A CHAMPION Hampshire powerboat driver could be forced to pull out of racing for the first time in 13 years because of the credit crunch.

Shelley Jory faces giving up the “opportunity of a lifetime” racing in the Formula One of powerboating after failing to secure funding for the season.

The Southampton racing champion and her Maltese teammate Audrien Ciantar have been given a race-winning 41ft powerboat by world champion Angelo Tedeschi for the start of the Powerboat P1 championship.

With just days to go before the first event, the pair will be forced to retire from the remaining four races of the series unless they can raise the €50,000 needed to make their campaign a reality.

Shelley said: “ I find myself in this unique situation where I don’t have the expense of buying a boat, I have actually been given one to race.

“It’s a championship-winning boat and this really is the opportunity of a lifetime.

“However the credit crunch is killing me.

“Angelo has kindly offered to pay the costs for our first race but he can’t support our whole season.

“The bottom line is that if we don’t find a sponsor soon, we will have to give up.

“In 13 years of competing I have crashed my boat, nearly been killed and I’ve always been back racing within a month.

“The credit crunch could be the first thing to scupper my chances.

“I would be devastated if that happened.”

Shelley has held desperate talks with more than 40 companies about possible sponsorship – but none have come up with the money to save her campaign.

She added: “It is such a shame because it is an amazing opportunity for sponsorship and we are only asking for €50,000 in return for great international exposure.

“Normally it would cost around €125,000 but we have scaled it right back to the bare minimum.

“It’s just an awful time for getting support at the moment.”

Qualifying for first race of the Powerboat P1 championship kicks off tomorrow in Malta, with the races held on Saturday and Sunday.