Oct. 16, 2014, 10:08 p.m.
DEVONPORT teenager Georgia Palmer is set to make history as she races to be the fastest woman on the water next weekend.
GIRL POWER: Devonport power boat driver Georgia Palmer (front), who is hopeful of setting an Australian speed record, is pictured with crew members (from left) Peter Jamieson, along with Rose and Grace Palmer. Picture: Stuart Wilson.
DEVONPORT teenager Georgia Palmer is set to make history as she races to be the fastest woman on the water next weekend.
Miss Palmer has been racing powerboats since she was eight years old and next weekend she will be attempting to achieve the 100-miles-per-hour badge that will see her achieve an average of 160km/h over a planned course.
Her speed will be measured as her average speed over the two-kilometre course.
If she succeeds, Miss Palmer will have broken three records, according to proud father Chris Palmer.
She would have broken the six-litre record and be the youngest woman in Australia and the first woman in Tasmania to achieve the badge.
Powerboats are in the Palmer family blood and while Miss Palmer said she would be looking forward to breaking the record, there was one more thing she was looking forward to.
“There’s a jumper, we have to wear it if we get the badge; it’s pink and it’s knitted. I think my cousin knitted it,” Miss Palmer said with a laugh.
Miss Palmer’s boat, Junior Outlaw, is emblazoned with the faces of her and her sisters dressed as outlaws and is worth between $50,000 and $100,000.
The boat, which was built in New Zealand, is propelled by the same type of engine that fuels Nascars in the US.
Miss Palmer said she had always been competitive and said she loved the element of speed involved with the powerboats.
“I just love to drive, anything really, but I also love to win,” she said.
At the weekend, Miss Palmer said she hoped she would beat her friend, who lives on the mainland and recently completed the badge.
“I just really want to get faster than him.”
Miss Palmer described the feeling of getting behind the wheel of a powerboat as intense.
“It’s really intense. When you start, you get thrown back against the chair, it’s amazing,” she said.
Miss Palmer said there was always an element of fear involved with racing powerboats.
“You can’t be scared but you can’t be stupid; you have to be at least a little bit nervous so you take the proper care,” she said.
Father Chris Palmer said motorsport was a great way of keeping families together and said he was proud of his daughter for attempting the badge.
He said that learning how to handle a powerboat had given all three of his daughters valuable skills that transferred into real life, such as driving a car.
About four or five powerboats will attempt various badge honours next Saturday at Horsehead Creek from 11am.
Originally published at www.theadvocate.com.au on October 16, 2014.
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