Powering On: Shelley Jory-Leigh

Shelley Jory-Leigh is a totally fearless character who has achieved a great deal in her half century! British and World Record Powerboat Champion, TV Presenter, Charity Ambassador, Motivational Speaker and Successful Businesswoman, with the potential, later in the year, to add another accolade to the list.

She has been lucky enough to have always had the Solent as her back yard! However in her early 20s she enjoyed it more as her personal pleasure playground: water-skiing and chilling out with friends on their speed boats - and occasionally casting a glance as the Cowes - Torquay - Cowes Powerboat Race took place. She loved the way the boats appeared to fly across the water, but never did she think she would one day swap her ski’s for a powerboat! Although the seed had been clearly sown, she didn’t feel it was within her reach, she assumed it was a millionaires club – until she discovered that she could actually enter at low level, in the production class, which is what she did. It began as a hobby at the weekends nothing more. It wasn’t long, however, before other racers realised she was a good team player, organised, tough, and very well prepared for all the races. She started to be asked by other team owners to join their teams and race with them. She credits some of her inspiration to these men who put their trust in her to race alongside them, and she was determined she would not let them down. She never did!

Fast forward to 2005, and Shelley winning the British Honda Powerboat Championships. She was over the moon: “My all-girl

team of 2 beat 40 men! We then finished on the podium for the next 3 seasons proving it was not a fluke. I then moved up to the World Championships being the first woman ever to compete in the Powerboat P1 Evolution Class in 2008, these were fabulous times”.

More honours and accolades followed, including a 9 year presenting stint with Sir Robin Knox Johnston for BBC Radio Solent on their program The H2o Show, until a serious racing accident in 2010 brought her career to an abrupt stop. She was competing for the World Title at the time. It was a nasty crash and made the sporting headlines in the National Press. Pictures of her battered and bruised face and body did not make for a pretty picture. Shelley battled through the pain and fully recovered. Not surprisingly, she was tempted to retire, but her strong will and desire to succeed trumped any negative thoughts about throwing-in-the-towel! She continued to race for a few more years, once again winning titles, such as a World Speed Record on Coniston Waters before deciding the time was right to move into the management side, coaching, directing and running some the top teams in the world of powerboat racing.

In 2013 she was very honoured to be asked to join the younger brethren of Trinity House where, even today, she still feels she is out of her league, surrounded by Lords, Admirals, Dames and Captains of Cunard. She is also a proud ambassador for Universal Marina, where she looks after the social media and PR for the Marina and is spokesman for all the berth holders. The lure of the sea and the excitement of racing, meant she could never say never and in 2016 she became the highest placed British woman driver in the historic and renowned Cowes – Torquay – Cowes Powerboat Race, finishing second in the toughest powerboat race in the world. On that particular race 14 boats left Cowes and only 2 finished in very rough conditions - Shelley drove the second boat home.

2021 promises to be a big year for Shelley! First of all it’s the 60th anniversary of the Cowes – Torquay – Cowes Endurance Race, which was the first ever powerboat race started all those years ago by Sir Max Aikin. Shelley will be competing in this race for the 10th time and is still proud to hold ‘the highest placed woman to finish the race in second place’ accolade in 2016.

The second big event for 2021 - and in true Shelley style it involves speed - is the Magnolia Cup at the Qatar Goodwood horse racing event. This is an annual all-female race, with the criteria for selection being women who have excelled in all areas of their individual careers, bringing together a female collective that are the best of the best! Shelley used to ride when she was a child and had recently

taken up the sport again when she was asked to participate. For the last 6 months she has thrown herself into a gruelling training schedule in the horse world. One thing is for sure, this won’t be just a bit of fun, Shelley is in it to win it and is determined to add the winners medal to her long list of achievements. Watch this space!

A shout out for Shelley’s loyal sponsors ANDARK Diving and Watersports, Drivers Dry Berthing who have supported her for 15 years and her newest sponsor SIMRAD Yachting Sponsorship is so important in racing, powerboat racing does not yield any fi nancial gain when you win, so in order to compete you need to have good sponsors behind you. These have all made it possible for Shelley to continue to drive herself forward and be up there amongst the elite.

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