This weekend(5/6 August) the Kent Powerboat racing team, Jelf Racing head to Stewartby, Bedford to compete in the 2017 Powerboat GP RYA British Sprint Championships. The team will be competing over the weekend at the stand alone championship event in the bid to win 5 British Championship titles for the team.

First up in action over the weekend is the team’s youngest driver George Elmore who is in search of his first British crown in the GT15 class. George has been on flying form this season putting in some really strong performances in the British championship campaign and this weekend will be no different. He will face strong challenges from Ethan Goodfellow and Aidan Fleet as all youngsters look for their first championship title. On home water and a familiar course George will be full of confidence heading into the weekend but also knows he will need to keep calm and collected if he’s to take the crown.

Next in action for the team is Jonathan Brewer in the GT30 class following his first Grand Prix championship win at the last round of the championship in Chasewater, Jonathan’s confidence will be high despite the mammoth task ahead of him. The GT30 championship fleet is one of the closest since the class’s inception into the UK and with every British driver capable of securing the win with just a little bit of Lady Luck on their side. His biggest rival comes in the form of rival Thomas Mantripp who is the current championship leader and following an epic battle between the two teenagers at Chasewater but with Jack Pickles, Tiegen Goodfellow and Elliot Fleet all piling on the pressure the battle could just reaching boiling point this weekend.

Nigel Edwards and Jason Brewer are set to battle each other along with the rest of the T850 monohull fleet. An impressive silver medal at Chasewater for Nigel will see him looking to go one better this weekend and challenge Bill Owen for the British Sprint crown. Meanwhile Jason Brewer will hope that his luck has changed and reliability issues will now be behind him as he looks to challenge for the podium top spot.

Jelf Racing’s very own Ben Jelf won his first catamaran gold medal at the Chasewater Grand Prix and this weekend will be looking to once more put in a strong performance in the hopes of securing his 14th British championship crown. The battle between current championship leader Ben Morse and Jelf at Chasewater was enthralling to watch with both pushing themselves, their boats and each other to the limit in the bid to secure the Grand Prix win. With Morse boasting 15 British championship titles to his name the battle between two of Britain’s most decorated powerboat racers is set to be edge of the seat action all weekend.

Following an accident at the beginning of July, Jelf Racing’s team manager Colin Jelf is making good progress on his road to recovery and is hoping to be back out on the water soon. This weekend the F2 battle counts towards both the British Championship Crown and British Sprint championship title. Jelf has not been back in his boat following a collision in the F4 World Championships but is raring to get back on the water and ready to return to winning ways, but we will need to wait to see if the former World and British Champion is ready to take on the challenge this weekend.

Whatever challenges the team face this weekend they are all ready and raring to go! Each team member will compete in qualifying for the all-important pole position and then throughout 3 heats in a bid to win their respective crowns.

Ben Jelf is relishing the challenge ahead of him and the team this weekend “We’re all in a really strong position to secure some silverware this weekend for the team and our sponsors.” comments Ben

“We all know we will have our work cut out for us as there’s some really strong competitors who will be looking to stop us but we’re all really determined to prove ourselves and hopefully our team work and dedication will help us achieve our goals.”