11:42am Thursday 6th December 2007
By Anthony Marshall
WHILE most people would only think about hopping on a jet ski as the most strenuous thing they do on a beach holiday, a brother and sister from Stratton are being tipped to make waves in the sport across Europe.
Sophie and Michael Perrin, 11 and 13 respectively, took second and third place in the 2007 British Jet Ski Championships Juniors, and next season will make the step up to battle it out for honours all over the continent.
Their love of sport and committment to succeed means spare time is at a premium, but jet-skiing is a family affair for the Perrins.
Mum and dad, Sharon and Shane, introduced their children to life on the water, and are hopeful that the family's youngest addition, three-year-old Bethany, will also take up the sport.
Sharon said: "Myself and Shane had a sit-down jet ski, and when we started going about six years ago the kids used to sit on the back of it.
"We decided to get rid of it and got two stand-ups so we could all use them.
"Someone told us Michael and Sophie were good so we entered them in a competition and it all went from there.
"They're doing the Euro-pean rounds next year, and then possibly the World Finals in America next October.
"They love it so much that they would do it whatever the weather - rain, snow, you name it.
"And I can already see our youngest, Bethany, being on a jet ski with one of us in the summer."
With nowhere local for the Kingsdown School pupils to train, the Perrins travel to Oxford or Northampton every weekend, and make sure they do it in comfort, thanks to an eight-berth motor home.
"In the school holidays we take advantage and stay away for a week or two at a time," said Sharon.
"It's our second home. We had a smaller one, but had to upgrade to an eight-berth because we are in there two-and-a-half days a week.
"It's fair to say that jet-skiing has taken over everything in our lives, but it's good and we don't mind."
The aspiring duo compete for the Piranha Race Team as part of the Jet Ski Racing Association of Great Britain (JSRA).
They race a Kawasaki in the Junior Two-Stroke category and are trained by Garry Smith, who Sharon believes is one of the best around.
"He's a very good coach. Garry is the best in the circuit and I wouldn't want them to be with anyone else.
"They've been with him three months and hopefully he will be working with them for a long time to come," added Sharon For more information about jet-skiing or to get involved, visit www.jsra.co.uk.
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