JERSEY’S Roy Smith made a dream comeback to 2-litre offshore powerboat racing at the weekend.

Smith, who teamed up with navigator Scott Hodges for the first time in six years aboard his Condor Ferries boat, won the final heat of the national championship by 16 seconds at Cowes, Isle of Wight, on Saturday.

Smith was national and world champion in 2003 but had a poor season last year.

This was his first race since last October and follows a hip replacement less than three months ago.

Smith, now 52, said: ‘I was very, very pleased.

I’m pleased my health is good enough to take part.

It was a big test for me and I put myself through the wringer but I didn’t feel any pain or discomfort at all.

‘Scott and myself gelled immediately, although the sea conditions were testing with a calm section and a rough section on the course.

But it was a good comeback.’ He now goes on to the world championship in Jesola, Italy with the first of three races on 15 September.