The two-day Big Race Weekend hosted by Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club returned to Carr Mill Dam in St Helens in spectacular style.
A full schedule of testing and racing drew large crowds to the Dam, as some of the Formula 2 catamarans hit speeds of 100mph.
The event featured a wide range of powerboat classes, from junior monohulls to high-speed hydroplanes.
LPRC is unique in being the only UK powerboating club to own its own water as well as its own clubhouse.
Every CPA national class were invited to the circuit, including teams using the weekend to prepare for upcoming international events.
Saturday began with testing and timed practice sessions, followed by a schedule of racing in the afternoon and across Sunday.
The course at Carr Mill mostly drew praise from the drivers.
Mette Bjerknes, F2 pilot for JRM racing and winner of the 2025 Carr Mill National, said: “It’s my favourite in the UK.
“You’ve got really tight turns, but you also have long straits, so you get to test your top speed, your acceleration.
“Because the circuit is also so tricky, you get to test your driving skill as well, so it’s got the full package”
Driver Aiden Dunnigan said: “It throws a little challenge at you (Carr Mill), it gets very washy at times, so it can throw you off.”
Chris Loney was the winner of the Mixed Class Clubman, alongside Riley Hudson winning the GT15, Jamie Atlee winning the GT30, and Bill Owen winning the T850.
Owen, also commodore of LPRC, said: “There’s all levels of experience here, brand new drivers, international drivers and everything between, I’ve been doing it for 50 years and still enjoying it.
“We’ve got people of different echelons of the sport, and they like the water because it’s unique, it’s got a right hand turn which very few waters have.”
Speaking on the high turnout of children and teenagers at the event, he said: “It’s brilliant, these are the future of the sport.
“It’s a different type of racing, what you see is people practicing to better their skills in the boat, but also to get better positions in national racing or internationals.”
Boats will next test the waters of the Dam on 16th May on a Test & Training Day.
(Featured pic by Sam Nicholson)
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