RYA British JT250 Sprint Championship - Ben Jelf claims third title

by Emma Slater on 9 Aug 2011 RYA British JT250 Sprint Championship was held at Stewartby Watersports Club over the weekend of 6 and 7 August 2011.

It was championship title number three for the powerboat racing youngster Ben Jelf from Maidstone when he was crowned 2011 RYA British JT250 Sprint Champion.

The 11 year old from the Stewartby Powerboat Racing Club, Bedford did battle against seven other junior racers in the bid to clinch the title.

The young competitors competed for the title of British Sprint Champion over three rounds of racing in conditions that were less than favourable. With cross winds on the lake creating taxing racing conditions which some of the adult competitors fell foul to, the Juniors held their own, racing to the conditions they were faced with and showing the crowds their skill and determination.

Continuing his winning form from his recent World and European Championship titles Ben took another clean sweep of wins in his heats to take his third championship title for the 2011 season and his third British Title in just three seasons of racing.

'Once again we’re very proud of Ben!' commented Dad, three times World F2 Champion, Colin Jelf. 'The conditions were tough this weekend for all of the juniors but they all handled it really well. All we ask of Ben is that he enjoys himself!

He continued: 'He went out this weekend and drove to the best of his ability in the conditions he was presented with and got the job done. Britain’s Youngest ever World Champion, European Champion and now a British title in his third season of racing, his mum and I couldn’t be prouder of him!'

Ben held off strong competition from Lowestoft and Oulton Broad’s Teague Stroud and Thomas Yallop and narrowly averted disaster in the second heat when he hooked on the bottom of the course but managed to correct himself and maintain the lead to take the second heat win. A further win in the third heat saw him claim the 2011 RYA British Sprint Championship title for the second year consecutively.

Ben is still in contention for the 2011 RYA JT250 British Championship, currently sitting two points behind Championship Leader Teague Stroud and with just two rounds left there is still everything to race for.