Round Five -   Lydd (Kent) 1st August 1998

Practise:- The main event was Simons new craft, which was still being assembled at home on the Saturday morning of the event. Whilst staying with Simon during the week I helped Simon and his Father Keith to build the craft which is made out of foam sheet bent to shape and then glassed over. The running gear and engine was transferred from the Osprey F25. Although the craft is 18 inches wider and I guess about 2 feet longer it weighs about a third less than the Osprey. Because of a bigger footprint the load capacity and speed have increased. In the narrower sections of the course it was difficult to overtake.

Simon Kearles usual Eagle Yamaha shredded a drive belt and a replacement was not available. Mr and Mrs Sedzikowski very kindly let Simon use their virtually new Cyclone Primo in the Junior races.

Race 1:- This race, with it being the first of the meeting, I didn't    really know how the craft would fair up with the weather and course. Although I have been here before I haven't raced here properly because of engine problems and such like. So I was still learning the course. The first corner off the false grid, where I was in the outside slot, was a hairpin bend onto the course and was a crucial one if I was not to be trapped behind other craft in the narrow second land section and was to be close enough to Luke to overtake if he made a mistake. What I did was when the lights went green I would hesitate and then go, and I would go right up the inside of all the other front row craft which were drifting out wide rather than keeping it tight to the catch netting on the inside of the bend (this tactic was recognised by the commentator and was talked about during the race). I filed in second behind Luke and we left the rest of the field.

Simon Oakley was really happy with his new craft and assured his parents that the new hull had sped him up to the point where on half throttle he was going as quick as he was on full throttle in his old craft. Simon Kearle was a secure fourth place and Mark Coles was third and would have retained this position but he fell out of the craft at the transition to the start and finish land section and injured himself. After a checkup at the local hospital he was back racing!!    

Race 2 :- Luke went away first, I followed second and Simon Kearle third, in fact for the first three races the positions were as above, Mark Coles was nursing a painful wrist and was taking it easy and finished 8th in this race, Vicky Oakley didn't compete in this race.

Luke and I had a habit of catching the other craft up to lap them in the tightest spots around the course, I personally had a few very close shaves but didn't come into contact with any of the other craft.

Race 3 :- This race was fairly straight forward also, but the wind had changed direction so my cutting out problems were less noticeable. So I started catching Luke up especially on the transition from water to land at the tricky start/finish section, my Eagle has very good lift with the splitter plate up so where he eased off to avoid floor damage I held it on full power and flew.  I began to put pressure on him because he looked over his shoulder at this point and found me right up behind him. The following race, the pressure seemed to get the better of him......

Race 4 :. For most of this race I was chasing Luke and pressuring him as best I could, as he has a faster craft. Half way round the second lap he ploughed in on entry to the water and it gave me a chance to close the gap. He has got a lot more power and we were side by side when he got going from his plough in and he pulled away from me, but I managed to retain quite a close gap.

Behind us on his second lap "Junior" in Sir Harry Smiths craft "ploughed in" and spun right on the edge of the transition and was bounced out of the craft right in front of Ashford North who just missed him (quick reactions and some luck). Shortly after, when he was trying to restart, Luke also ploughed in at the same place and half spun and clouted Juniors craft. Junior was taken to hospital for a checkover. (I don't know whether the first or second shunt did the damage)

In the middle of this coming together I arrived at the corner but under the yellow flag was not at full pelt, even so with two craft sitting on the apex of the racing line it was interesting.

Luke beached his craft to fix the rudder and at the next transition retired, which left me a clear run to my only win of the weekend. With my string of second places had I slowed and let others unlap themselves from Luke I could have won the weekend, but the final result was Luke third in this race which made him first overall for the weekend which is probably right given his three wins.

Results overall for the weekend:

1st Luke Sedzikowski - Python Kawasaki
2nd Edward Hurn - Eagle Yamaha
3rd Simon Kearle - Cyclone Primo Rotax 253
4th Ashford North - Osprey Kohler
5th Mark Coles - Self Yamaha
Equal
6th Vicky Oakley - Cyclone Primo Rotax 253
6th Simon Oakley - Self Kohler
8th Sir Harry Smiths - Python Yamaha

The transition from the lake to the start/finish was quite rough and required good lift and determination to hang on as the craft flew, sometimes much higher than this !

Simon Oakley's Dad just finished making the new craft in time for the first race, so Simon started in a craft that had never flown before and on a course he had not practised on!!

This is "Junior" getting a bit out of shape. Mark Coles got tipped out of his craft and was taken to hospital. But was back on the grid for the next race with strapped up wrist.

Simon Kearle used John and Sally Sedzikowski's Cyclone Primo and had a great time not having to jump around in the cockpit of the Eagle as the smaller lighter Cyclone suited his 120 lbs

" The picture shows Luke Sedzikowski getting clear from the crash by going back onto the water to turn and beach the craft to repair the rudder. The race marshall holds the yellow flag as a warning to approaching craft from her left.

Luke nurses his craft back to land by counter balancing the damaged segments clear of the water.

By pushing on to the chequered flag I didn't give the rest of the field chance to unlap themselves from Luke which meant that he got third position even though he retired  out on the course.