Dramatic finale to Zapcat National Championships
It was drama all the way in the final rounds of the 2008 Zapcat National Championship against the backdrop of the stunning Watergate Bay, Newquay, in Cornwall. With first and second places in the championship separated by just 30 points, as the racers arrived the scene was set for two thrilling days of Zapcat Racing in which the title race would not be decided until the closing moments of the season's racing. 
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On the surface conditions for Round 13 appeared fairly benign: blue skies and sunshine, light winds and just 2-3 feet of surf. However the reality was to be slightly different as race after race had to be restarted when teams flipped in the waves.
One of the teams taking a spill was Zapcat National Championship leader 01 Pegasus Vortex Racing. Co-pilot Baz Minns says, "I turned round and Mick had disappeared." Pilot Mick Pritchard had gone overboard as the boat thumped into the top of a wave. Repercussions looked grim for the reigning champions who have led the field all season. The injured back Mick sustained in the crash put him out of racing for the weekend and threatened his and Baz's championship hopes. The team drafted in Neil Fraser who raced as pilot of 25 Rana Park in the 2007 season to replace Mick. He and Baz made it to the final, finishing in sixth place to take 65 points.
While all this was going on, what of their closest rivals, 03 Commandos Predator, with Bligh Julius and Simon Butters? They were having a steady day, qualifying for the Division 1 final in pole position. But in true dramatic Watergate fashion, could only manage a fifth place finish, taking 70 points. All of which meant going into the final round of the 2008 season, the gap at the top of the table was even narrower - just 25 points.
The Division 1 final was won by Craig Davis and Rob Martin who have never been far off the pace all season in 02 Vortex Racing, Dorset rookies Peter Bonham-Christie and Duncan Scholes in 59 Team 59 Bladerun claimed second.
The Royal Marines Commando teams didn't have far to travel from their Plymouth base and it was a successful day for Richie Lake and Graham Mann in 37 Go Commando State of Mind. Richie's consistent driving this season earned him third place and a podium appearance on the penultimate day of racing in 2008 and takes the team to fifth place overall in the Zapcat National Championship.
Friday was a great day for the Cornish teams competing on home surf. In Division 2 they claimed the top two spots on the podium. Jubilant rookies Charlie Brickle and Adam Bushrod from Portwrinkle in 35 Nine Lives took first place, while Fowey's 'Cornish Mafia', James and Nial Hoddinott in 73 Blue Sheets/Boat Register, took second place. Steven and Robert Pidsley in 44 Blue Sheets 2 were third.
Saturday dawned bright and sunny once again and the atmosphere was electric as the teams waited for the day's racing to get underway. Heat 1 proved eventful as flip after flip in the testing surf meant the field narrowed to three teams. Somerset team, 72 Huntzpill Boyz, making a return to racing for the final event of the season showed they had lost none of their previous form, Ashley Chappell and Ryan Jones qualifying for the Division 2 final in pole position.
The Cornish teams also did well, with Friday's Division 2 winners, 35 Nine Lives also qualifying despite flipping their boat in the first heat of the day. 73 Blue Sheets/ Boat Register qualified third in the starting line up and three Commando teams also made it through. Charlie and Adam in boat 35 made swift progress up the field in an incident-free final, but it wasn't enough to get them on the podium again. They finished fourth, pipped to third place by 44 Blue Sheets 2, making their second appearance of the weekend. Their Fowey stablemates, James and Nial Hoddinott in 73 Blue Sheets/Boat Register added another second place to their weekend tally while 72 Huntzpill Boyz claimed victory in only their second outing of the 2008 Zapcat National Championship.
Then all eyes were on the Division 1 final and what a race it turned out to be. As they lined up for the final beach start second placed Bligh and Butters in 03 Commandos Predator trailed 01 Pegasus Vortex Racing by just 25 points - which meant they had to beat the Championship leaders by five places to claim the title. 01 Pegasus Vortex Racing qualified in pole position, piloted once again by Neil Fraser, deputising for the injured Mick Pritchard. Friday's victors, 02 Vortex Racing lined up next to them on the start line, while 03 Commandos Predator qualified fourth, behind 49 Randall & Payne.
Neil and Baz held the advantage at the first turning mark but by the end of the first lap Bligh and Butters had moved up to second and were hard on their tail. On lap three as they exited the back straight the teams were neck and neck and as they turned into the final lap Bligh and Butters took the inside line to move ahead into first place. They won the final but Neil and Baz's performance was good enough to deny them the overall championship and 01 Pegasus Vortex Racing retain their title for a second season.
The Watergate Bay Grand Prix honours go to Craig Davis and Rob Martin whose consistent performance in 02 Vortex Racing earned them third place in Round 14 to add to their victory in Round 13.
The 2008 Zapcat National Champions, Mick Pritchard and Baz Minns in 01 Pegasus Vortex Racing, were crowned at the awards dinner at Watergate Bay Hotel on the evening of Saturday 20 September.
Trophies were also awarded to Rookie of the Year, 59 Team 59 Bladerun for the best performance in their debut season, King of the Surf went to 01 Pegasus Vortex Racing, Team Vortex also claimed the Team Championship Trophy.
The Commandos Trophy which has been kindly donated by the Royal Marines and will be awarded annually to the boat/ team which continually show the four Commando Qualities that the Royal Marines instil on all their marines that pass through training. These qualities that all commandos live by are Courage, Determination, Un-selfishness and Cheerfulness. Lots of thought went behind who to award this prestigious trophy to and on the night Richie Lake awarded this trophy to the Zapcat Safety Team, a well deserving team who do a fantastic job.
The biggest cheer of the evening was reserved for the husband and wife pairing of Russell and Sandra Sidney of 40 Scaredy Cat. Zapcat Racing is one of the few sports where men and women can compete on an equal level and many of the teams feature a woman co-pilot or pilot. The hugely popular couple have competed in the Zapcat National Championship for six seasons and are deserving winners of the Mixed Team award for their performance in 2008. Along with their trophy Predator Technology also awarded the Mixed Team Winners with a helmet camera and accessories worth ?750. A fantastic prize for the couple.
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