A Zapcat Grand Prix decided by count back of heat wins, an amazing 180 degree spin out and gale force winds all played their part in making Edinburgh 2010 the most exciting City Championship event ever!

Were you one of the many thousands of spectators who saw some of the amazing action last year?

Or did you see the photos in the papers and wished you had gone to one of the best free events of the summer?

You will get that chance again as Zapcat powerboat racing returns to the stunning waterfront location of Leith Docks this weekend with the Ocean Terminal Edinburgh Zapcat Racing Grand Prix once again promising to be one of the best free spectator events of the 2011 race season.

Saturday July 2nd & Sunday 3rd will provide non-stop action from 11am throughout the afternoon as rounds five and six of the Zapcat Racing National Championship is competed for.

To add more incentive for the teams, Edinburgh is the only City Championship host venue this year and also the only Scottish stage of the Celtic Cup.

“We’re really looking forward to Edinburgh again,” explains Martin Jupp, Event Director of Zapcat Racing. 

I am here today with Rob Wickham owner and pilot of Zapcat # 77 Exe Jets, thanks Rob for agreeing to our second pilot interview of the season, firstly Exe Jets where did that name come from?  How long have you been racing Zapcats now and what was your interest in the sport?

Our name the Exe Jets comes from where we live, Exmouth, which is right on the river Exe and jets because my old co pilot and I own jet skis which we use a lot.

This is my 3rd season now, because Graham and I are mad on watersports and any waterborn activity, we thought at the start when we saw the boats at the boat show, that it looked like a good challenge!

This year is the first time we have experimented with weight classes, how do you feel it is going?  As a bigger chap who works out frequently, weight is an issue but does fitness still come into play and are there any specific exercises you do to help with your racing?

Gosport residents and one of the longest serving Zapcat teams, Russell & Sandra Sidney said before the weekend, "We may be slightly biased but with easy boat launching and beach access as well as perfect viewing for spectators and the very variable conditions even in summer, Stokes Bay is a great venue; from flat calm seas giving quick and close up racing to a heavy chop producing a very hard and physical challenge, often with very unpredictable results."

They were spot on except they omitted the driving rain on Sunday contrasting the sunshine of Saturday. 

Round 3 of the Zapcat National Championships kicked off with calm and sunny conditions, with a couple more Rookie teams joining the competition as well as three mixed (male & female) teams for 16 heats and two finals.

The fleet is now divided by crew weights so the lighter teams compete against each other with the heavier crews battling it out amongst themselves, a new format for this year and with equal points now available it is all about heat wins and consistency to gain a place in the finals and their importance is now heightened in deciding ties for the weekend Grand Prix results.

I am here today with Craig Davis, current two times National Zapcat Champion and winner in Newquay last month.  Craig, congratulations on your win as I understand you were tied and you won on a count back of heats?

Thanks it wasn’t the easiest start to the season that we have ever had.   Conditions were very challenging and we also picked up a few engine problems on Saturday which didn’t help.  The new GP points scoring has really made it much tighter and more difficult to win over all so we were surprised when it turned out we were the GP winners for the weekend.  This just proves that it’s all about consistency and keeping focused when in the big surf and windy conditions we had at Fistral.

Craig we are looking ahead to the weekend and the return to Stokes Bay for the first time since 2008, wasn’t this where you made your race debut three years earlier?

We love Stokes Bay it’s close to home and you are correct it was where I made my first race debut back in 2005. It’s a great event as the conditions are always changing and the course is real close into the beach which makes it great for spectators too.