To raise funds for teenager hurt in crash
Top powerboaters will be racing around the Isle of Wight this Saturday 17 November to raise funds for a teenager injured in a powerboating accident.
Ben Ridd, aged 16, was seriously injured when his boat collided with another in a K-Class powerboat race in Weymouth in 2005.
He suffered a bleed on the brain and lay in a coma for three and a half weeks.
Ben has made made a remarkable recovery despite his speech being affected and him suffering partial paralysis.
The Isle of Wight race will see P1 boats, V24 bat boats, Zapcats and others put the throttle down for an end-of-season blast around the 55-mile circuit to raise funds for Ben’s continued treatment.
The race starts at 10.30am off Egypt Point, with the boats heading anti-clockwise around the island.
The best place for spectators will be north of the East Lepe buoy, as the race start will pass south of that position. To watch the finish, organisers recommend north of Gurnard buoy. However, do not use Gurnard as a position to watch the start of the race, as the racing line passes directly through the buoy’s position.
The event is being sponsored by Boatshed Cowes, who are putting on a party afterwards at 12.30 at the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club.
