First 2008 race in Torquay this month
The UK’s Honda Formula 4-Stroke series kicks off on 24 and 25 May in Torquay.
The teams behind the 40 boats in the series’ two fleets of 150hp and 225hp Cougar Powerboats are putting final touches to their set-ups before the off.
The race course will run through the harbour with some great viewing points.
Series director and eight-times Class 1 World Powerboat Champion Steve Curtis says: “The series has certainly made an impact on the number of people following offshore racing.
“There are more and more people enquiring about the sport via the series website, with site traffic on the build up to the first race in May going through the roof.”
The increase in not only the fans but also the number of boats entering this year will make for some interesting racing with some novice teams hitting the waves against the series’ more experienced racers.
With the help of Steve, Honda launched the series in 1999 in order to prove the performance of their then newly launched BF130 4-stroke outboard.
Its rapid development has seen it grow from just four teams competing in a single 130hp class in 1999, to some 40 teams competing in two classes in 2007.
