Talented Harrogate 15-year is world champion in thrilling and risk-laden sport of hovercraft racing

Protected by body armer, a buoyancy aide and helmet, Josh Morales triumphed in the junior section of the World Championships in Sweden.

Held earlier this month at at Flottsbro, near Stockholm, the student at St Aidan's Church of England High School in Harrogate has been racing in the UK championship since he was 11-years-old and has twice been a British winner.

But his parents Fran and Tricia say they are particularly proud of his latest major achievement in a sport which is akin to auto racing, except, of course, that hovercraft racing is run partly on land and partly on water.

"It’s been rollercoaster experience to say the least," said Fran.

"We started planning for the World Championships back in 2020, for the event had been postponed twice due to Covid, finally being confirmed for this year.

"The trip to Sweden was going to be expensive and long way, so we clubbed together with some fellow hovercrafters, placing a total of eight hovercrafts into a 40ft container, with some strapped to inside walls with especially-made brackets and a whole load of tools and spares.

"Once we got there, Josh’s competitive spirit and focus never wavered throughout the competition.

"It was a true test of his nerves."

The talented Josh, who also plays rugby union for the Harrogate under-16’s team, came out tops in his air-cushion vehicle or ACV in all five races across three days in an event run by the World Hovercraft Federation.

That was despite tragedy striking in the very early stage when fellow young British racer Daniel Newton from Blackburn was involved in a tragic racing accident in which he died, despite the best efforts of efforts of marshals and paramedics.

"Hovercraft racing is great fun with all the spills and thrills of motorsport," said Josh's father Fran.

"But, as with most motor sports, it does carry an element of risk.

"Josh’s craft will reach speeds of 50mph and the more senior F1 can easily get up 75-plus mph, all this with no brakes."=

The new world champion picked up the bug for hovercraft racing at a young age.

It turns out the sport is a bit of family thing.

His dad first took up hovercrafts in 2006, the year Josh was born, while his older brother Arran started in 2013 and has since enjoyed major success at an international level.

When now racing abroad, Josh now competes in race meetings all across the UK.

The first meeting each year in the UK is held in May, at Allerton, just off the A1 near Harrogate.

But hovercrafts are unlikely to turn into a long-term career for Josh or anyone else in this daring family.

"Looking forward, Josh would very much like to be involved in sport, perhaps a coach or a physio," said Fran.

"His ultimate dream is professional rugby but it can’t be hovercraft racing for there’s no money in that, only thrills and fun."

Hovercraft Racing is regarded as a family-friendly sport with many roles to keep all the family happy, such as marshalling, mechanics, spectators and racers.

In recent years the Junior formula has grown from strength-to-strength.