The third and fourth rounds of the Honda Formula 4-Stroke championship at Largs on May 29-30 was all-but dominated in the 225hp class by the all-girl team of Shelly Jory and Debra France aboard Team Raymarine.
The third and fourth rounds of the Honda Formula 4-Stroke championship at Largs on May 29-30 was all-but dominated in the 225hp class by the all-girl team of Shelly Jory and Debra France aboard Team Raymarine.
The girls turned the tables on defending champion James Sheppard driving King of Shaves in the third round. He eventually fell to the back of the fleet when a broken water ballast pipe flooded his boat leaving Team Raymarine with an impressive lead over the rest.
The fourth round became a neck and neck contest between the two protagonists. It looked as if it would be another success for the girls until Sheppard edged past in the penultimate lap. The huge Clydeside audience who were held in a state of awe as the two-boat battle unfolded. James Sheppard who has been overall champion for the last three years was full of praise:
“I simply couldn’t catch Team Raymarine and it was only when they momentarily spun in the closing stages that I was able to edge past. The girls will certainly be my main concern for the rest of the season.”
The larger fleet of 150hp contenders was led in both rounds by Alan Young and Ian Bull driving Alien. It was their best performance so far this season, a result moving them up to fourth on the 150hp-championship table.
By contrast Peter Kingsbury and Guy Elliott aboard Alsford Timber, who had pummelled the competition in the opening round in Guernsey five weeks earlier, had a disappointing weekend. They slipped back to fourth in the first Largs race before falling to the back of the fleet in the second after they hooked rounding the pit turning mark. Their overall points lead however is still sufficient for Alsford Timber to maintain its place at the head of the 150hp championship table with a score of 39 points.
