Jason Mantripp, known to the paddock as “Trappy,” a nickname earned from friends who joked he could talk too much about anything, has spent three decades as one of the most recognisable voices in British circuit powerboat racing. This year, for the first time, he doesn’t know where that voice will be heard.
Lowestoft and Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club, Mantripp’s home circuit, confirmed on Friday, July 3, 2026 that there will be no on-water racing at Oulton Broad for the remainder of 2026, nearly a year on from the death of competitor Brett Duncan during a club championship round last July. That outcome had looked likely for months: the club had been unable to confirm whether the season would go ahead at all as far back as March. The Circuit Powerboat Association’s own leadership changed hands partly under that weight: Chris Loney’s resignation as CPA Chairman in May cited the LOBMBC situation directly, and Mantripp’s cousin, club commodore Peter Mantripp, has stepped in as Interim Chairman while the club works toward a return to racing.
JASON MANTRIPP
The last few months have been difficult, not knowing if we will hold another powerboat race at my home circuit.
A Letter to the Limelight
Mantripp’s commentary career began with a letter. As a young lad in 1985 he wrote to the then LOBMBC commodore, Geoff Mortimer, asking for a shot on the microphone. That season he cut his teeth calling the Junior classes alongside the late Bob Brister, believing at the time it was a one-off. It would be eight years before the opportunity properly returned.
The Fairford Turning Point
In 1993, watching a battle between Marc Rolls and Mike Ashton at Fairford in Gloucestershire, Mantripp remarked to his father that commentary was noticeably absent from the meeting. His father told him to stop talking about it and go and ask the organisers.
JASON MANTRIPP
I was promptly handed the mic.
He called every race that afternoon, again assuming it was a one-off. Word reached event organiser Robin Hurst, who invited him to assist at a major international meeting in Nottingham. From there, the work kept coming.
Racer First, Commentator Always
Mantripp took to the water himself in 2004, competing in the OSY400 hydroplane class, and remains an active and successful racer alongside his commentary work. He took the British title in 2016 and returned to the podium in 2025 with a runner-up finish behind James Bowman, following a spell away from competition.
He is no stranger to the sport’s risks. In October 2025 at Stewartby Lake, his hydroplane launched into a complete barrel-roll, caught mid-air in a photograph by Fred Emeny. He walked away unhurt.
Adapting to a Changing World
When the COVID-19 pandemic brought racing to a standstill, Mantripp took the sport online, hosting live-stream interviews with powerboat personalities to keep the community connected during lockdowns. He also commentated on international races from home, working with Powerboat News editor John Moore, who provided the live feed from event sites, keeping racing on screen through the lockdowns.
A Global Legacy and Giving Back
Mantripp became a fixture at venues including Chasewater, Carr Mill and Southport, and his commentary work reached the world stage on the F2 World Series, an opportunity he credits to Jeni Jelf’s backing. He has also commentated alongside Tiff Needell for the Powerboat GP series on Sky TV.
As a Director of the Fast on Water charity, Mantripp has worked to preserve the sport’s history, a role that has brought him into contact with childhood idols including American racing legend Bill Seebold. He interviewed Seebold at Bristol Docks in 2022, a venue Seebold once raced himself.
His commentary has also taken him overseas with the F1H2O paddock, including the 2018 Grand Prix of London.
A Family Affair
Racing at Oulton Broad runs in the family. Mantripp raced as an OSY team with cousin Simon Mantripp, whose son Tate became the youngest ever Coniston Records Week speed record holder before winning the 2025 GT15 UK Masters Championship. His cousin Peter’s son, Thomas Mantripp, has taken the family onto the international stage, racing F-250 in the UIM Hydro GP World Championship and claiming his first world championship podium with third place at Żnin in 2026.
An Uncertain Future
With racing at Oulton Broad confirmed off for the rest of 2026, Mantripp describes the recent period as unsettled. He has reflected on the possibility of a move to Stewartby, recalling the days when the late John Tassel would simply dangle microphones out of the timing box window and let commentators talk all weekend.
He has commentated alongside Phil Willeard, a partnership dating back to 1993, and alongside teammates Jason Peek and Paul Goodman. He has also mentored younger drivers at the club, including Jason Peek, who has credited Mantripp as a significant influence on his own racing career.
JASON MANTRIPP
Whatever I end up doing, I can reflect on the great times and the great people who have become dear friends. Let’s see what happens in the next few years.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
