Wales 1998

Round Seven - Pen Y Fan - South Wales

12th September 1998

I had mixed feelings going into the last race of the season - on an up with the craft finishing Tattershall going faster than ever before and the prospect of a head to head with Luke on a water course which favours the Eagle over Luke's Python particularly if it is windy. On a down as it was my last race as a "Junior".

Practice

The course layout was largely as previous years except for a false grid (starting grid not on the main track) which made the interval between races much slicker. The land section was technically smaller as much of it was under water from the recent torrential rain!! The marshals told me to choose the place to break down as they were not going to paddle through the grass sections which were under water! Conditions perfect for the Eagle as it was windy and wet.

Racing

The head to head with Luke didn't happen for various reasons - probably as well as race director Barry Oakley said he would be watching Luke and I following Tattershall. The championship had already been wrapped up by Luke but things were tight between Mark Coles, Simon Kearle from the Bridgwater team and myself. I needed to stay ahead of both of them during the weekend to be on the podium for the year - so tactics rather than flat out speed was required.

Luke was in his parents Cyclone Rotax for the first day as as his parents had grabbed his (faster) machine for some fun. As it happened his usual craft had problems and missed the first start, so Luke's luck held again in choosing the Cyclone.

With my machine really on song, in both of the first days races I was able to clear off and then be able to pace the race from the front keeping ahead of Mark Coles who was pushing as hard as he could. Simon Kearle had a hard battle with Luke during the day, disputing the 3rd place. In the second of the first days races Simon got tangled up with Michaela Kendall who crossed his bows on the land transition.

On the all important second, and final day of the weekend and season, the fickle finger of fate started pointing at Simon Kearle and I. Very much how the season has been all year. At a routine check of the craft before practice the accelerator cable was found to have parted except for 2 strands!! Changing the cable meant that I only just made the practice session. After the practice Dad found that the bottom radiator hose was chafing and canvass inside the hose was showing!

The first race was fairly uneventful with me making a a third win for the weekend, Mark second, Luke third and Simon K fourth. The exception was that on the way to the starting grid the mounting bracket for the air cleaner sheared. Dad had to run around getting cable ties to strap up the box to the fan guard, fortunately the race was on a two minute hold (to clear a craft off the course) so we had seconds longer for the repair.

After the race Simon used his craft during the "fun" time and it seized a crank bearing. So his craft was out of the hunt for the last race. His Team leader Ewan Black discussing some points regarding engine frames with a spectator after the race during the paddock open period pointed to my craft and spotted that the engine frame was completely broken on one side and halfway through on the other. BIG efforts by "Ewers" (Mr Black), Ian Tomlinson and guys from Bradfield College got the engine frame temporarily repaired with minutes to go before the final race. As a precaution we tied rope through the engine frame to keep it in place if it failed again. This coupled with the cable tied air cleaner made my craft really look like an end of season racer!!

With a BIG question mark over the reliability of 1127 for the last race and it being vital for me to finish at least four laps to qualify for any points to keep level with Mark Coles for the year, the invite from Luke (now back in his usual craft) for a "burn up" had to go on hold and rigid race discipline take over to save the engine frame as best I could. In the end Mr Black's and Mr Tomlinson's welding held and I was able to tip toe home in second to win the weekend and second overall for the year.

At prize giving we all gave Luke a thorough dunking in the Pond as tradition dictated for the Junior Championship winner!

OK - the picture below is me and 1127 (a.k.a. the "Beast") heading off into the sunset no longer a "Junior" the only one moving up this year. Still - I can start chasing last years "Junior drop ups" Stephen Scotney and "Slap" next season in F3 (see last year's reports)....Now, how can I "con" Dad into a new lightweight hull ?! ("no chance - concentrate on your exams" says Dad)

In my three years of Junior racing I have had lots of laughs, surprises, disappointments, huge arguments with my Dad, and made many friends (including my Dad!) When we first saw hovercraft on a camping trip when I was 11 I knew I wanted to race them, in my mind I was zipping along with them through Bedsteads Corner. Would I have thought the same if I had seen them on Skegness beach as F25 cruisers ?.......no.

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Race report and pictures ã Edward Hurn 1998

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Luke in his parents Cyclone Primo battles hard with Simon Kearle of the Bridgwater Youth Service Team for vital third places in the first days racing.

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