Released by Powerboat P1 on 24 April 2012:
Eastbourne Extreme, the south coast’s biggest free sports festival, featuring a huge line up of air, land and water based outdoor pursuits was launched on Tuesday at Sovereign Harbour by the Mayor of Eastbourne, Councillor Carolyn Heaps.
By inviting Powerboat P1’s national championships, SuperStock UK and P1 AquaX, the festival organisers are bringing top level motorsport into Eastbourne as they significantly strengthen the watersports element of the Extreme weekend on 14/15 July, with Eastbourne’s first ever Grand Prix of the Sea.
SuperStock UK features around 16 powerboats across the two race classes, P1 250 and P1 150, whilst its supporting jet sport series for sit-down personal water craft, AquaX, is expected to feature local skiers among its 20+ starting grid.
“Eastbourne Extreme is all about intense action and creating a visual impact, and by bringing Britain’s best known powerboat and jet ski championships to the festival we are definitely turning up the heat”, commented Councillor Heaps. “Eastbourne has strong links with the ocean and I’m delighted we now have our own Grand Prix of the Sea.”
The new racing spectacular will join an extreme line up that includes an action packed weekend of windsurfing, sailing, inline skating, land yachting, Zero Gravity biking, free running, skateboarding, street hockey and a brand new roller derby.
Heading the starting line-up for Powerboat P1 will be reigning, and inaugural, P1 250 Champions John Wilson and Neil Scarborough in their Pertemps-backed Panther 28SS. Determined to win their third title in as many seasons, having won the P1 150 Class in 2010, the duo faces a stern test with at least eight other P1 250 crews bidding to topple them.
Typhoo Racing pairing Andy Wilby and Johnny Allbut will undoubtedly be a major threat as will 2011 rookie sensations, Simon Bayles and Philippa Baker in their SGB Racing boat.
Other notable confirmed entries for Plymouth include newcomer Nick Williams, son of former Formula One powerboat champion Tony, and his navigator Aaron Emmett in the IFX Racing boat.
Mike Lovell and Luke Elkin will race the P&M Brookspeed craft, rally driver Simon Wing teams-up with experienced P1 SuperStock competitor Ian Brusby and the crews of James Norvill/Jon Collingbourne and Paul Smith/Alan Thistlethwaite complete P1 250.
In the ever-competitive P1 150 Class last year’s champions Team Purple, husband and wife duo Stuart and Sara Cureton, will be back to try and make it two championship victories on the trot and will be up against at least five other boats in Plymouth.
Perhaps the most interesting entry in P1 150 comes from the charity Mission Motorsport, with a crew of former service personnel recovering from the effects of battle. The team is currently undergoing intensive training to be ready for Plymouth and its race crew will be announced shortly.
‘Rocket’ Ron Heads the AquaX Charge
Local racer Ron Burgoyne from Eastbourne plus Mat Shipley (Seaford) and newcomer Rob Sired (Littlehampton) are hoping to shine at their home race in front of a large enthusiastic crowd. All three reigning champions will be back to do battle in P1 AquaX 2012 with AM 300 Class jet-ski rider Dave Huddleston and AM 200 competitor Duncan Johnstone returning to challenge Elite 300 champion Russell Marmon.
The championships start at the Plymouth Grand Prix of the Sea on 19/20 May, P1 SuperStock and AquaX will visit Hull in East Yorkshire on 16/17 June before the championships returns to the south coast for round three in Eastbourne over the weekend 14/15 July. The annual visit to Cowes on the Isle of Wight follows on 25/26 August, with the season finale now confirmed for Southampton on the opening weekend of the Southampton Boat Show on 15/16 September.
Eastbourne Extreme returns on 14/15 July for more information visit the Eastbourne Extreme website.
