Jack Osbourne, Adrenaline Junkie or not

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Jack Osbourne and his Adrenaline Junkies were back in town and what better sport to separate the men from the boys...Powerboat Racing with Sarah Donohue!! My phone rang and before I knew it I was off to Dubai to meet the Adrenaline Junkies and get it all set up and underway. Jack himself, Hollywood Sex Symbol Jesse Metcalf, Joanna Page from ‘Gavin & Stacey’ and good old Reggie Yates the Radio 1 DJ!

These were the celebs about to find out what real adrenaline felt like. This was no bungy jump or heli-swing. This was 120mph in a boat that on reaching optimum speed is weightless, a power-to-weight ratio that supersedes all others like it, and acceleration better than Class 1. The celebs were about to dive head first into the world of X-treme Catamaran Racing...the X-Cats!

Dubai is the world hub for water-sports and the DIMC (Dubai International Marine Club) played host to the ITV2 show, ‘Jack Osbourne Adrenaline Junkie’. It was important that the celebrities understood that this wasn’t just another thrill seeking jaunt like all the other adrenaline activities they were used to. Other activities, any member of the general public can ‘have a go’. Pay a fee, sign a disclaimer and do it. X-Cat racing, as all racing is a professional sport with rules and regs and a huge prize fund up for grabs. The celebs needed to understand what powerboats were, the difference between mono-hulls and catamarans, how they handled and of course, do everything that a professional racer would do before racing, such as briefings and of course the Dunker Test!

I chose the team mates for the celebrities carefully. There was always a reason behind everything. Jack for example with a strong personality and mildly cocky nature because he has done so much stuff, needed to be with someone more dominant. I put him with Ahmed Al-Suwaidi, an Arabic gentleman, powerful yet calm. Jesse the sex symbol I put with a fellow American Champion who had been racing for over 20 years, Gary Ballough. The DJ, I pout with my long term friend, Italian Christian Rivolta and Joanna Page, with English man Ian Blacker. Ian was perfect partner for Joanna, comical but talented and a veteran of racing for 17 years. Ian started racing the year before me, so I knew he had a good track record as well as many titles.

The dunk test was interesting. I took them through the safety and why the dunk test is mandatory. No dunk, no race! Joanna was the only one that passed first time. But then again she was the only one that asked lots of questions. I did say, ‘whatever the question, just ask. What may seem trivial here on land, at 100mph, it will become a big deal!’ So on that Joanna talked non-stop. ‘Just remember, when you are upside down under water. Don’t panick. Grab the air supply and breathe, once you breathe then you are fine. Compose yourself, open the hatch and release the harness and escape!’

Joanna was also the only one that enjoyed testing. Reggie didn’t enjoy it at all, and Jesse and Jack went back to the hotel and said, ‘our managers won’t let us get in a boat!’ Yes, we at the WPPA (World Professional Powerboat Assoc’) were a tad confused. However Jo went out testing with Blacker and had a great time!

As race day arrived for the celebs. Jack and Jesse changed their minds and joined Joanna and Reggie. Well after all, they couldn’t have a girl talking about how cool it was to do 100mph in a boat whilst they just sat in a hotel. Who was the big girl then?? Joanna persuaded the guys to join in and they did.

They had done the Dunk, done the briefing, knew how to do a proper start run, so off they went. The helicopter was in the air, the sea was cleared of all other vessels as 4 X-Cats roared over the waves following the start boat. The start was amazing. The green flag dropped and Jack took an early lead but the rest of the celebs were hot on his tail. There was a lot of jostling for position and after 1 or 2 laps the pace was picked up as the throttlemen pushed harder as they got to know the ability of their celeb drivers. Reggie who originally wasn’t too keen got into the swing of things and was pushing Christian to go faster, but as the final lap came. KINGFISHER driven by Joanna Page took the chequered flag. Her throttleman Ian, took no time in pulling her out of the cockpit and throwing her into the warm seas to celebrate! The celebs all climbed onto the decks of their boats to congratulate her. She was grinning from ear to ear, and in all honesty, there was a little bet going on in the background with a few of us on who would win. And everyone said Joanna. She asked questions, listened and understood. She would most certainly make a great team mate and not only did Ian say he’d be happy to get back in a boat with her. I think she’d be a great part of an all-girl team. Who knows. Maybe she’ll change from actress to racing driver!

Adrenaline Junkie airs Tuesday at 9pm on ITV2! Thanks to the X-Cat teams, the DIMC and WPPA for making this possible. www.girlracer.co.uk