All-girl powerboat team double crash

by Will Carson on 16 May 2007 An all girl powerboating team from Hampshire in Britain were involved in a freak high-speed crash just three minutes into their first race.

Former European offshore and American national champion Sarah Donohue and her Delmar crewmate Jo Dixon were blasting along Torquay Bay at more than 60mph when the steering on their Honda Formula 4-Stroke failed.

As they reached the first mark of the first lap, the 23ft powerboat was thrown into a violent spin before a trailing boat ploughed into the vessel's side.

Amazingly the pair escaped unscathed from the crash, the likes of which has never been seen before on the Honda circuit.

Unfazed by the near-death experience, Sarah then filled in for injured teammate Tony Crossly driving his boat in the following race.

The 35-year-old said she and navigator Jo were lucky to be alive following the crash, which happened on Saturday just 40-metres from astonished crowds on Torquay pier.

She said: 'The weather was miserable - the sea was rough and the wind was blowing, but I have 14 years of offshore racing experience and I was really looking forward to it.

'We got to the first mark and the steering just went. 'I saw Jo right above me, which usually means the boat is going to flip. 'Luckily we didn't - we are just glad to be alive.

'It's really bizarre - that's the first time something like that has ever happened to a Honda boat, and it happened to us on the first lap of our first race.'

The pair's boat, Delmar, incredibly shared Sarah and Jo's lucky streak, suffering only a ten-inch crack down its side.

Sarah, who lives in Hamble, said the rough weather and being hit by another boat probably saved their lives. ‘If the water had been flat, we would have barrel-rolled and would have probably been killed. The fact that the water was wavy and that we were hit by another boat helped us to stay upright. It's the only time you will thank your lucky stars you got hit by another powerboat!'

Sarah said their experience would in no way put them off taking part in the next race of the series, on the Isle of Man on June 16. We've both had scrapes like this before,' she said. 'We will be there on the start line of the next race without a doubt.'

Hampshire Echo www.thisishampshire.net