Powerboat P1 SuperStock Champions crowned at Lymington

by Sam Feasey on 3 Oct 2010 Heights of Abraham and Grandstand Motor Sports became the inaugural Powerboat P1 SuperStock Champions at the Lymington Grand Prix of the Sea on Saturday.

Rupert Pugh and Dan Whapples finished second in the afternoon’s 300 Class race and rival Maurice Lacroix fifth, as Heights of Abraham powered to its maiden SuperStock Championship trophy with an overall points total of 211.

After winning eight of the previous nine races, the Matlock-based team started the weekend with a 36-point cushion at the top of the standings and Saturday morning’s race cancellation ensured the UK powerboating gold would be travelling back up the M1 to the Midlands.

Heights of Abraham’s delighted driver, Rupert Pugh, said: 'We’re over the moon. It’s been a huge effort from the team and we’re already looking forward to coming back next year and retaining our trophy.

'We’ve built up a lot of confidence between driver and navigator and most importantly the boat. We’ve learned to capitalise on the small margins this season and understanding what makes the boat perform at its premium level. I cannot compliment Dan and the rest of the Heights of Abraham team enough. It’s a tremendous privilege to be part of a championship-winning racing team.'

Whapples added: 'It’s been a massive challenge all season and to win nine-out-of-eleven races is incredible. We are elated and fully intend to enjoy this moment.'

Double Six Racing duo Brian Caudwell and Neil Cadman took the bronze medal behind Messrs Pugh and Whapples.
Rough Cut Racing stole in to claim the final Maurice Lacroix Chronograph Valgranges prize after a timing penalty denied the boys in blue from clocking up their fourth timepiece of the season.

John Wilson and Neil Scarborough’s triumph was secured despite the 150 Class frontrunners not finishing the weekend’s feature race. Grandstand Motor Sports came off second best in a nasty collision with surprise pacesetter, Aztec Racing, on The Solent, but the team’s phenomenal record from the previous four rounds guaranteed victory for the popular racing duo.

Jubilant Grandstand Motor Sports driver, Wilson, reflected on a sensational year for the 150 Class. 'It’s been an absolutely fantastic season and to become the first-ever SuperStock Champions is brilliant,' said Wilson. 'We’ve raced in some fantastic venues and the competition has been first class. We’re in a great position to go forward and make this series into something spectacular,' added the winning Warwickshire-based pilot.

He concluded: 'We’ve put in hours of practice between races and the team has been on a phenomenal learning curve over the past two years, so we’re thrilled to win the championship with such outstanding competition from a great fleet of teams.'

Team Fox maintained its runner-up position in the series after crossing the finishing line in fourth place and only edged Eclipse by a mere five points as Rose Lores and John Donnelly took second on Saturday ahead of Flying Sparks, who proudly scored back-to-back podium finishes to end the season.

Not to be outshone, GSS Mermaid picked up its first-ever Grand Prix of the Sea trophy as David Hobson and fiancée Kirsty Clark raced to victory after a sensational tussle with Aztec Racing and Grandstand Motor Sports in Saturday’s fast and furious race action.

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