A WOMAN'S WORLD?

You could be forgiven for thinking that powerboating is a male-dominated sport. However, the all-women Eclipse team had the last laugh in Galway, halting Premier Cru's winning streak and giving themselves a lifeline in the 150 class title hunt.

Rose Lores got into the sport after former employers Honda gave her the chance to take the wheel of a powerboat, and she "loved it so much" that she had not a moment's hesitation to go racing.

Along with team-mate Sara Cureton, the dynamic duo conquered a field made up mostly of men at the Around Ireland Festival, taking gold in race three.

"When we won in Galway, it was not at all on my mind that we were women and we had won, I was just over the moon with our performance. The pressure is on now - we will probably have to win every round of the season to beat John [Wilson] and Neil [Scarborough]," she said.

P1 Superstock is unique in that women have the chance to take the fight to the guys at the highest level, unlike Formula One or the World Rally Championship, and creates a platform for them to become world beaters.

Team Eclipse are fully focused on repeating their Galway success and it is this eyes on the prize mentality that has been instilled in Rose since childhood, not any notion that women should be treated differently due to their physicality.
  

"I am just an out-and-out petrol and someone who prefers doing to watching. I'm not one of those people who thinks that because I am a woman things should be different. When I was growing up, my father taught me not to think about it and I never have. If anything, I feel this behaviour would distance women in the sport," she added.

"Although, if I am stuck with something on the boat, I can always use the girl thing to play up to the guys and get them to help," Rose joked.  "The camaraderie between the teams is one of the best things about Superstock."

It is this almost family environment in the P1 SuperStock Championship that is the standout feature of powerboat racing for Rose, and also the fact that it is affordable enough for anybody to get a team together and take to the water.

"I think the accessibility of the sport is really attractive. It's not like Formula One for example where it is down to selection. Anyone, no matter who you are, can buy a boat and go racing."

Eclipse is in with a shout of the 150 class crown and their success could pave the way for more women to get into SuperStock. But Rose would just like to see more people getting involved to grow the sport and raise its profile.

"Of course, more women in the sport would be great but we just want more people generally to compete and sponsor. I was fortunate to try a boat out for free and allowing people the chance to have a go is the key for the future." 

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