BOURNEMOUTH'S Mark Bridges stormed to success in the final round of the Royal Motor Yacht Club Classic, despite racing with a stuck throttle during the two-day powerboat festival to mark the centenary of Poole's Royal Motor Yacht Club.
Driving the V24 design Bat Out Of Hell, Bridges' exceptional speed and unusually wide line on the corners became obvious after the finish when he had difficulty in finally stopping the boat.
Victory in the 52-mile race was some compensation for Bridges, who normally navigates the boat, as he and regular driver Cliff Smith from Littlehampton had retired earlier in the day on the opening lap of the V24 race.
To make it all the more remarkable, it was Bridges' first time in the driver's seat with Smith's daughter, Erin, as his co-driver. They hit the front halfway round the first lap and were never headed, extending their lead on every lap.
Meanwhile, Lymington's Adam Younger registered a creditable fourth place in the Camden Trophy for Class III two-litre boats in the RYA National Championship.
His own design and built 25ft monohull Saffron, navigated by Matt York from Farnborough, saw them home ahead of Poole's Chris Bryan and Mark Brewster in Genus Interiors.
Over the seven lap, 62-mile round Poole Bay race, the lead changed several times but Southampton's Richard and Paula White driving, their 23ft Mannerfelt batboat Atti2ude, held on for victory.
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