Boat achieves national record at 126 miles per hour

Records Week is a volunteer-run event that happens every year at Coniston. The purpose is the event is simple - to give teams from across the UK and Europe the opportunity to set water-speed records in their classes. 

The Cox team coming into shore (Image: Matthew Willis)

Despite a strong headwind teams still wanted to try their hand at setting records. Kendal-man Adam Brown increased his World and British National Record in the Diesel Outboard Outright class to 61.53 mph at the start of Tuesday.

When the wind speed slowed, the boat speeds increased. Ben Jelf established a new British National Record at 113.29mph in the National F2 200 APX class. 

A jet-ski hit over 80mph (Image: Newsquest)

The fastest run of the day was Sam Whittle, who set a new National Record in the Formula Grand Prix class at 126.20mph. Sam wants to achieve over 132mph later in the week to break a World Record. 

READ MORE: World Water Speed Record-Breaking week on at Coniston

Graham Leech from Yorkshire achieved 81.51mph on a jet ski, despite choppy water. This was a new National Aquabike Runabout 4-Stroke Stock Class record. 

The Cox team with driver Adam Brown in the centre (Image: Newsquest)

Other runs on Tuesday included 16-year-old George Elmore. One of the youngest drivers on the circuit, he set a new British National record of 48.35mph in the National Clubman Circuit 1000 Monohull class. 

Earlier this week, Adam Brown from the Cox team spoke about being a driver: "We've got a lot of variables in the boat that I'm adjusting to try and reach maximum speed. Engine trim which is the angle of the engine to the back of the boat and then on our craft we have trim tabs which lengthen the boat at the stern and are adjustable up and down. Down brings the nose down but increases drag.

Richard Solomon has helped every event (Image: Newsquest)

"I've been involved in speed powerboat racing and record-breaking my entire life, because my father was involved and my grandfather." 

Long-time volunteer Richard Solomon said:  "I like the people that do it, I did it myself I held the national record for a while. It's just the joy of people really attempting things that they've never done before."

Mercury Racing travelled to the event from Berlin, with Hagen Jerzynski (left) and Stef Scheepers (right) (Image: Newsquest)