Champion's shock return!

Reigning champion Rupert Pugh (Mattlock Bath) has made a dramatic eleventh hour return to the P1 SuperStock Championship in a late bid to retain his 2010 title.

Pugh arrived in Jersey on Thursday to take over the Edox Swiss Watches boat with new navigator Anthony Crossley. The pair were out testing today on the 2.2-mile course in St Aubin's Bay and nearly collided with a local surfer who strayed on the race course.

"You don't usually find surfers on a powerboat racing course!" commented Pugh. "We immediately backed off and radioed through to race control who sent a safety boat to escort the surfer to shore. Apparently, we was unaware of what was happening as he wore headphones and was listening to music." 

Once the course was clear again Pugh was able to concentrate on learning the new P1 Panther 250 boat, which he will race in the opening round of the revitalised SuperStock Championship (Saturday).

"The Panther is great fun to drive but challenging to get the best out of it and punishes mistakes, so it going to be a really interesting race tomorrow but I feel Anthony and I are in really good shape", Pugh added.

Weather Forces Timetable Swap

Championship promoter Powerboat P1 and officials from the Royal Yacht Association issued a revised timetable on the eve of the Peters & May Jersey Grand Prix of the Sea in response to potential adverse weather conditions on Sunday.The main championship races for both P1 SuperStock powerboats and AquaX jet-skis will now be held on Saturday afternoon, whilst the one-on-one match races have been switched to Sunday.

The move safeguards the mass-start racing main event when championship points are up for grabs.