Season opener should be a day to remember
The exciting Honda Formula 4-Stroke Powerboat race series kicks off in May.
Enthusiasts will welcome the season opener all the more this year, after fears the series would lose its sponsorship, following Honda’s withdrawal from Formula 1.
Those fears proved unfounded and the popular series begins at Pwllheli, North West Wales, on the weekend of the 9 & 10 May, thanks to a couple of local powerboat enthusiasts who brought the event back after a six year absence.
The two are new Welsh rookie team of driver Chris Smith and navigator Andy Musgrave, who will be competing in 150hp class, n a boat named My Daydream.
The pair have been working hard with F4SA event organisers to bring the event back to the area.
Andy says: “I had followed the F4SA on TV for quite a few years and watched the race at Pwllheli back in 2003 when they last came here.
“As somebody new to the area and the industry I decided to try and organise the series to come back here for the spectacle of the event and to generate some interest in my fledgling company but I didn’t really have the contacts or knowledge to get it all put in place.
“I met Chris through a mutual friend and just mentioned it in passing one night over dinner.
“He took the idea and ran with it and here we are 5 months later! It all culminated in the purchase of one of the boats and setting up a team.
“We’re making our debut on home soil so will have plenty of time to practise!
“Both Chris and I are very competitive and we’re definitely “in it to win it” so watch this space.”
The pair will be welcomed by large crowds of local support and as the only Welsh team in the series, they are proud to be representing their home area.
The event is free to the public and promises to be an enjoyable adrenaline packed two days.
The series opener, for powerboats from 150hp and 225hp classes, will take place a short distance away from the harbour entrance.
The beach frontage at Marian y De will provide vantage points where spectators can view the excitement of the race as boats navigate the course close inshore.
