A TOP powerboat racer from Hampshire has appealed against the five-year ban he received for sabotaging a rival's fuel supply.

Former European champion Rob Lister was stripped of his racing licence after the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) ruled that he and his navigator, Will Nocker, were guilty of gross misconduct.

Officials at the RYA's headquarters in Hamble refused to reveal the exact nature of the offence.

However, the two men - both members of the Fat Boy Racing Team - were reported to have poured water into a fellow competitor's fuel tank during the Liverpool Powerboat Grand Prix in September 2005.

Now the RYA has confirmed that Lister and Nocker have lodged appeals against the ban - one of the longest ever imposed in the sport.

The disqualification was handed down by the RYA's Offshore Racing Committee in October last year.

His appeal against the ban, which is not due to end until January 1 2012, will be heard on a date to be fixed.

Lister, who lives in Keyhaven, was unavailable for comment.