Drew Langdon and Miles Jennings won the 2019 Cowes Torquay Cowes on Sunday with an average speed of 92.87mph and in the process took the UKOPRA Offshore 1 World Championship.
Their nearest rivals in the Championship, Richard Carlton, Phil and Neil Payter – who were racing in a Chevrolet powered ‘Cigarette’ – had their hopes dashed when they lost oil pressure on one motor on the way back from Teignmouth. The crew persevered and decided to continue racing at a far reduced speed and crossed the finish line 12 minutes outside the time limit.
For the victors, it was their second successive Cowes win. Langdon, who had been on a strictly controlled training routine before the race, said afterwards:
“Our main problem was the fog banks at Portland, we were running alongside Tommy One at 110 MPH, when we both had to back right off. We would have taken the course record but for the bad visibility”.
The Italian team of Maurizio Schepici and Giampaolo Montavoci were pushing Silverline hard in their Seatek-powered Metamarine hull when they lost power and started to take on water. The boat was subsequently towed into Torquay by the RNLI. It hasn’t been an easy season for Schepici, however, he vowed to be back racing in Britain next year.
Andy, Dan and Matt Smith with Jack Weller steered their Buzzi RIB to second, while Christian Toll, Mike Bontoft and Michael Peet took a creditable third in the veteran Dry Martini hull.
The Belgium team of Jean-Piërre Neels, Thomas Vandamme and Marijke D’hondt posted their best every performance at Cowes – 4th.
David Foa and Charles Swales were 5th overall and won the Offshore 2 class, the West Country pairing have won all 3 UKOPRA races this season and wrapped up the UKOPRA Offshore 2 World Championship.
Stuart Cureton and Francis Whitley rounded off the finishers with an average speed of 46.47mph over the 179.50nm course.
Cowes Torquay Cowes 2019 – Results
1st – A47 Silverline Bullet – Drew Langdon & Miles Jennings (92.87mph)
2nd- A21 Pippa – Andy Smith, Dan Smith, Matt Smith & Jack Weller (74.04mph)
3rd – B9 Dry Martini – Christian Toll, Mike Bontoft & Michael Peet (67.87mph)
4th – B12 Birretta Due – Jean-Piërre Neels, Thomas Vandamme and Marijke D’hondt (57.46mph)
5th – E36 Mr Mako – David Foa & Charles Swales (56.99mph)
COWES WINS FOR 66 RACING, QUANTUM OF SOLACE & DB MARINE
The Cowes-Poole-Cowes race organised by the British Powerboat Racing Club signalled the final race of the 2019 UKOPRA season.
In the highly competitive Class 3 A/B, Malcolm Dopson and Andy Hiscox in 66 racing prevailed over Barry Culver and Stuart Unwin in a similar Phantom 19g hull. Dopson and his accomplished navigator Hiscox averaged 59.93mph over the 65.70nm course.
Multispark Race Product made it an all Phantom 19g podium with Dave Sheldon and Chris Bailey taking third.
66 Racing’s win added to their success in Guernsey and a third place in Poole gave them the 2019 UKOPRA Championship.
Kevin Burdock and John Donnelly took the win in Class 3N. They steered their former Powerboat P1 Panther to front ahead of Mark and Andy Childs’ Cougar.
Glynn Norvall was racing with the youngest competitor in the race, Charlotte Camsey. The duo who teamed-up after meeting at the Asia Powerboat Championship placed third.
Burdock and Donnelly’s win put enough points on the board to hand them the Championship in 3X.
The overall race winners and Class 3N victors were DB Marine with Brian Peedell and Andy Yeo in control. Peedell, who was also celebrating his 66th birthday, averaged a blistering 69.58mph in his Ocke Mannerfelt designed hull.
A second place for Motorvated Canvey, was good enough for the team to walk away with the 3N Championship.
The ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ crew of Paul Buckner, Kerry Bobin, Jason Briggs and Ricky Hill placed in front of another veteran team that were making their return to racing, Clive and Sue Baker in Shadow Warrior.
2019 Cowes Poole Cowes – Results
3N
1st N13 DB Marine Brian Peedell & Andy Yeo 69.58 MPH
2nd N1 Motivated Canvay Paul Buckner, Kerry Bobin, Ricky Hill & Jason Briggs 60.81 MPH
3rd N43 Shadow Warrior Clive Baker & Sue Baker 53.66
3X
1st X7 Quantum of Solace Kevin Burdock & John Donnelly 64.07 MPH
2nd X96 Fat Boy Mark Childs & Andrew Childs 63.97 MPH
3rd X46 E Marine Racing Glynn Norvall & Charlotte Camsey 59.47 MPH
Class 3 A/B
1st A66 66 Racing Malcolm Dopson & Andy Hiscox 59.93 MPH
2nd A26 Motivated Racing Barry Culver Stuart Unwin 58.06 MPH
3rd A22 Multispark Race Products Dave Sheldon & Chris Bailey 55.46 MPH
Report by John Moore
