EXPECT some wet and wild racing off the coast of Blackpool this weekend (July 21) as the National Powerboat Grand Prix 2001 roars into town for its penultimate event of the year.

The world's largest one-design offshore powerboat championship, the Honda Formula 4-Stroke series (HFFS), sees 17 identical boats, including Eddie Jordan's "EJ-10", battling out rounds seven and eight of this highly competitive series.

Both races are crucial to the 2001 season which sees no less than five teams currently at the top of the championship table. The Honda competitors come from all over the country, including a few from the North West.

Elinor Haines from Rossendale, Lancashire, won the last two rounds and is currently lying second in the championship.

"I'm looking forward to Blackpool although the pressure's on and we can't afford to suffer a technical problem or a bad race. I'm especially nervous as we won both races in Ramsgate so I'm worried that our luck will run out!"

"This will only be my fifth race ever and I'm surprised I got this far after my 'baptism of fire' in Cowes last year. I winded myself after just 30 minutes but had to keep racing for the remainder of a gruelling two-hour event. Fingers crossed it won't be that rough in Blackpool!"

Steve Curtis, three-times World Class 1 Offshore Powerboat Champion and HFFS Series Organiser, believes that the Blackpool races will be awesome both to race in and to watch.

"There's no doubt that the tension is mounting surrounding the Blackpool races and I can't wait for them to begin.

"The beauty of Blackpool is that the course is long and varied but tight to the shore so it makes great viewing for spectators. I might even be tempted to get in a boat myself!"

Round 7 of the racing starts on Saturday (July 21) at 11.30am and will continue with round 8 on Sunday at 11am.