Awesome or You’ll Need Your Rough Weather Gear

The word awesome is thrown around too often, misused in mundane moments:
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
“Yes please, that’d be awesome.”
Or: “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
“OK, awesome.”
Sorry, but no—a UK offshore powerboat race in rough conditions? That’s awesome.

By Lee Roper for Attitude Media

Race Day at Poole

I arrived at Poole Town Quay Marina at 10:30 a.m. on race day, greeted by the buzz of crews making last, minute checks. The air hummed with the scent of fuel and anticipation. Race Control had just announced the rough weather course due to choppy seas, a decision that promised a wild ride.

I’d booked a spot on Tim Coe and Terri Spencer’s Attitude Media RIB, a striking red-black Technohull that’s a social media star in its own right.

As UKOPRA’s official media boat, it guaranteed a front, row seat to the action. Tim reminded me to board by noon for the procession through Poole Harbour to the muster area. With time to spare, I set out to meet the teams.

The Characters

First up was Mango Crazy, crewed by Peter Hall and Terry Parsons from the Isle of Wight. These “boys”—retired men with a passion for racing—piloted a 1980s Hunton Gazelle, once Lady Arran’s Hell’s Angels. Peter hinted this might be their last race in Mango Crazy, not because he’s retiring at 72, but because a bigger boat with an even richer history awaits. “Watch this space,” he teased.

Next, I met Steven Tennant and Lesley Horner of Blast from the Past, wrestling with the back-to-front trim tab controls on their silver, riveted Enfield 26. Hailing from Yorkshire, they travel south for every race, despite keeping a leisure boat on the coast. Why live in Yorkshire? “It’s God’s own country,” they grinned.

Black Ball Racing, a Class 1 Lite entry, looked sharp with Rod Hawkins at the helm of their orange Formula hull, exuding confidence. Meanwhile, Double Trouble—winners of last month’s Round, the, Island Race—were led by Gary Aldington and Tom Gardner. Their Fountain hull, formerly Drew Langdon’s Silverline, had been rebuilt after a near, sinking last season. Gary, pausing mid, bite of a sausage bap for a photo, shared their tale of resilience.

Finally, I spotted Piston’ Broke, a Class 1 Lite boat with Ilmor engines that roared to life. Under new ownership, Christian Parsons-Young and James Norvill were ready to challenge Black Ball Racing.

The Rough Seas Begin

Terry Parsons’ warning, “You’ll need your rough weather gear”, proved spot, on. As Attitude Media left Poole Harbour, spray from crashing waves drenched us, despite the shining sun. The five, lap course hugged the coastline for spectator visibility, stretching towards Hengistbury Head before turning offshore into a punishing south, westerly wind.

Bad luck struck early for the Swedish Class 1 catamaran Sture Gold Vodka, side-lined by a gearbox solenoid failure—a lingering issue from a last-minute repair. The rest of the fleet powered on to the rolling start off Bournemouth Pier.

The Race Unfolds

Dean Stoneman’s Fountain Falcon-Multispark surged ahead, its engines thundering past us. Close behind was the late entrant, an Outerlimits, Good Boy Vodka, crewed by Rob Lockyer and Tim Linden. Double Trouble started slower, prompting Tim to smile and say, “Gary’s playing the long game. This is a marathon, not a sprint.”

The “big three” in Class 1, Falcon-Multispark, Good Boy Vodka, and Double Trouble, delivered a thrilling spectacle, trading positions in neck, and, neck battles.

In Class 1 Lite, Black Ball Racing and Piston Broke duelled fiercely, with the classic Don Shead, designed Uno Embassy, its 1970s F1, style air intake unmistakable, hot on their heels.

Mid, race, Piston’ Broke retired—rumours of seasickness swirled—leaving Black Ball Racing to claim Class 1 Lite. Falcon-Multispark suffered an electrical failure, limping back after a battery jumper fix but retiring due to further damage from the brutal seas.

Good Boy Vodka slowed in the final laps, allowing Double Trouble to take the lead and secure their second win of the season. Uno Embassy took third in Class 1, despite penalties for allegedly missing turn marks.

The Underdogs Shine

Class 3E’s Oblivion, powered by twin 200, HP Mercury outboards, surprised everyone by keeping pace with the Class 1 leaders on their shorter lap. Marcus Dodd and Sean Girdler battled fogged windscreens and seasickness but finished strong. Sean later confessed to feeling queasy but kept it from Marcus—your secret’s safe, Sean!

Oblivion took the win, with Mango Crazy and Blast from the Past taking second and third in Class 3E.

Surviving the Seas

Some teams played it safe to preserve their boats for the season. Josh Warmington, Brown’s Ocke, Mannerfelt V24 retired after a canopy clip broke, opting for damage control.

Falcon-Multispark wasn’t so lucky—Harry Thomas recounted hitting “the biggest wave of the lot,” which shifted an engine and broke a drive belt idler. The sole Class 2 entry, True Blue, a Sunseeker helmed by Graham Petrie, limped back with a tow.

Champagne and Stories

At the prize, giving, Gary Aldington of Double Trouble, drenched in champagne, explained how he outmanoeuvred Good Boy Vodka by pacing himself for the final offshore leg.

Lesley Horner of Blast from the Past, still soaked, laughed, “Why am I so wet when we spent so much time in the air?” It’s the landings Lesley.

Every crew shared tales of the gruelling conditions, but their grins told the real story—they loved every second. The boats will be repaired, the teams refreshed, for the Solent 80 on 12 July.

Rough weather gear was a must, but this race was truly AWESOME.