Wet and wild powerboat action at Cholmondeley Pageant
The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, the UK’s biggest celebration of power and speed, will once again play host to the thrills and spills of circuit powerboat racing this year. Organisers have announced an exciting waterborne line-up, featuring an eclectic mix of hydroplanes, monohulls and catamarans.
The action takes place on the Deer Park Mere, which adjoins the race circuit where race cars and supercars will undertake timed runs throughout the three-day Pageant. The event takes place on the Cholmondeley Estate near Crewe in Cheshire, from 15 to 17 July (cpop.co.uk).
‘Big Cat’ racing
Formula Two catamarans promise to be the star attractions of this year’s waterborne action. These ‘Big Cats’ are nimble and powerful, with 0-60mph times that would humble a Formula One racing car. Drivers are typically strapped into a safety cell with an enclosed cockpit for their own protection. Powered by 2,500cc engines producing up to 235 horsepower and reaching speeds of over 120mph, the ‘Big Cats’ will race in heats over the course of the weekend before a champion driver is crowned on Sunday afternoon.
OSY 400 and Outboard Hydroplanes
If spectators find the ‘Big Cats’ exciting, then OSY 400 and outboard hydroplanes should really rock their world. These wooden craft are driven either by laying flat or kneeling, with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the throttle. Speeds of over 70mph are possible, and these boats only like to go in one direction – left – with huge sprays of water thrown up when the drivers make a turn. Crowds too close to the action run the risk of getting a little wet!
T850 Hydroplanes
These hydroplanes make up the vintage all-comers class with drivers aged between 16 and 60 competing against one another. This is real ‘seat of your pants’ racing and the drivers love it. The boats are in open-decked, 12 foot long monohulls, powered by 70hp Yamaha engines and reach speeds of around 60 mph.
Green powerboats of the future
The GT30 class demands that the monohull boats are the same weight and they can reach speeds in excess of 50mph. The boats are powered by 30 horsepower low emission engines. Powerboat racing’s governing body created the GT30 class for competitors’ aged 14 years and over using ‘green’ or ‘clean’ engines, ensuring a long and sustainable future for the sport.
Thundercats are go!
Adrenaline-filled inflatable catamaran racing will be making a return to the Pageant this year, with Thundercats set to provide exciting and powerful displays on the water. Two-person teams race in boats powered by 750cc Tohatsu tiller-controlled outboards that can reach speeds in excess of 65mph. Thundercat racing offers adrenalin-pumped action, as these smaller inflatables have no cockpit, or seat belts, to buffer the force of impact on water.
Licence to thrill
James Bond fans visiting the Pageant in 2011 will be thrilled by the inclusion of the legendary wetbike from the film, The Spy Who Loved Me. Wetbikes were popular in the 1980s and were regularly used for racing, but were superseded in popularity by jetskis. This particular James Bond wetbike has been lovingly restored and features an 800cc two stroke twin engine, producing 60 horsepower and capable of speeds of up to 50mph. Organisers of the event have devised a 007-themed surprise for this year, with crowds sure to be left both shaken and stirred!
Powerboat stars of the future
There will also be time in the packed watersports Pageant programme for junior competitors, giving powerboat stars of the future a chance to impress spectators with their skills. Boys and girls aged between nine and 15 will be racing JT250 powerboats. These monohulls produce 15 horsepower and can reach speeds of up to 40mph.
“We have another exciting array of action taking place on the Deer Park Mere at this year’s Pageant, with one or two surprises thrown in for good measure,” comments James Hall, Event Director for the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power. “Our powerboat programme is a little different to previous years in that we will be staging a grand finale on the Sunday afternoon, where winners from each class will compete against each other for the crown of ‘2011 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power Waterborne Champion’. If that accolade wasn’t enough, we will also be presenting the winner with a fabulous Breitling Superocean watch, worth more than £2,170.”
Breitling has served as a founder sponsor of the Pageant since the first event took place in 2008. The Swiss luxury watchmaker will also be providing prizes for champions from the Faster Car (both modern and classic), Regularity Bike and Tri-Services Helicopter Agility classes at this year’s event.
Powerboat racing at the 2011 Cholmondeley Pageant of Power is regulated by the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), whose patron is HRH the Princess Royal.
The Pageant is located in the Cholmondeley Estate in Cheshire, and was created to celebrate power and performance in its many forms. Winning the Best Tourist Event in Cheshire, and drawing in more than 50,000 visitors in 2010, the Pageant of Power has fast gained a reputation that makes early booking essential. Ticket booking details and further event information can be found at cpop.co.uk.
