Welsh Zapcat Team take double victory at home 

This weekend 28 Zapcat teams made the journey to Barry Island, Glamorgan for Rounds 9 & 10 of the RYA Zapcat National Championship despite the wet and windy conditions spectators turned out in force to catch the action.

With ever changing conditions racers were faced with constant swells and relentless wind. Local team Westgate Zapcat 28, Pilot Charles Morris and Co-pilot Ed Morris were looking to make the most in familiar waters to make up for a poor result at the last event in Plymouth.

Smart ABC, Zapcat 07, Pilot Dave Paget and Tony Cooper dominated the division 2 heats with Welsh pilot Charlie Brickle in Nine Lives, Zapcat 35 and Stepson Adam Bushrod piling on the pressure. Division one’s heats saw mixed results for all teams as they contended with the conditions and a quick beach start proved vital to take the heat win.

With Speedy Hire Zapcat 38, Daren Ford and Sam Hunka proving very quick off the line, and Zapcat 98 Team Suffolk and Zapcat 25, Rana Park giving championship leaders Blue Sheets Racing 1, Zapcat 03 a run for their money.

Going into the Division 2 final local boys, Westgate, Zapcat 28 secured their place in the final in a strong 3rd on pole and weren’t going to give up the fight with the chance of taking the gold medal on home waters. They got to a flying start and held their lead for the 5 lap race to take the glory. Following them into the silver medal spot was Father and Son duo, Who the Hell, Zapcat 44 Pilot Steve Pidsley and Co-pilot Bobby Pidsley. Smart ABC, Zapcat 07, Dave Paget and Tony Cooper completed the line up in third.

Pilot Charles Morris from Westgate could hardly contain his happiness at a home win “We’re gobsmacked it’s absolutely fantastic, we knew we were racing well today and when we realised we were out front and in with a chance of the gold medal, we put our heads down and opened the throttle.” He continued “We’ll be going for the double tomorrow as all our friends and family will be down to support us and hopefully we can retain Welsh glory. I’d like to thank Dave at West Point Marine without his help with the engine we’d never have won.”

Meanwhile in Division 1 Team Speedy Hire took pole going into the days final. Rana Park, Zapcat 25; Neil Fraser and Jeremy ‘Naz’ Nazarin were out with a point to prove after several missed opportunities this season to take the top spot from Blue Sheets racing 1 they were going to show the rest of the fleet that they could be beaten.

After a lightning quick start the fleet were off and as they approached the first turn mark Zapcat 25 had clean water with Speedy Hire and Blue Sheets racing battling it out for second and third.  Rana Park held their lead all the way round the 5 lap course and Speedy Hire and Blue Sheets Racing 1 hoped for a slip up and the opportunity to slip past them. On the fourth lap over zealous rubbing from Blue Sheets Racing on Speedy Hire saw the Championship leaders disqualified by officials leaving, Speedy Hire Zapcat 38, Daren Ford and Sam Hunka to take silver and Cat in the Hat, Zapcat 39 Jim Crooks and CJ Crooks to complete the line up in Bronze.

A well deserved win and long awaited glory for Rana Park left the duo grinning like school boys “Awesome, it’s been a long time and couldn’t have happened at a better venue.” Commented Pilot Neil Fraser “The conditions make for really interesting race and the facilities at the venue makes Barry Island perfect for Zapcat Racing, I can see this fast becoming a favourite venue for the racers.”

Sunday’s racing was met with sunshine as the racers lined up to take part in Round 10 of the RYA Zapcat National Championship in Barry Island. The weather had improved and conditions seemed calmer so officials introduced a tactical pit lap into the course to add another twist into the mix.

In division 2 Smart ABC, Zapcat 07 Dave Paget and Tony Cooper were off to a flying start, along with Nine Lives, Zapcat 35 Charlie Brickle and Adam Bushrod as they dominated the heats. Still celebrating their win from Saturdays racing local team Westgate Zapcat 28, Charles Morris and Ed Morris were still on a high and confident they could repeat the result at their home event.  

While in division 1 the pressure was once again being piled on Blue Sheets Racing 1, Zapcat 03’s Craig Davis and Rob Martin as the chasing boats aimed to once again keep the championship leaders from the medal positions.

As the days racing continued the wind picked up and the swells picked up making for fantastic racing conditions as the crowds turned out in force to catch all the action. Smart ABC, Zapcat 07 took pole going into the division 2 final and took an early lead. Welsh team Westgate, Zapcat 28 got an awesome start from the middle of the pack and the game was on. Smart ABC in clean water opted for an early pit lap to build their lead whilst Westgate decided to take the long course to give them a chance of clawing back some Smart ABC ‘s lead.

On the second lap Nine Lives, Zapcat 35 took their pit lap just falling back in behind Smart ABC when they rejoined the main racing line. Westgate, Zapcat 28 pitted on their next lap and slipped in between the 2 lead boats before a error from Dave Paget pilot of Smart ABC saw them miss a mark and have to re round to take it again leaving Westgate and Nine Lives the opportunity to slip past demoting them to 3rd. Smart ABC managed to claw back a position from Nine Lives to take them into second until they hit a mark just before the finishing straight and knocked it flat seeing them DQ’d. 

Westgate, Zapcat 28, Charles and Ed Morris took consecutive Gold medals on home waters. Nine Lives, Zapcat 35 Charlie Brickle and Adam Bushrod took silver securing a Welsh driver in 1st and 2nd and completing the line up were Scaredy Cat, Zapcat 40 Andy Birch and replacement co-pilot Jimmy in a well deserved third.

The division 1 final saw Blue Sheets Racing 1 Zapcat 03 back in pole position and after a disqualification the previous day they were out with something to prove. Marin Subsea/Delta Jets, Zapcat 09 Ashley Chappell and Chris Rex were in second on the start line and after a strong weekend’s racing in conditions in which they thrive they look set to capitalise from it.

Blue Sheets got a quick start and took the lead taking advantage of the clean water they opted for an early pit lap to pull away from the chasing pack. Marin Subsea followed hot on their wake, Daren Ford pilot of Speedy Hire, Zapcat 38 and co-pilot Sam Hunka took the long course to get out of the wake.  Blue Sheets Racing 1, Zapcat 03 Craig Davis and Rob Martin held their lead to take the Gold and Speedy Hire, Daren and Sam took their pit on the third lap and slotted in just in front of Marin Subsea/Delta Jets to take the silver medal, with Ashley and Chris in Zapcat 09 completing the podium in the bronze medal position.

The Barry Island Zapcat Grand Prix Winner Trophies went to Speedy Hire, Zapcat 38’s Daren Ford and Sam Hunka who had a fantastic weekend of racing. “it’s fantastic” commented pilot Daren “Sam’s the youngest in the fleet and it’s only his first year racing. We’ve been getting some good results but each event he just gets better. He’s really motivated and it really helps. We’re now only 5 points from second in the championship so we’ll be looking to improve again at the next event.”

After an absence from Wales for 5 years Zapcat Racing returned to a phenomenal reception from the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Barry Island’s spectators.

Local pilot Charles Morris spoke of winning two gold medals in front of home support. “It’s been an awesome weekend, everybody enjoys winning but taking two gold medals at your home event. It doesn’t get much better than that. Barry has given Zapcat Racing a fantastic welcome and everyone’s really enjoyed the event hopefully we’ll be back and I can go for the hat trick or even 4 gold at home.”