JERSEY’S Roy Smith has become the class 3C world offshore champion for the third time after a stunning comeback.

With Saturday following both the previous two days in being a complete washout, the championship came down to two races yesterday, one at 9.30 am with the second following four hours later. In the first, Smith, in his Condor Ferries batboat, and Italian Diego Testa were locked in a fierce battle for the whole race, with the Jerseyman missing out on the win by a margin of two seconds.

Going into the title decider, many onlookers thought Testa was the favourite after not having gone at full speed in the first race.

‘I knew we needed to put an extra position between the Italians and us, ‘ said Smith. ‘With six laps to go, I just put my foot down. It was a case of, “to hell with the consequences”. I always thought that we would do it, though, and it is a perfect way to cap off 25 years of racing, because I am going to retire now.’ The win sees him add to his two previous titles in Cape Town and Tvedestarnd in Norway.

• Picture: Roy Smith gets a champagne reception from his navigator Peter Philpson, left, and Italian driver Diego Testa. Picture by Tony Rive