5:07 PM Tue 25 Nov 2008 GMT
The Zapcat National Championship finished with rounds 13 & 14 of the championship at Watergate Bay, Newquay on the 19th & 20th September. It was an event full of mixed emotions for the 2007 National Champions Pegasus Vortex racing, with pilot Mick Pritchard breaking his back during the event, and replacement pilot Neil Fraser and co-pilot Baz Minns pulling it out of the bag to hold on to the 2008 championship title ahead of rivals Commando Predator by 15 points.
Mick was released from hospital on his road to recovery but faced with the news that their championship title was under appeal. Commando Predator had questioned the eligibility of Neil Fraser replacing Mick Pritchard after his accident left him incapable of continuing to race.
Pilot Mick Pritchard explained "I was released from hospital and returned home to be told that there was an appeal against us winning the championship. I found out that Commando Predator had questioned the Zapcat RYA Officials at the event over Neil's eligibility to drive for the team when I broke my back.
'he Zapcat race committee had discussed the query at the time and decided there was no rule being broken and that Neil could race instead of me. As a team we knew nothing about this until after the event and we came home celebrating another successful championship title." He continued "a few days later we were informed by the RYA Powerboat Racing Department that they'd received an appeal from Commando Predator. We were certain we hadn't broken any rules in Neil standing in, as pilots, co-pilots and boats had been replaced by other teams throughout the season."
"In most Powerboat racing classes racers are given the opportunity to protest against another competitor or the decision of an official if they think a rule has been broken. The Zapcat National Championship doesn't allow this process as it stops the racing, We race and the Zapcat officials enforce the rules, occasionally a decision may go against someone but all we all want to do is race so we take the telling off when they come." "Commando Predator didn't like the decision they were given and because they couldn't protest they had two options to accept it or to appeal - they thought they had a case so they decided to appeal."
Appeal documents were submitted to the RYA and a panel of experienced Senior RYA officials was formed to hear the case. Unfortunately due to uncontrollable circumstances the panel were delayed in meeting to hear the appeal until the 19th November. So after two months of apprehensive waiting the result has been announced.
The RYA Appeal panel looked at documents submitted by both teams and reviewed the 2008 Zapcat National rules and Offshore Powerboat racing rule book. They decided there was no rule broken in Neil Fraser replacing Mick at the event and the appeal was rejected.
Three titles in the Zapcat National Championship were in question under the appeal, the National Title, the Zapcat Team Championship and the King of Surf championship. With the appeal rejected the champions are announced as the following;
2008 Zapcat National Championship
1st place - Zapcat 01, Pegasus Vortex Racing, pilot Mick Pritchard and co-pilot Baz Minns.
2nd place - Zapcat 03, Commando Predator, pilot Bligh Julius and co-pilot Simon Butters
3rd place - Zapcat 02, Vortex Racing, pilot Craig Davis and co-pilot Rob Martin.
2008 Zapcat Team Championship
Winners - Team Vortex - Mick Pritchard, Baz Minns, Craig Davis, Rob Martin, Dan Smith and Nathan Parker.
Zapcat 2008 King of Surf
Winners- Zapcat 01, Pegasus Vortex Racing pilot Michael Pritchard and co-pilot Baz Minns.
"I was confident we hadn't broken any rules but there's always an element of doubt that may be you'd missed something, and the decision could go against you. It's fantastic to take both the National Zapcat title and the King of surf title for the second year in a row" Mick continued
"My back's healing well but I'm along way off being allowed back in the boat racing, they've told me I can't start training again until March and I'll need to be careful for a while but I have every intention of being back on the start line at the first event of the season to make it a hat trick of Zapcat championship titles!"
by Nikki Drummond
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