rookie driver Tom Yallop from Parklands Racing.

Hill showed that his winter training had pulled off as he walked away with third overall in the Oulton Broad Grand Prix but knew he was still capable of putting more pressure on the championship leaders and at the second round of the competition was out to prove it.

In qualifying Hill secured pole, over a half a second faster than his closest rivals, and with two first places and a fourth in the heats he took his first ever Grand Prix win, with former F4 World Champion Mark Williams taking silver in his first time in the class and youngster Thomas Yallop taking the bronze medal position.

Next up, Kingsbury Water Park, where Hill was set to turn up the heat on Ben Morse to challenge for the lead in the 2012 Championship. Morse set the qualifying time to beat and with less than 0.58 of a second separating the top three boats the weekend was looking set for some fantastic racing.

Morse's pole qualifying place put him in prime position to hold off the competition as he took the best line to the first turn mark. Making the most of the clean water Morse secured three heat wins and the weekends Grand Prix title. Despite a valiant effort to catch Morse, Hill was forced to settle for second behind his team mate.

Tied on 67 points a-piece there was nothing separating the two championship leaders Hill and Morse as they headed into the final round of the competition, so it was all to play for in what has been without a doubt the closest championship campaign of the year.

Hill secured pole and looked set to push Morse every inch of the way to the chequered flag in this nail biting decider. Hill took two heat wins with Jordan Muckles and Natalie Craddock bearing down on him every inch of the way. Morse was forced to settle for three fourths that would see his JPL Racing Team mate Kevin Hill secure the 2012 Championship title and Morse to settle for the silver medal.
RYA website