Last weekend saw the 2008 Zapcat National Champions Pegasus Vortex Racing head the to the annual RYA Powerboat Racing Awards Ceremony, at the De Vere Royal Bath to receive their 2008 Trophy.
Pegasus Vortex racing won the Championship back in September but Pilot Mick Pritchard had not been presented with the Zapcat Championship Trophy at the time as he was hospitalized following a broken back from the Friday’s racing at Watergate Bay.
As all the Champions from the sport gathered to receive their accolades from the year’s racing, amongst them were World Champion Powerboat P1 Evolution Driver James Sheppard, and World F2 Champion Colin Jelf, and offshore World Class 3C champion Navigator Peter Phillipson..
Mick was diagnosed with a compression fracture in his lower vertebrae following the accident in which a rogue wave slammed into the deck of the Zapcat before launching him over the side into the water, has made a phenomenal progress on his road to recovery and has all anticipation of being back in the Zapcat this year to defend his title for the third year in a row.
A huge round of applause erupted from the Team and Zapcat supporters as Mick took to the stage with no sign of his back brace or injury to receive his RYA Championship Award. Co-pilot Barry Minns was absent from the celebrations so Mick asked that Neil Fraser join him on stage to receive the award with him.
Fellow Zapcat racer Neil Fraser stepped up to the mark to replace Mick in the boat following the accident , and although not having raced for over a year showed all the true signs of a champion, racing with an unusual co-pilot and in a different set-up from what he was used to and still dominating the fleet.
“Neil showed the potential of a real champion stepping in for me in September, He will be one of the main contenders in the championship for 2009, and I aim to be there pushing him every step of the way to defend my title.” Pritchard told us “Whilst everybody was celebrating in September I was strapped to a bed in hospital, it’s fantastic so many friends from Zapcats came today to help me celebrate, and hopefully we’ll all be here again next year.”
Image: © Paul Lines