ROBIN Wickham won the Scottish Grand Prix last weekend to maintain his standing of British Number One in Zapcat racing, writes Stephen Birley.

Sidford resident Wickham and his co-pilot James Roberts, landed the Scottish title at Edinburgh and he hopes very much to continue his current status and end the season in top spot.

The 41-year-old has always had a passion for various water sports but was drawn to the specific sport of Zapcat racing some five years ago when he visite4d the Boat Show.

He took an instant shine after watching a presentation and was quickly into the action. It’s a dangerous sport – his current co-pilot is his third in as many years and the last one suffered a triple fracture of his arm!

Wickham explained saying: “I was with a great friend of mine, Graham Hay at the Boat Show and we saw this presentation and decided that it was the sort of thing we’d both like to do. Unfortunately in a race at Watergate Bay Graham suffered a nasty injury which curtailed his involvement. I am now teamed up with James (Roberts) and things are going very well.”

Explaining just what draws him to the sport he says: “Its part adrenalin rush and very much part of taking on the elements as we race the Zapcat’s in all sorts of conditions. It has certainly become a lot more straightforward this season now that we are able to operate in particular weight divisions whereas previously the racing was very much all-in and it meant the lighter crews were clearly at an advantage.

Wickham, who has also spent time living ion both Ottery St Mary and Exmouth, is keen to see the sport get an even greater profile. He says: “It’s not yet one of the more highly profiled of the water sports but I think that will change. Certainly the main objective for James and I this season to finish the campaign as the top riders and then we can set a new target.”

The season ends in early October when, hopefully, one of our very own from this part of the Country will be at the top of his sport!