TEN new world water speed records were set as power boaters from across Europe took part in the 48th annual records week on Coniston Water.

And records apart, the week will be remembered for one thing – the flat calm conditions which meant there were very few times the water restricted the type of craft on the run.

That made it a busy week for the timekeepers, with no lost time due to the weather, as speed machines from tiny hydroplanes to big offshore boats from around the United Kingdom and beyond launched on the lake – known as the ‘spiritual home of water speed record breaking’.

Coniston Records Week is the only event in the UK where all disciplines of powerboat craft can be seen competing together and as well as ten new world records set there were 12 UK national records - two Danish, one Irish and one Belgian.

Peter Hart, from Windermere Motorboat Racing Club, ran all week in the VP2.75 class in a bid to top 100mph and beat his own record from previous years. He set a new national record at 101.15mph.

The youngest competitor of the week was Thomas Mantripp, 17, from Lowestoft, who entered three classes following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps.

Thomas had already won the British national championship in the GT30 class but his biggest success of the week was in the O175 Hydroplane class with a new world and national record at 89mph.

Television personality Edd China also took part – joining Gibbs development engineer Rob Clemas to take to the water in the Gibbs amphibious Equada, an electric amphicar.

Mr Gibbs managed to establish a new national record in the amphibious electric class at 28.70mph.

Club racing is the grass roots of British powerboat racing and relative newcomer Chris Dakin, who races at Lancashire Powerboat Racing Club, had his first dip at record breaking on Coniston.

The 56-year-old was powered by a Yamaha 90 engine as he established a national record at 57.53mph and as a first time British speed record breaker was awarded a Silver K7 star.