POWERBOAT star Ted Walsh has become British Formula Two Champion for the second-time in three years.

Leading since the early rounds he was able to throttle back a bit and take comfortable fourth places at last two events, at Oulton Broad, Norfolk, and Stewartby, Bedfordshire, yet still the title by a comfortable 10 point margin.

Walsh, 33, from Newby Bridge, decided to convert from car racing to power boats seven years ago, joined Windermere Motor Boat Racing Club to get started and has never looked back.

Now that he has powered his 200 horse-power Mercury-engined, catmaran-hulled speedster to a second British title he could be in line for a drive in the up-market world of Formula One, which in Europe, and in Italy in particular, attracts vast crowds and elevates drivers to celebrity status.

Ted said he has already had one or two tentative invitations, but for new drivers to the top flight the snag is those offers come with a second invitation to "bring your cheque book with you."

More immediately, however, he plans to compete at the Windermere week of water speed record attempts, from Monday, October 16, where he hopes to raise his own Formula Two world record of 122.91mph to "something more approaching 130mph."

He is also off to the Middle East to compete in their Formula Two series between January and May, where there is a chance to earn big money prizes.