The Littlehampton Grand Prix in the 2008 Zapcat National Championship proved just why Zapcat Racing is the largest and fastest-growing one design powerboat series in the world. Competition was fierce, conditions challenging and the outcomes of the races totally unpredictable as a series of different faces made it onto the podium at the end of each day’s racing. It shook up the championship tables and leaves the season wide open with just four rounds left to play out – two at Bournemouth and two in the pounding surf of Watergate Bay in Cornwall.

Saturday’s racing threw the (Zap)cat among the pigeons as 2008 National Championship leaders finished off the podium for the first time this season. The writing may have been on the wall from the outset when Mick Pritchard and Baz Minns caught an awkward wave rounding a mark at the back of the course during practice and flipped 01 Pegasus Vortex Racing.

For the racers competing at the Littlehampton Grand Prix this weekend the conditions were heavy going – the toughest part getting off the beach through the dumping waves, according to 40 Scaredy Cat’s co-pilot Sandra Sidney.

Six laps around an M-shaped course saw plenty of flips and weary racers by the end of the day. The action was all adding up to a successful outcome for Gloucestershire accountants Justin Whithorn and Chris Baldwin in 49 Randall & Payne – until a disastrous flip in the Division 1 final left them counting the cost. And while it might not have been Baz and Mick’s day either, Bligh Julius and Simon Butters certainly fulfilled their potential, winning the Division 1 final in 03 Commandos Predator and closing the gap at the top of the National Championship standings to 75 points going into Round 10 and day two of the Littlehampton Grand Prix. 02 Vortex Racing’s Craig Davis and Arron Joyce took second place in Division 1, and were joined on the podium by Patrick Moger, this season competing with his son George, in 12 Crest of a Wave.

Division 2 saw some excellent competition on Saturday, with 77 The Exe Jets making an impressive return to the National Championship. A first place in their first heat signalled their intention before engine trouble struck and they missed their next race. They sorted out their gremlins and were back in top form for their third race. Sadly for Rob Wickham and his co-pilot Chris Gowing there was to be no podium appearance on Saturday, but they will have given their Div 2 competition something to think about – particularly as their great form continued into Sunday.

66 BS Marinesport/Shockdoctor’s Neil Bainbridge had another successful day to follow up his first place finish in Round 8 at Cromer. Round 9 saw him finish third with his replacement co-pilot Stuart Turvey. Father and son pairing Steve and Robert Pidsley in 44 Blue Sheets 2 earned a deserved second place while Division 2 honours on Saturday went to one of the six Royal Marines-sponsored teams competing in the 2008 Zapcat National Championship, 42 Go Commando, piloted by Ryan Allingham with co-pilot Andrew Harriman.

And while first places in Division 1 and 2 on Saturday may have been a success for the Commando teams, despite 36 Go Commando (RMR Bristol)’s boat popping, forcing them to share a boat with 41 Commando Spirit, Round 10 on Sunday proved something of a test for the Marines. With Boat 36’s hull a write off, they were boat-sharing again with two of their teams – until two of their engines were also damaged, forcing them out of the rest of the competition.

Strong south westerly winds kicked up a big chop on Sunday and the teams found it a challenge to keep their Zapcats level on the way round the T-shaped course. Not bad training for the King of the Surf competition at Watergate Bay to round off the season on 19 and 20 September – but not quite what they had in mind for an August weekend on the south coast!

In Division 2 77 The Exe Jets, 66 BS Marinesport/Shockdoctor and 10 SeaVation from Aberdeen put in some great performances, while Saturday’s results showed the Division 1 racers that this season’s National Championship is not yet a done deal and 01 Pegasus Vortex Racing can still be beaten. Stablemates 02 Vortex Racing, Craig Davis and Arron Joyce, who took second place in Round 9, did just that in heat 14 when they beat them to the chequered flag.

 By the time the finals came round it was all about getting a good start and keeping the boat level and the right way up. That’s precisely what Rob and Chris in 77 The Exe Jets did, taking the chequered flag first to round off a thunderingly good weekend in their rookie season. Another great result for Neil and Stuart in 66 BS Marinesport/Shockdoctor who bettered their Saturday result by taking second place. Third in Division 2 went to 10 SeaVation, piloted by the consistently performing rookies Dan Smith and Nathan Parker.

There was a lot at stake in Division 1 – and another chance for the rest of the field to close the gap on the leaders. Drama in the first lap when an altercation between boats 98 and 88 resulted in a flip for 88 Team Bladerun. 98 Team Suffolk were judged to be not at fault and allowed to continue racing in the four-lap restart. Bligh and Butters in 03 Commandos Predator seized the initiative from the start and maintained their slender lead over Mick and Baz who pushed them all the way to the line in a knife-edge final. 02 Vortex Racing were never far behind. The result means the 100 point gap at the start of the weekend between first and second places in the 2008 Zapcat National Championship has closed to 65, with just 55 points between second and third, so there is still everything to play for. A deserved overall Grand Prix victory as well for Bligh Julius and Simon Butters in 03 Commandos Predator.

2008 Zapcat National Championship standings after Round 10 (for full list visit www.zapcat-racing.com)

1              01 Pegasus Vortex Racing             915 points
2              03 Commandos Predator              850 points
3              02 Vortex Racing                              795 points
4              88 Team Bladerun                           675 points
5              98 Team Suffolk                               673 points