In 1970, he was the motor racing nominee. In 1986 he was the Power Boat racing nominee. In 1994 as a sportsman of the year nominee, he was also nominated as one of the top ten sports persons for the Geoff Stollmeyer award.

He is a man willing and ready to dispense any information on his competitive sporting life. As he was being interviewed his eyes began to gleam and there was a burst of enthusiasm. By estimation he looked a man over fifty but with such a burst of energy, such a lust for life.

He was simply doing what he loved. Silbourne Clarke indicated quite early that with each Great Race, came its share of heart stopping excitement. There was just something that took place that left man gasping. He entered the Great Race in 1971 with a boat named Kantankerous. Its crew consisted of Christopher and Stephen Kelshall, Gerard Stone and Clarke. The boat was built almost to the exact specification of the class. The maximum length of a boat in the class, could be twenty feet. Kantankerous was 19 feet 10 1/2 inches. They decided to give the boat as much as she would need to win. They took the scientific approach. The day before the race Kantankerous was taken out on a trial run. On their return a yacht named Maxixi, owned by Al Rapier broke away and was being slammed against the Club wall and jetty. To save the boat from further damage, they tried towing the boat out. This act of kindness left Kantankerous 'floundered'. Half the boat was under water. She was taken out of the water, quickly overturned to empty the water and the engine was stripped. She did not start the Great Race of 1971.

From 1972-1980 Clarke prepared and built boats with Brian Bowen at Bowen Marine. It was this relationship that dug him deeper into Power Boat racing. In 1976, he finally reached the shores of Tobago with Bowen in a boat named Honky. They finished second in their class that year. Clarke prepared Checkmate from 1980 - 1986. There were 74 starts, 45 firsts, 8 seconds, 9 thirds, 2 fourths and 10 no finishes.

In 1983, Clarke entered the race with a boat named Bow-Wow. The engine was built by Bruce Alleyne of Pro-Stock Drag Racing fame in the United States. Dr. Horace Durity is the boat owner. 1986 was the first year Miss Apple J won her class and was fourth overall. The year was 1992. Favourites had all their supporters standing by and from all appearances it was expected to be a tight race.

Half an hour before the race Top Gun's oil pump supporting bolt broke. She could not start. Mr. Solo's crew had no less a traumatic experience. A main battery cable came loose on the starter and shorted the electrical system. Checkmate suffered similar misfortunes just before Saudau island. Disco Volante had damaged engines by the time they reached five islands. Patriot eventually won the race.

In 1993 Clarke raced with Top Gun. Just after Saudau they passed Checkmate who had broken down. They were at moderate speed and on realizing that a favourite was out they went faster. They wanted to catch Diamond Cut whose class left ten minutes before them. Just after the marker boat at Grand Riviere, he noticed an oil pressure drop down to 10 pounds of pressure, from 65 pounds, which meant that there was little or no oil in the engine. When racing, the boat is subjected to such stress that knots, bolts and other components become loose.

On this occasion an engine mount bold backed off and cut into the oil filter causing an oil leak. What this meant was that while the engine was running it was pumping oil into the bilge. He pulled the throttle back on that engine to about 1500 rpm trying to save the engine and keep the boat running in excess of 65 mph on the other engine. As they started the laps in Tobago only about 100 yards behind the first boat into Tobago, Diamond Cut, the engine exploded spectacularly. Everyone on the beach was screaming and shouting. While limping along the final lap Blaze overtook to take overall title. They were able to finish.

He is looking forward to Great Race 1999 and anticipates great things. He has a new enthusiastic crew member John Powell of Caribbean Raleigh championship fame. On Race Day everyone is at the Club by 5:30 a.m., doing last minute checks, wiping the dew off the boats, checking that everything is in tiptop shape.

Final briefing is at 6:30 a.m. and confirmation status is given to signal that everything is all right with the entrants. It is at this time says Clarke, that nerves step in. Everyone becomes apprehensive. You never know what you could face out there. Currents change. There could be debris in the water. Boats can collide.

The day after one's entire body is aching. Sore muscles, cuts, bruises, black ad blue markings on the skin, strains, torn ligaments and broken bones. He said that some follow the coast closely, this allows for little wear and tear on both the boat and human body. This takes more time away. When one races further from the coastline, the rigours of racing are more intense. The waters are rougher, but the journey shorter. He said that because they stay so focussed on the race all aches and pains are never realized until after. Often he would take his helmet off only to realize that all the skin on his forehead had been peeled off. The longer the boat, the less abuse on the human body. Racing in Checkmate or Mr. Solo, is akin to riding in the Tristar, while racing in Miss Apple J is like riding in a BWIA express Dash 8. The bigger the more buffer against the elements of outdoor racing. There is a fresh adrenaline rush when you sight Tobago and the release of tension as you get into the final laps. Clarke further stated that it is at the end that you ask yourself what you went back into the race for.

On a more personal note Clarke went on to stipulate that his mother and father enthusiastically supported him, reminding him of the sports dangers however remained faithful in their encouragement.

His wife however, offers motivation with safety in mind. She does not like the risk, however. She tells him that he should ensure that he always does his best. She believes that all the equipment should be at its peak. "Do it to your best ability," she often states. She's his most avid critic and inspiration. He must perform at his best, she makes sure of it. Clarke races with the awareness that a boat accident is often more violent than any car accident could be.

A former teacher of Math, Physics and Auto Technology at St. Anthony's College, he left in 1978 and became the Factory manager at Bowen Marine. He went into his own business in 1980 repairing and maintaining High Performance cars and boats. At present he manages Securicor's repair outlet of its vehicles.

A former student of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus, he entered in 1967, studying Natural Sciences and left in 1971.

Through his affiliation with the sport close friendships have been fostered, stretching over the globe, and this reinforces the fact that sport binds people. His love for the sport transcends boundaries, financial ones that is. He purchased Miss Apple J and pays for the boat out of his pockets and is in search of sponsors. He did not change the name of the boat because he believes the history of it would be lost, and he is a man who believes in keeping historical facts alive.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

That the Great Race was completed in its first year, 1969, in two hours and thirty-six minutes and that the record is now held by Checkmate in 1995 for finishing in an hour and four minutes says a great deal about the huge investments its competitors make in the design and development of hulls and powerful engines.

In 1969, the fastest boat was doing 40 miles per hour; today it has shot up to 105.

Racer Silbourne Clarke, who designed the 38-ft Bowen Marine-built Checkmate, says that since 1974, the boats have been doing in excess of 80 miles per hour.

Most of the milestones of the sport are documented in a commemorative magazine Great Race '99.

The first Great Race three decades ago was marked by the spirit of the sport and fun. Back then, racers and Great Race fans alike saw it as an excuse to lime in Tobago.

The fun of the race pretty much continued into the second decade, but it also saw the introduction of hull/engines specific classifications, which was a fairer system and allowed for a wider group of boats to compete. Safety also became an increasingly important factor.

By the time the Great Race entered its third decade reliability was the watchword. People started investing in foreign-built engines and equipment rather than doing their own thing here. "It costs more, but you get a far better product," said Clarke.

He is not suggesting there's a fault with locally built engines, but rather "you get a tremendous improvement in power by using the latest technology". The same type of boats with the same engine size now go quicker than they did 15 to 20 years ago. "It's all about speed, baby."

In the history of the Great Race, Clarke remembers only one boat that sank during the race: Bold Gold (1977). Two boats have been lost and never found while competing in the race: Devil Woman (1969) and the other boat left drifting towards Grenada, Long Shot (1985).

The crews on both boats were rescued.

Clarke credits the Great Race for being the development tool for the local boating industry. Almost ten years after his death, much of the credit still goes to boat builder Brian Bowen.

"Brian's boat designs were from his brain. A natural gift. His basic designs have lasted more than 25 years and are still relatively competitive."

Bowen boats have won 16 of the 30 races.

Since Bowen's death, the number of boats built locally for racing was reduced until a few years ago when Powerboats Association president Peter Peake started building the American design "Phantom" and Stephen de Gannes started building the Formula III design.

TOP