Heights of Abraham completed a clean sweep at the Galway Grand Prix of the Sea on Monday after another imperious display of offshore powerboat racing secured back-to-back titles for the Matlock-based team.
A combination of aggressive handling and punishing throttle power from Rupert Pugh as well as accurate positioning from Dan Whapples earned the 300 Class frontrunners a sixth successive race win of the season.
Leading from the front for the entire weekend, Messrs Pugh and Whapples displayed outstanding poise around the corners, which subsequently gave their rivals little chance of stealing the gold.
Heights of Abraham command a 25-point lead in the series after two rounds and Pugh is delighted with the team’s rich vein of form. He said: “It’s been an unbelievable start to the season. To win six-out-of-six races is fantastic and an excellent reward for a great team effort.”
Maurice Lacroix claimed the runners-up spot ahead of Evans Heritage Developments by virtue of its superior race-by-race results percentage. Michael and Stephen Baggs from Maurice Lacroix continue to be the best of the rest in the 300 Class but signs during the Galway event suggest that Rough Cut Racing and Shark are not too far behind this weekend’s top three whilst the Fuel Girls improve after every new lap.
Racing in front of crowds in excess of 90,000 as part of the eight-day Galway Powerboat Festival, Pugh was quick to pay tribute to the fantastic support for the nautical extravaganza. He said: “It’s been a fantastic advert for powerboating. All of the pilots have been really impressed by the huge spectator interest and we hope to be back at this wonderful centre of maritime excellence again next year.”
The 150 Class unfolded in a similar fashion with Premier Cru powering its way to consecutive Grand Prix of the Sea triumphs. Having brutally beaten its rivals into submission over the weekend, pilots John Wilson and Neil Scarborough suffered their first hiccup of the season when Eclipse pair Rose Lores and Sara Cureton upset the formbook by stealing first place in Monday’s penultimate race.
Undoubtedly Monday’s solitary loss was the most exciting race of the three-day bank holiday feast of marine motorsport and the enthralling sight of Premier Cru hunting down the ladies from their slipstream for the entire duration of race three will give the other contenders plenty to mull over until July’s next event in Pwllheli, Wales.
Neil Scarborough of Premier Cru hailed Lores’ drive as probably the ‘best of her life’ and lavished praise on Cureton’s coolness under pressure. He said: “The ladies were outstanding. It was a really frustrating race but they didn’t make one mistake.
“We’ve had a fantastic Grand Prix. It’s testament to the team’s ambition that we were fairly disappointed to finish second in race three but that’s the standard we are setting for ourselves.”
The pace of Eclipse the performance of debutants Flying Sparks and Octane were unquestionable highlights of the successful maritime festival that saw Powerboat P1 establish an tremendous footing in Ireland at the conclusion of its first-ever visit to the Emerald Isle.   

Monday 150 Class Results:
1.    Eclipse
2. Premier Cru
3.    Team Fox
4.    Flying Sparks
5. Octane
6. GSS Mermaid
Monday 300 Class Race Results
1.   Heights of Abraham
2.    Maurice Lacroix
3. Evans Heritage Developments
4.  Rough Cut Racing
5.    Fuel Girls
Team Shark (DNS)

Galway Grand Prix of the Sea Overall Results
150 Class
1.    Premier Cru
2.    Eclipse
3.  Team Fox
4.    Flying Sparks
5.  GSS Mermaid
6.  Octane

300 Class
1.       Heights of Abraham
2.      Maurice Lacroix
3.  Evans Heritage Developments
4.  Rough Cut Racing
5.      Fuel Girls
6.  Team Shark 

Here is the tracker link to follow the Around Ireland Powerboat Challenge. Click here. The boats are now in Killybegs after the first leg of the five day voyage from Galway.

The green flag went up at 0900 on a grey bank holiday Monday for 5 of the 6 entries in the Around Ireland Powerboat Race.

The local team Kilcullen Galway Flyer driven by Tom Montgomery Swan and navigated by Enda O’Coineen powered off the start line at around 80 knots whilst the other boats revved up to around 50 knots.

Unfortunately Team Dreamer driven by Kerryman Philip Fitzgibbon did not make it to the start of the Race in Galway due to technical difficulties but hope to be on the start line in Killybegs tomorrow morning (Tuesday 08 June 2010).Commenting at the start of the race,

Denis Dillon, Powerboat Development Officer, Irish Sailing Association stated that ‘There is a huge history of powerboating in Ireland in fact the first ever International powerboat Championship for the Harmsworth Trophy was held in Cork in 1903.

Around Ireland Powerboat Race 2010 is in its inaugural year and organisers are hoping that it will become a permanent fixture on the international circuit and will grow to a major sporting event.’The race will circumnavigate the entire coast of Ireland and will be the toughest endurance powerboat race on the International circuit. The 5 days of racing will be a true test of man and machine and there will be 5 stages with events at each of the stopovers:

Galway to Killybegs (07 June)Killybegs to Belfast (08 June) Belfast to Waterford (09-10 June)Waterford to Fenit (11 June) Fenit Sea Breeze Festival will run Friday 11- Sunday 13 JuneFenit to Galway (12 June) The fleet is expected back in Galway on Saturday 12 June meanwhile the festival which saw crowds of over 90,000 flock to Galway over the weekend will continue daily from 1000 to 1030 daily. 

For the finale on 12 June, prepare to be amazed and in awe at the P750 Cross Border Powerboat Championship and make sure you are at the dock to welcome back the winner of the Around Ireland Powerboat Challenge on Saturday 12 June. (1400 approximately)

AROUND IRELAND ENTRANTS         

Cinzano Bianco

Driver: Markus Hendicks Crew: Tim Grimshaw and Eric Smilie 

Engines: 850 X 2   ·        

Kilcullen Galway Flyer 

Driver: Tom Montgomery-Swan Navigator: Enda OCoineen
Hull Fabio Buzzi Rib
CC 6000
Length 11.00
Engines Mercury 300x Pro Max x2   ·        

Seawolf – Team Pulsar Racing

 Driver: Justin McInerneyCo Pilot: Andrew Varley
Hull Humber Quinquari Rib
Length 10.00
Engines Twin Suzuki SDF300 Engines  ·        

Dreamer

Driver: Philip Fitzgibbon

Co-Pilot: James ThompsonTwin Suzuki SDF300 

Excalibur Rib ·        

Wolf Team Pulsar Racing

Driver: Derek StanleyCo-Pilot: Paul Lewis 
Hull Humber Quinquari Rib
Length 8.50
Engines Twin Suzuki DF200 Engines ·        

Zoolander Blue Steel Racing

Owner Driver: Oisin Ryan

Co-Driver: John RyanCo-Driver/

Navigator: Gareth Tolan

Length 8.00
Engines Twin Honda 255 with Zodiac

The first Round Ireland Offshore Powerboat Race was scheduled to depart Galway City today at 9am. It is far from the much hoped for fleet of 50 boats but the six competitors will nevertheless jet off on a five day-long adventure around the country, making stops in Killybegs, Bangor, Waterford and Fenit, before returning to Galway's finish line on Saturday 12th June. The forecast for the first leg is for southeast winds of force 4 to 5, becoming cyclonic variable force 2 to 4 this evening. There will be occasional rain with drizzle and mist. Met Eirean say visibility is moderate to poor The organisers have set up a tracker to keep up to date with the position of the boats during the race but by 10am it showed the boats were still in Galway harbour. The leaderboard showed the following: Cinzano Bianco, Kilcullen Galway Flyer, Seawolf - Team Pulsar Racing, Dreamer, Zoolander - Blue Steel Racing, Wolf - Team Pulsar Racing. Click here.

Heights of Abraham has one hand on the overall Galway Grand Prix of the Sea trophy after another ruthless performance on Sunday tightened the Matlock team’s grip on the Powerboat P1 SuperStock Championship 300 Class prize in Ireland.
The imperious pair of Rupert Pugh and Dan Whapples dished out another lesson in offshore powerboat racing after the dynamic duo romped home by over ten seconds in Salthill.
Leading from the front, Messrs Pugh and Whapples gave their rivals little chance of stealing the gold with some outstanding cornering in testing conditions.
Now looking very difficult to beat after its fifth successive win of the season, HeightsofAbraham pilot Pugh is confident of completing another clean sweep in Galway this weekend. He said: “It’s been an unbelievable couple of races. Our reliability has been a key ingredient of our success so far this season and if we can hold it together in some tricky conditions forecast for Monday then I’m sure we’ll finish the job off.”
Galway was painted in glorious golden sunshine in the afternoon and although the slight choppiness on the water coming off the stunning Salthill shoreline made it far from a comfortable day’s work, Pugh was quick to pay tribute to the fantastic support, which saw numbers reach a monumental 90,000 between the Galway Harbour and Salthill race villages over the weekend. He said: “It’s been a fantastic weekend for the sport. All of the pilots have noticed the huge interest from the spectators and we are all looking forward to completing a great Grand Prix of the Sea and hopefully coming back again next year.”
Once again continuing yesterday’s formbook, Premier Cru stole the headlines in the 150 Class. Powering home by a considerable margin, John Wilson and Neil Scarborough found an extra-gear to keep up their unbeaten record in the 21 ft discipline this year.
Taking the checkered flag ahead of Eclipse and Team Fox, Premier Cru pilot John Wilson pinpointed the “immense” navigation of Neil Scarborough as the chief reason for Sunday’s race victory. He said: “Neil is a fantastic navigator. He allows me to focus purely on what’s in front of me. We have a massive amount of respect for each other and our experience in the boat together is reaping great rewards this year.
“We were in the mid-52’s (mph) for the entire 10-laps and Flying Sparks were hitting 53 mph so the competition is starting to hot up. 
“In smooth conditions on Saturday the lighter power-to-weight ratio suited the girls in Eclipse but today the rougher conditions were perfect for us.
ENDS

HeightsofAbraham were the toast of Galway on Saturday evening after the 300 Class speedsters conquered Salthill to score a fourth successive SuperStock Championship win of the season.

Matlock’s finest, Rupert Pugh, and Warsash wizard, Dan Whapples, bolstered their chances of claiming back-to-back Grand Prix of the Sea trophies with yet another flawless performance on the water.

The team’s unrivalled speed and poise around the turns now makes them favourites to secure a record-breaking weekend. After standing head and shoulders above runners-up Evans Heritage Developments and Rough Cut Racing on the podium, navigator Whapples was confident of even more glory on Sunday. He said:  “We’re really pleased with the win today. Galway is an outstanding venue and it was fantastic to race in front of large crowds and interact with the spectators afterwards.

“Today’s victory was down to a fantastic combination of having a great boat setup and getting a quick understanding of the conditions. We’ve prepared really well in training and it’s now showing.”

Having had more time getting used to this season’s new Mercury 300 XS Engines, Whapples believes the competition will get feistier after every race. “Evans Heritage Developments were a lot stronger with Rhys Evans at the wheel today. There is some great potential in the whole fleet and just observing how close Rough Cut Racing and Team Shark were battling it out towards the end shows that once everyone finds their rhythm, it’s going to be almighty close.”

Saturday 05 June Day 1 P1 Superstock Grand Prix of Galway

The P1 Superstock Championship will see some of the UK's biggest thrill seekers tackling the challenging elements of the Atlantic Ocean. Consisting of two race classes, 150 and 300, 14 P1 powerboats will entertain locals, tourists and motor sport fans alike, as they enter into high-stakes speed racing on Galway Bay. Each boat has exactly the same manufactured hull and identical engines, which means that the onus is placed firmly on the skills and nerve of the driver and navigator. Live commentary in Salthill.

1030: Practice Race

1330 and 1415: Race Start 150 Class

1430 and 1515: Race Start 300 Class

1700: Podium prizegiving in the Race Village

Sunday 06 June Day 2 P1 Superstock Grand Prix of Galway

Live commentary in Salthill

1030: Practice Race

1330 and 1415: Race Start 150 Class

1430 and 1515: Race Start 300 Class

1700: Podium prizegiving in the Race Village

Monday 07 June Start of the Around Ireland Powerboat Race and Day 3 P1 Superstock Grand Prix of Galway

The Around Ireland Offshore Powerboat Race requires offshore navigation capabilities combined with rock solid reliability to ensure success. The mix of physical rigour with technical performance is what attracts most people to the event. The ability to endure in an extreme environment is what offshore racing is all about.

0900 Start of the Around Ireland Powerboat Race.

1130 and 1215: Race Start 150 Class (P1 Superstock)

1230 and 1315: Race Start 300 Class (P1 Superstock)

1430 Final podium prizegiving for the P1 Superstock Grand Prix of Galway in the Race Village

Around Ireland Powerboat Race overnights in Killybegs (local festival)

Tuesday 08 June

Galway Powerboat Festival continues in the Race Village 1000 – 1030

Stage 2 of Around Ireland Powerboat Race Killybegs to Belfast. Overnight in Belfast

Wednesday 09 June

Galway Powerboat Festival continues in the Race Village 1000 – 1030

Stage 3 of Around Ireland Powerboat Race Belfast to Waterford. Overnight in Waterford

Thursday 10 June

Galway Powerboat Festival continues in the Race Village 1000 – 1030

Around Ireland Powerboat Race: Layday Waterford. Overnight Waterford

Friday 11 June

Galway Powerboat Festival continues in the Race Village 1000 – 1030

Stage 4 of the Around Ireland Powerboat Race Waterford to Fenit (Overnight Fenit at the Fenit Sea Breeze Festival)

Saturday 12 June P750 Cross border Championships and finish of the Around Ireland Powerboat Race

Galway Powerboat Festival continues in the Race Village 1000 – 1030

1000 Round 1 of the P750 Powerboat Championship

1400 Finish of the Around Ireland Powerboat Race and prizegiving in the Race Village

Jet Ski activity on the bay all day

Thirteen thrill-seeking powerboat racing teams will charge into Galway on Ireland’s west coast this week for round two of the Powerboat P1 SuperStock Championship. The Galway Grand Prix of the Sea will kick-start the Irish bank holiday weekend celebrations and begin a seven-day powerboat racing festival.The Powerboat P1 SuperStock Championship provides the opening act for the nautical extravaganza, which sees the Around Ireland Offshore Powerboat Race headlining a top billing of the finest competitive offshore powerboat racing. 

Galway's National Aquarium is pushing the boat out for World Ocean Day on Sunday, with Bjorn the Polar Bear the main attraction. Bjorn and handler Ursula are among a line-up of special guests that include wildlife filmmaker Vincent Hyland, a diving world record holder, and the Irish Seal Sanctuary. There will be three Polar Bear shows, 11.00, 1.00 and 3.00pm (Tickets will be allocated for each show, early arrival is advisable!) The Aquarium is open from 10.00am to 5.00pm General Admission will apply except for a Special Family Ticket (2 Adults + 2 Children) only 25.00 euros Tickets valid all day and include all activities For more information contact us at the aquarium on 091 585100 or email [email protected]

Volvo Ocean Race organiser John Killeen is to be honoured by NUI Galway this June with an honorary doctorate.

The Let’s Do It Ireland Chairman, who was responsible for bringing the hugely successful Volvo Ocean Race to Galway, is on a list that includes  Seán Ó’hUiginn, the Irish diplomat and former Ambassador to the US and Germany, VHI chairman Bernard Collins, and Anne Maria Dennison, head of the Irish Countrywoman’s Association.

The ceremony will take place on Friday June 25^th.

Killeen is also CEO of the Colas Group, chairman of the Galway Docklands Redevelopment Committee and a former president of the Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Engineers of Ireland.