Local karter claims first British championship win (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Local karter claims first British championship win

MORETON-in-Marsh racer Will Waterman made an outstanding start to the 2005 British Karting Champion-ships by taking his first-ever win in the competition on Sunday.

After setting the pace in practice, Waterman charged from the back of the grid to finish tenth in the first race at the Buckmore Park circuit in Kent.

He then beat eventual the grand final winner, Jordan Williams, to win the day's second race.

It marked Waterman's first British Championship victory after just one full season of national competition.

The 14-year-old was then unfortunate to get caught in a multi-kart pile-up at the start of race three.

Nonetheless, he still managed to finish the race despite suffering damaged steering and bodywork.

The accident meant that Waterman missed out on a certain front-row grid for the final race of the weekend.

He instead had to start from ninth position and immediately dropped to 12th during a chaotic first lap.

Even so, Waterman soon picked up the pace and guided his 70mph, 100cc machine back up to seventh place before the race was cut short, following an accident involving three other drivers.

"That was great!" enthused Waterman after the race. "I really enjoyed myself today and it's just shown me that I can challenge for more race wins and maybe even the championship.

"It was a pity I got off to a bad start in the final, but we were as quick as the leaders and with a few more laps, I think I could have got up to fifth or sixth."

Waterman arrived at the event off the back of a string of good results at club level, having taken two wins and second and fourth-place finishes from his previous four races.

His next event comes at the Whilton Mill circuit in Northamptonshire on Sunday, March 27, where Waterman will be the current championship leader.

He will then contest the next round of the British Karting Championships at Fulbeck, Lincolnshire, on April 24.