Ormskirk powerboat driver's bid for F2 world championship glory
A British powerboat driver, who reaches speeds of up to 120mph when he competes, says the sport is a "huge adrenaline rush" - but his mum can't watch his races in person.
Matt Palfreyman, from Ormskirk, is hoping for back-to-back wins as he travels to Lithuania for the second round of the F2 World Powerboat Championship.
The 32-year-old dad, and member of the Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club, claimed victory in the opening round of the competition in Italy in June, beating teams from Sweden, France, Norway and Abu Dhabi.
But the competitive amateur sport is not for the faint-hearted, with Matt admitting his own mum will not watch him compete at high speeds.
"My mum comes to the races but she'll watch it on a live-stream on her phone - it's a bit baffling for me", Matt said. "It is an adrenalin rush. We've done the record run in boats at 138mph, but that is just holding on for dear life."
Matt drives for Team Kingfisher, owned and managed by businessman and fellow powerboat driver Ian Blacker, and trains at Carr Mill Dam, near St Helens.
When the team competed in Brindisi, Italy, Matt says he felt "right at home" because the conditions on the water were choppy, but he was not prepared for the heat.
He said: "I think it was 35 degrees and we had a weather warning, plus you're in a fireproof suit in an enclosed cockpit - you can add another 15 degrees at least.
"But to be honest when your helmet is on and you're in the race, you're just trying to beat whoever is in front of you and get to the end of the race."
"You can't beat the feeling of winning and being the best," said Ian Blacker. "There's a team that's sponsored by the Abu Dhabi government and a team sponsored by the Saharsa government and we beat them."
Power-boating is a highly regulated sport and, in order to operate at high speeds, drivers have to pass an annual "dunk test" to ensure they can escape the cockpit if the vessel flips on water.
"Simulated and the real thing are two completely different things", Matt explains. "When I was competing last year, with five laps to go, we did end up losing and putting it over backwards.
"Suddenly you can see sky and the you can see water and then sky again. There are a lot of safety features to keep you safe but I promise you they don't come into your head in the moment - you're just trying to get out."
The second round of the F2 World Powerboat Championships take place in Lithuania from Thursday, 17 June, with the final scheduled between 12-14 September in Portugal.
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