The kids are back at school, summer is a distant memory but there’s a buzz about Coniston this week.
The hills above the village may be swathed in low cloud but a high-pressure weather zone means the water is flat calm, ideal conditions for the annual Coniston Records Week.
The 52nd event has drawn good numbers both to take part in the competition and view the spectacle on what organisers say is the ‘spiritual home’ of water speed records.
“After half term, visitors to the records week are very welcome!” James Bullen, parish councillor and owner of Coniston Fudge, Gifts and Gallery says. “I’d estimate trade is up by around 40%.”
Just around the corner is the main waterside car park, a hive of activity as crews tune their craft before taking to the waiting lake.
The event moved to Coniston following the introduction of the speed limit on Windermere in 2005, welcome news for the Bluebird Café.
“It means a lot to us, it’s nice to see young and old taking part and it’s lovely to see them breaking records,” Amy Dixon who not only manages the café but also serves on Coniston’s Business Forum.
“It’s a great week – there’s a great vibe, great buzz and the people have come here from all over the country as well as Europe.”
Phil Johnston from the Coppermines Lakes Cottages is a long-time supporter of the event and says Coniston now has more appeal than ever for those looking to visit during race week and afterwards.
“It’s also the perfect opportunity for those visitors to take a short trip away from the water to see Donald Campbell’s famous Bluebird K7 which after a long campaign is now housed in the nearby Ruskin Museum,” he says.
The famous hydroplane, which crashed in 1967 and lay in Coniston Water for decades, returned to its spiritual home of Coniston earlier this year and is housed in a special wing at the museum.
A team of 60 volunteers bring the event together. Preparations for next year’s event will get underway as soon as the final high-speed run has taken place.
“The team take holidays to come to the Lake District purely to allow people to break records,” event chairman Alison Whalley says. Without the volunteers, who come from all walks of life, the event wouldn’t happen.
On the opening morning records soon began to fall. The first competitor to tackle the kilometre run, Thomas Mantripp from Lowestoft, is already a well-established world and British national record breaker in Junior Monohull classes and more recently, multiple hydroplane classes.
On Monday he set a new world and British national record of 106.42mph taking his speed record tally to four world record and five British national records.
The event’s youngest competitor, 13-year-old Poppy Stewart also from Lowestoft, made several attempts throughout the opening day in her boat named Poptastic before breaking the GT15 World and British National record at a top speed of 40.52mph.
She’s expected to increase this later in the week.
Possibly the most experienced competitor attending this week is Bob Wartinger from Seattle.
Born in 1945 and currently the holder of 142 records, he’s relishing the opportunity to enjoy what he describes as ‘the spiritual home’ of record setting.
“This is the equivalent of the Bonneville salt flats where it’s a week-long event,” Bob says. “This is the only place in the world where you can run for more than two days – the whole week is amazing.”
During his time in Cumbria he’s staying with Helen Loney and her family.
Helen, of Kendal, is the current holder of the Ladies Outright British National Record and has enjoyed gaining advice from her experienced high-speed housemate.
“I started off being co-pilot for my husband but then wanted to go my own way and kept going and started coming to records week,” Helen says.
But does she think about the dangers? “It’s always in my mind, every time you got out there you always think of Donald Campbell. My grandad was a timekeeper and timed some his runs. I can imagine he (Campbell) got completely engrossed in it because the adrenaline starts pumping and it is addictive in a way.”
As president of the Safety and Medical Commission of the Union of International Motorboating, Bob keeps a close eye on procedures and works with organisers around the world to ensure the sport is as safe as possible.
And his advice may well be paying off. On Monday Helen competed in her Phantom Monohull boat called Bolero in two classes and set records in both.
Firstly in the GT Monohull Unlimited (Mono Over 1.3 litre) class Helen set a new British National record at 73.90mph. Later in the day, Helen entered the boat in the Group A (HOCR) Sports Boats Max 300HP class and set a new World and British National record of 74.44mph.
Also enjoying their time on the lake were Team Endeavour Racing, an organisation set up to use the sport as a way of helping wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans into future work or training.
“They’re mainly people that have had PTSD but also amputees and we try and change their outlook on life,” Clive Lewis from the team, who are planning to bring members to the event next year, says. “It’s a very special place. It’s the home of power boat racing and has a special place in many people’s hearts.”
Businesses and competitors hope it will stay that way for many years to come.
Attempts will continue on Coniston until 2pm on Friday.
