Chatham teenager George Elmore has won the 2021 Circuit Powerboat Association GT30 British Championship gold medal.

The 16-year-old competed at the final round of the championship in Stewartby, Bedford, trailing the leader by two points. Previous rounds had been held at Lancashire and Oulton Broad.

With a strong fleet of competitors, Elmore knew he had his work cut out if he was to finish the Championship on top spot, to finish ahead of pre-race leader Ashley Penfold with 20 points up for grabs.

Elmore drove superbly to secure three second place finishes and a first in the final heat to secure himself the gold medal.

He said: “It’s been really close racing all season among a great fleet of racers.

“I knew there was a chance I could claim the title but I certainly had my work cut out for me and it went down to the last race of the season!

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to my team, family and supporters for all their hard work and dedication in helping me achieve my dreams.”

The GT30 Class - that sees teenagers of 14 upwards compete against adult counterparts - is a monohull boat and sees teams battle it out at speeds of around 40mph on an ever changing track as the water squalls and churns beneath them throughout the race. The British Championship sees the competitors battle it out over four heats of racing, two of which are handicapped, with all results to count.

Elmore’s latest success adds to that of his 2018 Championship title triumph.