Mercury 115 Pro XS powers Motorvated Racing to victory in UIM Class 3A World Championship

Posted on:26/07/2016

The new Mercury 115 Pro XS FourStroke outboard made its mark at the 2016 UIM Class 3A and 3B World Championships in Tvedestrand, Norway. The engine released as a consumer model earlier this year, proved its dependability and reliability in adverse conditions as rough seas challenged the crews and their equipment.

The third and final race of the 3A World Championship was close and full of tension right down to the finish. Most thought that Paul Etasse’s Evinrude powered Phantom 19G, ‘Team Slayer’ had done enough to secure the 2016 title. Etasse had a 300 point advantage over his closest rival Jack Bobin and Team Motorvated Racing going into Race 3. The hulls were similar but the power was different; a Mercury 115 Pro XS FourStroke prepared by Doug Ashley Marine, an authorised UK Mercury dealer.

The Guernsey based racer Etasse, only needed to finish fifth to clinch the championship. Bobin and Etasse were deck to deck after lap one and racing hard but technical problems in huge waters forced Team Slayer to retire. Bobin, totally unaware of Etasse’s misfortune continued to go all out and took the chequered flag and the 2016 UIM Class 3A World Championship. The Mercury FourStroke powered team finished an astounding four minutes ahead of second placed finishers, Rasmus Hamrén and Filip Eriksson in their 2-stroke Evinrude powered Hotshot 21’ hull.

The victorious Jack Bobin said at the Gala Prize Giving in Tvedestrand, “Last year I raced with a 115 Pro XS 2-stroke and as soon as I heard that Mercury had released a lighter and more powerful FourStroke, I ordered one immediately. I can’t thank Mercury and Barrus enough for helping me to become World Champion; the FourStroke has given me better acceleration out of race turn marks and a higher top end speed,” Jack concluded.

Back to entries