F1 Powerboat star survives crash
International F1 Powerboat star Craig Bailey has survived a high speed accident while competing at the annual Bundy Thunder Powerboat Classic in Bundaberg over the weekend.
The accident occurred in race 3 when Bailey’s boat was flipped 360 degrees by a gust of wind. The boat came down hard and was severely damaged, although Bailey was able to free himself from the cockpit and swim to the surface where rescue divers took him to a waiting ambulance. He was then transferred to Bundaberg hospital with suspected spinal injuries, accompanied by his wife Janelle, where initial tests showed he had a fractured vertebrae and severe shoulder bruising.
47 year old Bailey had recently returned from China where he was competing for Team Qatar on the World F1 Circuit.
Originally a marine mechanic from Caringbah in Sydney, Bailey is the most successful Australian powerboat racer, having won the French F1 Grand Prix in 1990 and over 20 other national titles.
PIC: F1 Superboat racing can be a risky sport.