Shelley announced her return to British Powerboat Racing. 2010 had seen her crash out of the Powerboat GPS World Championship half way through the season when the Spirit of Belgium Boat she was racing in Sunk in Sardinia. Following weeks of recovery and months wondering whether she’d race again,
Shelley is now ready to get back in a race boat. She explains: “Well I wasn’t sure whether this day would actually happen or not and had resigned myself to not racing this season, and I have to admit I would probably have been a bit bored and lost not mixing it up at events with my fellow racers. I’d certainly have missed the buzz and adrenaline rush us racers get from waiting on the start line and throughout the whole race.”
Shelley continued: “If someone had said to me at the end of last year or even a couple on months ago I’d be back in a race boat looking for another British title when the season started, I wouldn’t have believed them!” The 2011 Season sees Shelley return to British Powerboat Racing in the new P1 Stock 250 Panther Class as Team Helvetia Wealth sponsored by Helvetia Wealth a leading financial services provider founded in Zurich, Switzerland. Joining her as navigator is former Zapcat Team Champion and close family friend Dan Smith, as well as husband Trevor as the team’s Chief Engineer.
Shelley’s known her new navigator Dan for several years and remembers when she was racing in the Honda Championship how as a young lad he’d always offer to help clean the boat after testing, and was soon helping during testing when Libby wasn’t able to. The season will get underway on the 11th & 12th June as the P1 Stock Championship heads to Jersey for the first of the 5 rounds of the championship. They then head to Plymouth, Hull, Cowes respectively before the finals in Liverpool over the 10th & 11th September.
Shelley continues: “We have some fantastic new sponsors on board joining us in the campaign for the RYA British title, including Swiss Financial Services Providers Helvetia Wealth and also a new clothing sponsor in the form of SLAM Clothing, as well as existing sponsors Drivers Dry Berthing, Andark Watersports and Sunglasses For Sport back on board for the season.” She finishes by saying: “We’re ready for that green flag to drop and get the season underway but for now I need to thank everyone for their support and faith in me as a racer and I just hope I can do them proud!”
The Boat
TYPE: P1 Panther 250 P1-28SS
LENGTH: 28ft (8.5m)
ENGINE: Two-stroke 250 hp Evinrude engines
SPEED: In excess of 75 mph
