Rouen 24-hour powerboat race

[Lensflare]

I thought I had posted some of these.No media pass needed, all these were taken from the public viewing areas. The 24-heurmotonautique runs each year on the 1st May and is one of the most mental powerboat races in the world...F1 boats doing over 120mph whilst commercial traffic is still ploughing the river. I got shots one year of the two leading boats dicing it out, between two coal barges, one going upstream and one going downstream. That was in the days of film and on E6. The boats are just as quick now, and when the tide turns the waves build under the bridge, these boats are designed for flat water! The drivers have melons for balls, the engines are built for reliability as well as power. They can be rebuilt, but you are not allowed to change the block, so if you lose a conrod, it is all over for another year.Gearboxes, sinkings, heads - no problem, just get towed back and patch it up and get back out and circulate.

The night shots were taken with no flash whatsoever, just the ambient light from a set of arc lights.

 

[sbowler579]

The first and last work very well there Simon, but I don't think there is a bad shot in this set, Looks a superb event to witness.