This summer over the weekend of the 14th & 15th August, some 10 nationalities will visit Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club in Carr Mill, St Helens for the Formula Future World & Continental Championships where they will use new T-350 RIBs sponsored by Ribeye.

The competition itself consists of a series of time trials where competitors have to prove their ability in a series of boat handling and manoeuvring exercises. The competition is extremely close and the top teams are frequently separated by less than a 1/100ths of a second which leaves no room for errors on the course. Participants aged from 8 -18 are split into classes dependant on age to battle it out on various courses, demonstrating skill and speed against the clock. The competition, designed on raising awareness and developing skills in junior power boaters, will see teams represented from, Malaysia, Czech Republic, Great Britain and Entries expected from Italy, Russia, Germany, Norway, Poland, Estonia, Slovakia, and Portugal.

Classes are Split into 5 categories

Class 1                  ages       8 –   9 years

Class 2                  ages       10 – 11 years

Class 3                  ages       12 – 13 years

Class 4                  ages       14 – 15 years

Class 5                  ages       16 – 18 years

Classes 1 -3 compete in tiller steered Ribs of a maximum of 3.6m with a maximum engine power of 8hp (2 stroke).

Classes 4-5 compete in a RIB, powered by an outboard engine with a minimum power of 10hp and a maximum power of 15hp.For these classes boat will have a steering wheel, and jockey seat for the driver with the speed lever on the starboard/right side and a kill-switch.

The competition is split into two disciplines Manoeuvring & Parallel Slalom.

The Manoeuvring consists of: Every driver must show his skill in tying the following knots:

- Reef knot

- Bowline

- Half-hitch

- Clove-hitch

The maximum time limit for tying each knot is 60 seconds, beyond which the knot will is considered as improperly done. The driver must raise his arm, after each attempt, when he considers the knot is done.

Each competitor must then manoeuvre the racecourse

Every driver runs the manoeuvring course relevant for his class each driver is allowed 2 attempts, run consecutively. Both attempts are performed on the same course, with the same boat and engine - within each class.

Drivers in classes 4 and 5 as well as manoeuvring the Race Course also perform a man-over-board exercise. In which the boat must approach the mark with its left side during this manoeuvre and must be completely stopped (for example by using reverse gear).

Backwards motion of the boat is not allowed.

After the boat has come to a complete stop the driver raises a lifebuoy (or similar) over his head with both hands and puts it down on the designated mark without throwing it or dropping it down and then continues the course.

The other discipline is the Parallel slalom, in which two drivers from the same class shall start at the same time, each running on a separate racecourse.

Each driver has two attempts on the slalom course and changes boats and courses for the second attempt.

Times from both attempts are counted up, adding penalty seconds (if any) and the driver is awarded U.I.M. points for his ranking.

The four drivers having the highest score in each class then participate in the semi-finals and finals.

The semi-final results are determined as mentioned above and the pair setting for the finals is as follows:

- Drivers with 1st and 2nd highest scores in the semi-finals compete for the 1st and 2nd place

- Drivers with 3rd and 4th highest scores in the semi-finals compete for the 3rd and 4th place.

At the end of the weekend European and World Champions will be crowned for the following categories  for each Class, Manoeuvring, Parallel Slalom, Individual Combined  where the points from the two disciplines will be added together to decide the champion. There will also be a Team Championship where the best 3 results from Manoeuvring and Parallel Slalom are added together to declare one Nation Champions.

The competition will start at 9am on Saturday the 14^th August, finishing on Sunday the 15^th with Prize Giving taking place at 19:30hrs. Spectators are welcome to watch all the action as the completion gets underway and entry is free so come along and support Team GBR.

More info

Nicola Drummond
Senior Powerboat Racing Administrator
Royal Yachting Association
RYA House
Ensign Way
Hamble
SO31 4YA
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