A power boat marathon

The London to Monte Carlo Power Boat Marathon—which is closely akin to the spirit of pre-war motor racing—takes place from June 10th-24th. HRH Princes Margaret will start this 2,700-mile sea marathon from the Thames in London and Prince Rainier and Princess Grace will see the finish at Monaco. The route, in 14 stages, goes round the coasts of Britain, France, Spain, Portugal and Monaco. Over 50 entries are expected. Ford, who are no strangers to marathons, having won the 1970 London-Mexico and 1972 Safari on land, have entered the Ford Powerboat Team, consisting of a 45 ft. all-steel Cammenga racing cruiser “Ford Cammenga” powered by four Ford turboplus engines developing over 1,000 h.p. crewed by Timo Makinen, Watson, Morris and Mayes, a 32 ft Senior Marine glass-fibre racing cruiser “Ford Express”, crewed by Lady Aitken, the Countess of Arron, Miller and Wilde, and a 45 ft. Vosper-Thorneycroft alloy racing cruiser “Nanti-Ford”, crewed by Betteridge, Frost, Ashton and Coombes. Ford also have three more ”works” boats, “Gee”, “HTS” and “Titanic Too” of the Ford Sport-Shead Team! All the Ford boats will have Ford marine racing diesel engines developed from their 6-litre truck and ‘bus power units. — W. B.