Bill Owen wins British Formula 2 Speedboat championship

Local powerboat ace Bill Owen clinched the third  British Championship of his long career in the 120mph 2 litre Formula 2 class. The series runs from May to September with events taking place From Lowestoft to Liverpool and Bedford to Barrow against world class competition.
St Helens born and bred Bill,  a 54 year old grandfather who now lives in Ashton in Makerfield, and races mainly at his home club at Carr Mill Dam was intending doing only local club races this year thinking that his thirteen year old 850cc rig was no longer a match for the newer, more competitive outfits at this level of competition, but a change of decision  giving a surprise win at Lowestoft in May in atrocious conditions and a second place at Carr Mill later in the month gave Bill a lead he was never to relinquish.

It was not to be plain sailing however with him competing also in the local club championship   taking its toll on the engine which gave up in spectacular fashion midway through the season. Things became even worse in July at a demonstration race at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power when Bill was involved in a 100 mph collision which ripped the side out of his boat but luckily he walked away without a scratch. “These boats are more brutal than a Formula 1 car to handle but we have similar protection in the cockpit , it’s just a bit strange being strapped into something which runs , or rather flies on water!” said Bill.
Major repairs were completed just in time for the penultimate championship round but everything had to be put together on the morning of the race and the boat suffered gremlins for the whole weekend, eroding the lead to a mere 10 points going into the final round at a course where a 5th place was the best he could hope for but his main competitor and club mate Alan Marshall had a chance of winning and thus stealing the Championship at the last moment.
The first heat saw Alan and Bill running in fourth and fifth place but after a close dice, Marshall’s engine gave out under the strain giving Bill the advantage. All Bill had to do was finish the next heat, even though Marshall had fitted his spare engine and could still mathematically win. Fate was to take one final twist when three laps from the end of the second heat, Bill’s engine destroyed itself and he was left a spectator until the chequered  flag , but with Marshall only in third place the Championship was at last in Bill’s hands.