Our man is getting shorter every leg
MBY’s Derek Wynans has renamed the Round Britain Powerboat Race ‘how to loose six inches in 10 days’!
Derek, 35, from Oban, says his lower back is numb after the pounding he’s endured on a number of different boats in the race.
He has followed the fleet round the coast, riding with the fastest and the slowest, the most comfortable and perhaps the least comfortable.
Today he was back on board the beautiful revamped Fairey Spearfish, Team 747, for the penultimate leg down the East Coast from Newcastle to Lowestoft.
And after a run of bad luck, in which the Fairey grounded off Oban and then got a rope round its props yesterday, today Team 747 was on top form.
Derek says: “We led our group off the start line. We thundered away no bother at all. Beautiful. We just left everyone in our wake.
“It was a great feeling and the boys on board really deserve it after a tough couple of days.
“When we got down to The Wash it got rougher and we had to throttle back. Two of the crew were suffering with back problems.
“And by the way, I know all about pain. I’ve destroyed every piece of feeling in my lower back. I am numb.
“The sea didn’t much smoother but we throttled on. It was bumpy and the bench seat broke. It couldn’t stand the pounding.
“But we were very pleased with the result. Very good.”
Derek adds: “Everyone is tired and a little bit tetchy. There have been some very, very long days and people are looking forward to getting it over with.
“Just one more leg and then we can celebrate.”
