THE Ilmor-engined Warpath, raced by Antibes-based throttleman Glenn Chidzoy, Norwegian Ole Finholt and Southampton’s Gordon Compton, claimed victory in the Marathon category, won Class B and earned valuable points towards the prestigious Harmsworth Trophy at the Fortitudo Property Poole Bay 100 Offshore Powerboat race.

The Poole duo of Christian Toll and Mike Bontoft and Michael Peet, racing the Chevrolet-engined 35’ Dry Martini Cigarette, finished second in the opening round of the 2018 World Offshore Championship and Dorian Griffith and Will Stevens rounded off the podium positions, also winning Class C in the Yanmar-engined Blastoff.

Compton said: “The navigation went perfectly. On the first lap we were running fourth and we just settled in and let them do what they wanted to do up front.

“We did a really good turn at the North-East Shingles, overtook Dorian (Griffith) and didn’t see what happened to the Cougar. Then we had one boat in front of us.”

Chidzoy added: “This is what you dream of. You need boats like this to enjoy racing. The team gave us a great boat. I’m so grateful and a big thanks for the guys who organised this race. And the English weather played ball!”

The experienced Exeter-based duo of Andrew Langdon and Miles Jennings suffered technical issues in their 38’ Outerlimits Silverline boat and retired one lap from the chequered flag.

Exeter’s David Foa and Charles Swales were lapped once in the marathon race in the Mercury-engined Mr Mako to take fourth and first in Class E, but the diesel-engined Fugitive of Rose Lores and Francis Whitley retired from Class G with two laps left.

Any hopes that Poole businessman and title sponsor Richard Carr and his Florida-based team-mate Steve Curtis MBE had of winning the Marathon class were dealt a shattering blow on the first lap when their 46’ Fortitudo Cougar sustained a broken drive shaft and they also retired.

Southend’s Kerry Bobin and Bermuda’s Errin Butterfield spun at the last turn mark in the Class Three race at the helm of their Mercury-powered Twister catamaran, Motorvated Bermuda, and that enabled Bobin’s son - the 2016 UIM 3A World Champion Jack Bobin - and Stuart Unwin to claim the win in Motorvated Racing after a thrilling ding-dong tussle that entertained the crowds off Bournemouth Pier.

The X77 crew of Graham Reeder and Martin Foster reached the chequered flag in a close third place in Ananab Racing on the opening round of the British Offshore Racing series, being organised by 2017 Moto and sanctioned by the UKOPRA.

Sunbury’s Thomas Pelham and Brian Pelham won Class N and finished fourth in The Beaver Returns, while Dave Sheldon and Chris Bailey entered their Phantom 19G under the co-sponsoring Multispark Race Products banner and rounded off the top five.

The Guernsey-based duo of Mark Terry and Suzanne Cosgrave retired their Evinrude-engined Dirty Deeds and Sandy’s David Boakes (Bad Habit) retired at the start line. Robert Lister and Nick Crouch withdrew Jupiter with gearbox issues on lap one.

This year’s marathon race ran for 121.40 Nm over a start lap of 58.80Nm, one shorter lap of 28.40Nm and three laps of 11.40Nm. The shorter Class Three race for British offshore points ran for 71.4Nm over a start lap of 12.3Nm and three shorter laps of 8.30Nm and 11.40Nm.

Marathon results: 1 Glen Chidzoy/Ole Finholt/Gordon Compton – Warpath 1hr 43min 23sec; 2 Christian Toll/Mike Bontoft/Michael Peet - Dry Martini 1hr 58min 28sec; 3 Dorian Griffith/Will Stevens – Blastoff 1hr 59min 47sec; 4 David Foa/Charles Swales - Mr Mako +1 lap; 5 Andrew Langdon/Miles Jennings – Silverline +1 lap; 6 Rose Lores/Francis Whitley – Fugitive +2 laps; 7 Paul Craven/Tom Montgomery-Swan Sunus Ocean Racing DNF; 8 Richard Carr/Steve Curtis - Fortitudo Cougar DNF. Class Three results: 1 Jack Bobin/Stuart Unwin - Motorvated Racing 1hr 18min 49sec; 2 Kerry Bobbin/Errin Butterfield - Motorvated Bermuda 1hr 20min 04sec; 3 Graham Reeder/Martin Foster - Ananab Racing 1hr 20min 09sec; 4 Thomas Pelham/Brian Pelham - The Beaver Returns 1hr 24min 25sec; 5 Dave Sheldon/Chris Bailey - Multispark Race Products 1hr 25min 21sec; 6 Max Walker/Darryn Harrison - Race R Division 1hr 26min 08sec; 7 Shaki Easton/M’kai Hodsol - Bermuda Motivation 1hr 26min 15sec; 8 Lee Ornsby/Josh Lindsay - Licence to Thrill 1hr 29min 49sec; 9 Mark Terry/Suzanne Cosgrave - Dirty Deeds +1 lap; 10 Richard Comben/David Taylor - Ace of Spades DSQ; 11 Malcolm Dopson/Ben Brown - White Fusion DSQ.