Next year’s round-Britain powerboat race attracting strong interest
Thirty-eight teams have so far committed to RB12, the round-Britain offshore powerboat race taking place next summer.
All have paid the non-refundable deposit for the event, which runs alongside an air and land rally for light aircraft, helicopters and cars. Interest here is equally encouraging.
This offshore circumnavigation of mainland Britain is an entirely new concept and breakaway from the course layout of the three previous roundings in 1969, 1984 and 2008.
This time competitors will cross from west to east round the top of Scotland via the Pentland Firth, rather than using the non-racing alternative through the Caledonian Canal.
The ten-leg event will start at Weymouth, head to Falmouth, Swansea and then to Liverpool.
Racers will then go across the border to Campbeltown, then onto the Kyle of Lochalsh and round the top to Thurso before passing through the Pentland Firth to Edinburgh. Edinburgh to Hull will be the longest leg at 206 miles.
The homeward run will bring a much welcome respite when the fleet heads further south to Ramsgate before finally covering the second shortest leg back to Weymouth.
The full entry fee has been set at £12.50 per horsepower. Some £12,000 or more for the larger boats to enter seems little deterrent and with the current level of interest the final line-up may well exceed the number taking part in the three previous circumnavigations.
Subscribe to the print version of MBY; subscribe to the digital version of MBY
