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Tom Percival

1943 – 1984

British powerboat racer

Motorboat racer
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About Tom Percival

Lived 1943 – 1984 (aged 41). Tom Percival was a British motorboat racer.

Thomas Colin Percival (28 March 1943 – 20 August 1984) was a British powerboat racer.

Career Percival was educated at Gresham's School. He began his powerboat racing career in 1964, and won the Formula 1 (OZ) championship in 1978. He was also a twice winner of the Paris Six Hour Enduro. He was twice the Canon European Series champion, in 1976 and 1978.

During his career, he won over two hundred trophies. As of 2022, he was still the holder of the lap record for Oulton Broad. Death Percival died in an accident during the 7th round of the 1984 F1 Powerboat World Championship in Liège, Belgium. After he collided with another boat, Percival, who had received severe head injuries was taken to Liège Hospital, but then lapsed into a coma and died some hours later on Monday morning.

Personal life Percival's career outside sport was as a boat dealer, based in Norfolk. He was married to Gilly, and they had a son, Guy, and a daughter, Katie, aged 16 and 14 respectively at the time of his death.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Motorboat racer
Nationality
Education
Gresham's School
Also known as
Thomas Colin Percival

People in Tom Percival's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Tom Percival's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Tom Percival?

British powerboat racer (1943–1984)

When was Tom Percival born?

Tom Percival was born on 28 March 1943 in North Walsham.

When did Tom Percival die?

Tom Percival died on 20 August 1984 in Liège.

What was Tom Percival's occupation?

Tom Percival was a motorboat racer.

What nationality was Tom Percival?

Tom Percival was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Tom Percival

· Wikidata: Q28974334

· DBpedia: Tom Percival

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Tom Percival. https://biography.guide/tom-percival/

MLA: "Tom Percival." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/tom-percival/.

Chicago: "Tom Percival." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/tom-percival/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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