Local racers performed well in the fourth RYA National Powerboat Championships at Ramsgate.

Poole's Max Walker and Mick Spong (Surrey) won the Offshore Formula 1 class from Hook pair Jackie Hunt and Mike Shelton.

Southampton pair Gareth Williams and Jim Fry were second in the Offshore Formula 2, which attracted one of the largest entries of the weekend.

The duo, in Comfortably Numb, recorded an average speed of 47.63 knots (54.81 mph, 88.31 km/h).

Racing on a smaller circuit than other Offshore classes, Southampton's Sam Robinson and Fiona Bevis (Watford) triumped in the Formula 3 Class on the first day of racing.

They repeated the feat on the second day with an average speed of 45.36 knots (52.20 mph, 84.00 km/h).

In the debut race of the season, four V24s hit the water in spectacular style.

Only two boats finished the course with Ricky Hill and Alan Layton (Portsmouth) in Colourpro Systems/Coilcolour averaging an awesome 56.09 knots (64.55 mph, 103.88 km/h) taking first.

In second place, as mentioned in yesterday's Daily Echo, was driver Shelley Jory and navigator Gavin Brown from Southampton in Winging It Offshore who averaged 51.67 knots (59.46 mph, 95.68 km/h).

THERE was bitter disappointment for Lymington's Robert Lister in the opening round of the Honda 4-Stroke 225hp powerboat Championship.

Competing off Bangor in Northern Ireland, the Hampshire driver, and navigator Martin Park were beset with engine problems.

The pair had qualified for the 2003 series by winning a Powerboat Racers' Challenge final off the Isle of Wight two months ago.

Southampton's powerboat World Champion Steve Curtis had been one of the judges of that event, which carried the prize of free equipment and travel for the whole series.

Lister and Park were going well in the first race of last weekend's series, and were leading when hit by engine failure.

After hours of repair work, the pair eventually were forced to install a new engine - only for that to fail prior to racing on the second day.

"We had a lot of bad luck," rued Lister. "Failing to race could have jeopardised our championship chances already. You really need to compete in every race."

Lister and Park are next in action in north Wales early next month.

"There's a lot of travelling involved in this series but it's all worth it," Lister admitted.