People from across the world came together in the Lake District to try and break water speed records.
Competitors from the USA, Germany and all corners of the UK gathered for the 52nd Coniston Records Week.
Organisers said: “Record Week people, you should be extremely proud of everything that has been achieved this week in the cathedral of world water speed records.”
There were 28 entries and 139 attempts on the run, resulting in 10 world records, 16 British national records and two German national records.
Spectators in Coniston and online followers around the world didn’t need to wait long to see the first record of the week to be set. Taking to the water on the first run of the week was Thomas Mantripp from Lowestoft.
He is no stranger to Coniston having attended his 1st Record Week in 2015 as a junior. At 23 years old, Thomas has an already impressive racing career with several World and British national records along with topping several British championships and podium finishes in the European and world championships.
This year Thomas entered his self-prepared lie down Trombetta hydroplane boat in the Formula 250, up to 250cc class, and just after 8am on Monday morning he set a new world and British national record at 106.42mph.
As a British water speed record breaker over 100mph, Thomas earned himself a Gold Star to enter the prestigious K7 Club.
The K7 Club was founded by Donald Campbell to recognise British Water Speed record holders on Land, Air and Water along with those who assist.
Later in the week Thomas was welcomed at the annual K7 dinner at Windermere Motorboat Racing Club and invited to become a member of the K7 Club.
Thomas entered his boat again, this time with a change of engine and broke a 25-year-old world and British national record at 117.80mph in the O.350 class.
At the presentation event, Thomas was awarded the Keith Dunn Trophy for the highest percentage increase in a Hydroplane class and the Norman Buckley Trophy for the highest percentage increase of any class during the week.
Speed record breaking takes guts but lying down, headfirst, at 117mph, skimming over the water optimizes the courage and endeavour of water speed record breaking.
Helen Loney 43, a chartered surveyor from Kendal is no stranger to water speed record breaking having held many records throughout her racing career including being the current holder of the Ladies Outright British record.
Continuing her record breaking endeavours throughout the week, Helen made a total of 8 attempts on the run, eventually breaking the British national record for the CPA GT Monohull Unlimited (Mono Over 1.3 litre) to leave it standing at 74.38mph. She also set a new World and British national record in the Pleasure Navigation Group A (HOCR) Sports Boats Max 300HP at 74.44mph.
Helen was awarded the Shepherd’s Trophy for being the fastest lady of the week.
The youngest competitor of the week was 13-year-old Poppy Stewart from Suffolk. She is already two-time British champion in the GT15 class and has competed in the GT15 World Championships at her home club, Lowestoft and Oulton Broad Motorboat Club.
Returning to record week for the second time and increasing the record speed several times during the week, Poppy leaves Coniston as the World and British national record holder in the GT15 class, achieving 41.15mph. She was also awarded the English Lakes Hotels Trophy as the youngest record breaker of the week.
The fastest run of the week was another veteran of Record Week. 32-year-old Sam Whittle from Portsmouth is part of the Powertech Marine racing team and was chasing 2 records held by his father, Keith.
Following Thomas Mantripp out on the water as the second run of the week, Sam achieved a speed high enough to take the national record in the S.2000 class at 127.42mph. Sam remained persistent but, had to wait another 24 hours before hurtling down the course at 130.97mph to take the world record and increase in British national record.
Sam also entered his boat into a second class, the Formula Grand Prix (Catamaran Over 2.0 litre plus). The speed to beat was 133.79. Although Sam’s fastest average speed achieved the fastest run of the week at 132.68mph, it was just over 1mph too slow to clinch the record. Sam was awarded the UKOBA Cup for the highest percentage increase in a circuit class, along with the K7 Trophy for the fastest speed achieved during the event.
Also competing in a Catamaran boat this week was Ted Walsh.
Ted, who is the current commodore of the Windermere Motorboat Racing Club, was again entering his new electric boat concept, which uses the motor from a Nissan Leaf, combined with lithium-ion batteries from BMW. Unfortunately, Ted didn’t set a new record, but further demonstrated what the future holds, increasing the speeds he achieved during the 2023 event.
Coniston Water is synonymous with world water speed record breaking and each year the event attracts international competitors to records week, emulating the achievements of their heroes who have gone before.
One driver who has made the pilgrimage, all the way from Seattle has himself already gained legendary status. 79-year-old Bob Wartinger is a prolific record breaker and arrived in Coniston already being the holder of 142 water speed records.
He is a three-time world champion, taken part in nine 24-hour races in Rouen, and is 25-time American national champion with the most recent being this year.
He is also the current record holder of the outright outboard-powered hydroplane record at 176.55 mph, which he set in 1989. Bob is racing royalty and has been truly humbled this week to be in the presence of such passion for the sport that has become his life.
Bob said: “It has always been on my bucket list to come to the cathedral of speed that is Coniston, the Valhalla of water speed.”
The waters of Coniston seemed to like Bob’s presence and repaid him with his 143rd water speed record to add to his list of accomplishments, this one, in the Pleasure Navigation Group A (HOCR) F3 class Bob set a new world record at 54.53mph.
Bob was also presented with a special award, Record Weeks person of the meeting trophy in recognition of his work with the UIM, the world governing body of powerboat racing, alongside his outstanding racing career.
Hagen Jerzynski was another overseas competitor who had made a 1,600km journey from Berlin to be in the spiritual home of water speed record breaking.
In his third trip to compete on Coniston Water, Hagen was not disappointed. In his stunning boat named Chica, Hagen and co-pilot Stef Scheepers, achieved a new world and German national record of 86.33mph in the Pleasure Navigation Endurance Group B – Sport 450 (s) class.
In the Pleasure Navigation Group A (HOCR) SuperSport class, Hagen also set a new World and German national record at 94.01mph. Hagen was awarded the Concours D’elegance Trophy by The Bluebird Café for the best presented boat.
The offshore classes of powerboat racing were well represented again this year. Returning to records week was driver Malcolm Dopson and his navigator Clair Williams. Their journey paid off and after breaking and re-breaking the record during the week the pair achieved a new British national and world record in the Pleasure Navigation Group A (HOCR) F Sport class at 82.96mph.
Records week stalwart and OCRDA president Bob McCarthy set a new British national record in the OCRDA F1 class at 70.60mph.
Other classes breaking records at records week included:
- Andy Nelmes set a British national record in the Pleasure Navigation Group A (HOCR) F1 class at 71.63mph.
- George Hughes at 63.45mph set a new British national record in the National Clubman 1500 Monohull 1001 to 1500cc class.
- Malachy Browne established a new British national record at 59.56mph in the Offshore Circuit ProCat Pro Stock class.
- Anthony Scaccia established a new British national record in the Pleasure Navigation Group A (HOCR) F3 class at 53.93mph.
John Bunyan is from a record-breaking family with both his father and brother having achieved water speed records in previous years at records week. This year John was attending with his Argo Monohull in the OCRDA F3 class and it proved a successful week for John as he set a new British National record at 57.31mph.
Records Week is the only event where all disciplines of powerboat craft can be seen competing in the same event and one of the most entertaining classes is always the aquabikes.
This year, three drivers achieved records on aquabikes, Andrew Jelley from near Chester was the first aquabike on the course. Andrew made two attempts on the run and both setting new British records in the Offshore Circuit Jet Ski Racing J2 class with his fastest run at 72.26mph.
Following Andrew down the course was Owen Campbell, who in the Offshore Circuit Jet Ski Racing J3 class set a new British national record at 65.20mph.
Wating until Thursday, after the event was stood down on Wednesday due to fog, Jay Carr was the Jet Ski pilot to set a new British national record in the Offshore Circuit Jet Ski Racing J1 class at 76.31mph.
All records and speeds are subject to ratification by the UIM and national governing bodies.
Coniston Records Week returns in 2025 from November 3 to November 7.
