NATIONAL powerboating champion Richard White is aiming high for the 2003 season after stepping up a class.

The Chilworth-based competitor won the National Offshore Circuit Racing title last October.

Now, armed with a new 'winged' boat in Saints' FA Cup Final colours of yellow and blue, he has stepped up a level to the Formular 2 Offshore Class.

Wife Paula is literally right behind him in his attempts to reproduce his superb 2002 form - she will be his navigator.

The couple form 'Atti2ude Offshore' and, with two wins from two starts in 'friendlies', they have already made a flying start.

Beating the current world champion Roy Smith in the Solent Speed warm up race recently means the Southampton-based pair could be a force to be reckoned with.

The duo have certainly gained plenty of attention away from the racing circuit, towing their new 23-ft boat behind a giant motor-home.

Last Saturday over 8 million viewers of BBC1 Grandstand's build up to the FA Cup Final watched them speeding away in 'Atti2ude' with its yellow and blue hull paying tribute to the Saints.

The boat is one of a handful of 'bat boats' on the circuit, so called as the unusual Swedish design has 'wings' that lift the boat out of the water at speed.

The Whites are both avid Saints fans, but were unable to attend the match in Cardiff due to racing commitments.

Richard and Paula have prepared their new boat with help of three times world champion, Pete Little, and have already come within 0.5mph of the current national speed record.

"We are keen to make a real splash this season," says Richard, "and preparations; mentally, physically and technically are all vitally important."

"It's a big step up this season. In OCR the hulls are production hulls, a bit like touring cars. In Formula 2 the hulls are more state-of-the-art, the whole scene is a lot more technical."

Richard, who won the Brass Monkey title for the first time off Poole earlier this year, will be competing in the Formula 2 World Championships in Norway in August and the Europeans in Italy a month later.

He will also be aiming for further success at Gibraltar, where he won last year's title, when the British finals are again held there.

But his competitive season starts with the first national Formula 2 race off Torquay this weekend.

"We're hopeful of doing well," said Richard. "We would like to do well in the Worlds, the Europeans and the nationals but that could be being greedy. There's a big difference in driving styles between the two classes.

"We'll know more after this weekend. If we finish in the top three then we've got a great chance in the nationals.

"I don't want to build up my chances; all that does is put you on a pedestal to fall off."

Finally, Richard admitted the boats yellow and blue colours were not chosen purely because of their love for Saints, that just happens to be a nice co-incidence!