Thundercat Inflatables Win

[Rib Racing]

The results for the World Cup 2009 are in and Thundercat Inflatables Take out Two Titles in the Modified class with Lionel Ball Winning and Gordon Butler in the Standard class S2 ELCAZET'S. Full results to follow soon with images.

[Talbot]

Unofficially the results of the 2009 World Championships are as follows with South Africans taking the first 3 positions in each class:

MODIFIED 1)Lionel Ball/Bongani Ndesi -Thundercat(the brand)
2)Mike Hatting-Aquarius
3)Murray Elliot-XTM Predator

BLUEPRINT 1)Dylan Cloete/Lyndon Collins-Aquarius
2)Jacques Turner/Mark Van Niekerk-Aquarius
3)George vanBalen/Bradley Smith-Aquarius

STANDARD 1)Gordon Butler-Thundercat(the brand)
2)Eugene Vorster/Kosie Taljaard-Aquarius
3)Brendon D'Amaral/Daryl Rheeders-Aquarius

All above competitors are coastal boys with the exception of Gordon Butler who hails from Klerksdorp(more than 1000km inland)....good show.

Thundercat takes 2 out of 9 and Aquarius takes 7 out of nine.

[Talbot]

Unofficially the results of the 2009 World Championships are as follows with South Africans taking the first 3 positions in each class:

MODIFIED 1)Lionel Ball/Bongani Ndesi -Thundercat(the brand)
2)Mike Hatting-Aquarius
3)Murray Elliot-XTM Predator

BLUEPRINT 1)Dylan Cloete/Lyndon Collins-Aquarius
2)Jacques Turner/Mark Van Niekerk-Aquarius
3)George vanBalen/Bradley Smith-Aquarius

STANDARD 1)Gordon Butler-Thundercat(the brand)
2)Eugene Vorster/Kosie Taljaard-Aquarius
3)Brendon D'Amaral/Daryl Rheeders-Aquarius

All above competitors are coastal boys with the exception of Gordon Butler who hails from Klerksdorp(more than 1000km inland)....good show.

Thundercat takes 2 out of 9 and Aquarius takes 7 out of nine.

[reconrider]

Well done Thundercat!


Revised breakdown:

2 to Thundercat
6 to Aqaurius
1 to Xtreme Predator

[rjb]

Good stuff. A real pity the press coverage seems to be so piss poor. Hardly a mention - anywhere. Happy to see my Aquarius with a bunch of spots (although I'm sure its more pilot+crew+setup than kit). Does 'Thundercat' (the brand) have a website? Been searching in my quest for info, but can't seem to find it.

[Talbot]

Thanks for the correction reconrider...an oversight by me.

Lionel Ball is the owner of Thundercat inflatables...his email is thundercat@absamail.co.za...unfortunately no web page.Similarly Murray Elliot is the owner of XTM inflatables...unfortunately no web page.

Just goes to show...the guys who build these boats also know how to use them.Rowan Hawkes does not actively compete anymore, due to his business commitments of attending the major races as a vendor,however he is a multiple national champion who is a capable driver too.

IN previous threads I have mentioned the Thundercat brand...they are worth looking at.Many blokes are staring to look closer at them now.

[reconrider]

I used to race against Lionel and Roy Ball (Thundercat) in the early 90's and they are a great bunch of guys. From what I hear.... Their boats would be even better if there was some form of QA w/regards to build quality, as we all know they perform well.

It's also nice to see that the Wildcard entrants done so well. Any ideas how Greg Upton went? Was kind of expecting him to clean up.

[Talbot]

I am not sure where Roy Ball and Greg Upton placed.I do know that Barry Marx(also on a Thundercat brand) placed 4th.So yes the wild cards totally dominated the Modified division.

I have seen up close plenty of Thundercat brand hulls....nothing wrong and can't fault the build quality.Even inland where I live and race most racers use Aquarius and Thundercat brand hulls.That does not mean there is anything wrong with the other brands...they are good...a good crew can drive any rig well...the driver and co-driver element will always be there.If it was made in South Africa the quality is good...I really mean that.

Carl

[Thomasj]

Barry took my rig for a run around Straddie when he was over here. Took my paper thin Merc cleaver over a sandbank Was not funny! hehe Then I am told he has 30-40 props!!!

I wish we had a racing scene like you guys.

[Talbot]

Small world Thomas,I did not know you have met Barry.Barry,just like Phil Louw are as competent inland racers as they what they are in the surf.

Barry is our club chairman and even though he takes racing seriously..and by that I mean he has 2 or three boats and more than a few engines and props at any given time,he is always putting back into the sport and helps new guys and will assist anyone who asks by among other things finding you equipment,rigs,propellers etc.

Racing is serious among competitors so sometimes there is no love lost between them ,for obvious reasons.I have no reason to be antagonistic towards Barry and find him to be a fine bloke when you get to know him........dunno if that will change if I go modified in the future as I intend to do.....ha ha ha .

Inland racers are not afraid to travel long distances to enjoy our game and even though we live far from the coast we give our utmost in the surf since we do not have the luxury of having the surf in our back yard and time to practice regularly in it.

I travel a minimum of 600 km to and from any inland race and practice on my own and never see other pencil ducks around my neck of the woods.But hey the thrill and excitement of racing make everything worthwhile.

Carl Talbot

[Talbot]

This long haul race is held inland in the middle of winter...hence the name...and it is particularly cold so that there is literally ice on the boats at night.

Carl

[mike.dean]

Thanx for attaching PDF file, will be useful just downloaded. Thank you for all great stuff here.