Horse trainer killed in high-speed powerboat race crash

A powerboat racer was killed in a high-speed crash off the coast of Dorset.

Kevin Edmondson, 53, died from severe head injuries after being hit by the propeller of another boat that drove over his in a 80mph collision.

Mr Edmondson, a multi-millionaire horse trainer who ran a farm in Kent, had been competing in the Offshore Circuit Racing Drivers Association race at West Bay, near Bridport, Dorset, on Sunday.

Just before the collision, another boat driver at the same event suffered concussion when his boat flipped over.

Mr Edmondson’s co-pilot, his girlfriend Annika Hawthorne, was alongside him at the time.

She escaped injury but had to be treated for shock.

Police launched an investigation but are not treating the death as suspicious.

The two competitors in the other boat escaped uninjured.

Mr Edmondson, a father-of-two, had been with Ms Hawthorne, a jockey, for around 20 years.

His daughter, Demi Edmondson, said her heart was “completely broken” in a tribute to her father on social media.

She wrote: “[I] cannot thank everyone enough for your kind words and messages at this time.

“Dad you truly are one in a million, I cannot put into words how much I’m going to miss you. RIP you absolute legend.”

Tom Montgomery-Swan, a powerboat racing champion, said Mr Edmondson’s death was a shock to the whole powerboating community.

He said: “[Kevin] was a dedicated family man, a lover of powerboat racing. He raced for a number of years, and had a number of people ... that really admired him.

“He had a lot of friends within the sport. The whole of the sport has recognised his passing.”

“It’s a horrible accident that shook the community.”

Mr Montgomery-Swan, who was made British Champion last year, went on to say that deaths in the sport are generally very rare.

“Obviously there are risk factors involved,” he said, “exactly the same as any other motor sport, from go-karting to Formula 1.

“However, generally speaking, safety is very high. This is a racing accident, the same as two motorbikes colliding, or somebody falling off race horse. These things happen in every sport.”

Mr Edmondson would often spend his summers on boating trips with his girlfriend,  Ms Hawthorne, neighbours said on Tuesday.

They had lived together at Denstead Stud Farm near Canterbury, Kent, for some 16 years, they said.

He also built horse boxes at the yard and turned his hand to several odd jobs.

Detective Sergeant Dave Wise of Dorset police, said: "Our thoughts are with the man's family at this difficult time.

"We are now carrying out an investigation into the full circumstances of the incident on behalf of the coroner.

"The collision occurred at a very busy time of the day just off the West Bay coast and I am appealing to anyone who saw what happened or was perhaps filming the race at the time and has footage to please contact Dorset Police.

"I would like to thank everyone who has so far come forward to assist with the investigation."