Formula Powerboat Grand Prix - powerboats blown away
by Bob Wonders on 13 Apr 2010
Formula 2 ace Michael Page looking good during Saturday’s heats in Geelong. Theo Spykers
It was scheduled to be the third round of the Australian Formula Powerboat Association's national titles, but Geelong's Corio Bay refused to cooperate last weekend with organisers forced to cancel racing due to strong winds.
Saturday's races attracted strong attendance making the decision to cancel the next day even more disappointing. Association president Craig Truslove agreed that boats could be set for specific weather conditions, but the unpredictability of the winds caused concern. Formula 1 powerboats, also known as ‘tunnel boats', are lightweight craft capable of astonishing speeds.
They can top 240km/hr on straights and are renowned for fast cornering, where drivers can be subjected to G-forces akin to that experienced by jet fighter pilots.
Wind, which can cause a Formula boat to break clear of the water surface and go ‘sky high' is the sport's major nemesis. 'We closely watched the weather via satellite on the computer from early Sunday morning,' Craig Truslove explained. 'Gusts of wind were recorded in the region of 55 knots, virtual mini cyclones. These were conditions easily capable of sending a Formula boat skywards,' he added.
Organisers felt they had no choice and ‘pulled the pin' at 10.30am on the Sunday morning. The association intends to examine the weather history related to Corio Bay and may opt to hold the event earlier, perhaps in March, when conditions could well be more favourable.
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