BRITAIN'S top hovercraft racers, including many from the Southampton area, gather at Gang Warily this weekend for the third round of the National Hovercraft Racing Championship.
The drivers compete over both land and water and the sport has been likened to driving a powerful sports car with bald tyres on ice and with no brakes!
Adding to the difficulty factor is that the hovercrafts are easily affected by the slope of the ground and windy conditions which can easily turn them over.
The championship is over six different formulae with the 150 bhp Formula One machines capable of speeds of 80mph.
The event takes place for three days from Saturday with practice at 9.30 each day followed by racing at 13.00 on Saturday and 11.30 on Sunday and Monday.
Top local competitors include the 2002 F1 champion Ed Hurn from Hedge End, RachaelGifford , runner-up in the F25 Championship last year and her 14 year-old brother Matthew, who is well on the way to retaining the junior championship.
Look out, too, for Plaitford's Kevin Foster and his two sons Matthew and Colin as well as New Milton's Bob Beech, competing again in a Rotax-powered Osprey after "retiring" eight years ago.
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