Coniston Power Boat Records Week #48 Oct 29 – Nov 2
Coniston Power Boat Records Week #48 Oct 29 – Nov 2
Blog by Harry Johnson - Marketing Coordinator LDNP
Records Week here on Coniston Water is the only Powerboat racing competition to bring together all classes of the boat including jet skis, hydroplanes, through to inshore circuit racers to the largest offshore boat.
It's been over 100 years since powerboats started to record times on English lakes including Windermere, Ullswater and Coniston Water. Drivers include Donald Campbell, Henry Segrave and Sir Malcolm Campbell.
In 2005 the first Records Week was held on Coniston Water in conjunction with Coniston Boating Centre on a newly surveyed kilometre course. This was mainly due to new speed limits being set on Windermere.
This year was especially exciting, seeing over twenty different entry classes from over forty drivers.
We caught up with television presenter and motor specialist Edd China (@TheEddChina) for a few words on this year's event.
Personally, this was my first time at Records Week, after it being described as ‘Top Gear for boats’, it certainly didn’t disappoint! When I arrived at Coniston Boating Centre, the smell of petrol was in the air, men and woman were tinkering with engines, drivers were zooming around on Jet Skis and the first record attempts were underway.
I was tasked with taking out a safety boat close to the one-kilometre course, observing and taking photos. Speeds were already being recorded of over one hundred miles per hour. Due to the nature of the boats being so highly tuned it was not uncommon for the boats to temporarily breakdown and need a quick on the spot repair before they could attempt to set a new speed record.
Whilst trying to avoid the one-kilometre course, there were other boats and services still running on the lake including the National Trust’s much-loved Gondola.
Other additions to the lake included the usual Kayaks, trying to avoid the Power Boat runs. Whilst boat hire was temporarily suspended whilst the racers were driving, business as usual continued over lunch. Although the majority of boat hire has now stopped over Winter, motor boats are still currently available for hire.
I was lucky enough to speak to Coniston Boating Centre Manager Simon Hill to discuss Records Week and it’s future here at CBC. Simon enjoys hosting the event here at Coniston and looks forward to future events here at the boating centre.
Boat storage at Coniston Boating Centre is now underway over the colder months, there are currently a few spaces left so be quick..
Records Week at Coniston Boating Centre is on until Friday, November 2. I would strongly recommend heading over and catching this exciting event take place.
