THESE ARE THE
GREAT RACE FACTS
Great Race Supplement
Sunday Guardian
July 25, 1999
Pages 3 & 4
Important milestones recorded
in the last 30 years since Great Race founder Ken Gordon together with Andre
Thomas, raced to Tobago.
The first wooden boat to win overall
was Carmena II, 1969, a 21 ft wooden deep vee.
The last wooden boat to win overall was
Mr. Solo, 1972, a 27 ft Bowen.
The first fiberglass boat to win
overall was Seeing Red, 1971, an 18 ft Hustler.
The shortest boat to win overall was
Seeing Red, 1971, an 18 ft Hustler.
The longest boat 'local' to win overall
was Mr. Solo, 1997, a 40 ft Formula III.
The only pirogue to win overall was
Bassman, 1974, a 31 ft Bowen.
The first single in-board to win
overall was Seeing Red, 1971, an 18 ft Hustler 360 cu in" Chrystler.
The first single outboard to win overall
was Bassman, 1974, a 31 ft Bowen 25 hp Johnson.
The twin in-board to win overall was
Carmena II, 1969, a 21 ft wood d/v 2x165 Mercuriser.
The first twin outboard to win overall
was Black Max, 1979, a 28 ft Cutlass 2x225 Mercury.
The only female to win overall was
Carol Seetai, 1983, in a 28 ft Pantera named 'One Zee'.
The first catamaran to win overall was
Top Cat, 1984, a 30 ft Shadow Cat.
The only foreign entry to win overall
was Dollar Marine, 1989, a 41 ft Apache.
The first all brother crew to win
overall was Junior & Marvin Thompson, 1976.
The first all family crew to win
overall was Kenneth (father) Sheldon & Curtis Charles, 1985.
The first foreign entrants: Venezuela
1972, Vertigo; La Gaviota El Toro Bonchon, Vaca Gorda.
The first overall sponsor: Trinidad
Express Newspapers / Charles McEnearney & Co. Ltd. 1969.
Other Notable Facts:
1.
The fastest time in
Tobago - original course 76 ml. 1 hour 13 min. - Checkmate, 28' Bowen, 1996.
2.
The fastest time in
Tobago - new course 86 ml. 1 hour. 4 min. - Checkmate, 38' Bowen, 1995.
3.
The only person to win
overall on seven occasions Kenneth S. Charles '70, '72, '75, '78, '81, '85,
'96.
4.
Only three persons have
won overall on six occasions. Carlos Sabga '87, '88, '91, '94, '95, '97. Derek
Crooks '80, '87, '88, '94, '95, '97. Brian Crooks '80, '87, '88, '91, '94, '95.
5.
Five different boats
named Mr. Solo have won overall on seven occasions.
6.
Four different boats
named Checkmate have won overall on seven occasions.
7.
1983 saw the largest
number of pirogues entered, 19 (Bowen - 7, Scott - 5, Prescraft - 4, Formula -
2, Venezuelan - 1).
*An important note: How are boats classed? The class of a boat is determined by the length of the boat, its engine, engine size and how many engines there are. There is a Committee set up within the Association called the Classifications Committee, whose main purpose is to set the rules governing these classes and ensure that they are adhered to, by way of scrutinizing the boats.
THE CLASSES AND
SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS / RESTRICTIONS THEY CARRY
D CLASS: known affectionately as the 'Big Boys' of boating, this class is the pinnacle of boat racing in Trinidad and Tobago. They are the large boats. They range in length between 35-42 ft and house engines packing close to 1000 & H.P. each in their engine compartments. Failing a breakdown, these boats are usually the favourites to win the races. Boats in this class: Mr. Solo; Checkmate; Rage; Snack Attack.
B CLASS: this is the all out racing class where the boat length must be a minimum of 27 ft. All out racing engines are used here; being either 2 simple inboard powered to the max. or two / three racing outboard engines depending on the type of hull. Speeds in this class hover in the mid-to-high 90s. Boats in this class: Kiss of Fire; Chevron Cutting Edge; Shell White Heat.
A CLASS: at this point, even though some restrictions apply, the engine is a well-modified racing engine. Racing gas may be used and these boats are between 24-32 ft. in length. Two racing outboards are allowed in this class also. Boats in this class: Mobil Motors Too; Coyote Team x5 Alien; Solo Bentley; Nuff Pepper.
SPORTS I: this class is the introduction class to serious powerboat racing. The boats range in length from 18-27 ft. and they must be powered by a single inboard or single outboard. They are only allowed to run on pump gas and several limitations apply. Boats in this class: Texaco Push; Castrol Extreme; Royal Flush; The Boat Yard Fast Forward; Evolution Stage 2.
SPORTS II: a bigger version to the Sports I boats ranging from 24-32 ft. Only outboards are competing in this class at present but an inboard engine 9.5:1 comprehension ratio 470 cu. in'' engine would be allowed. Boats in this class; The Legend Miss Apple J; Hard Drive Superstar (probable inboard).
PRODUCTION: basically a "Down the islands" boat. Everything on these boats must be bone stock and the boat must be capable of carrying passengers. They may be equipped with one or two engines and there is no limitation on hull size. Boats in this class: Pyramid; How it go look; Climax; 4 J's.
|
CLASS
|
NAME |
MAKE/ LENGTH |
DRIVER |
THROTTLE- MAN |
NAVI-GATOR |
CLAIM TO FAME/ COMMENTS |
|
"D" Class
|
Checkmate |
Bowen 38' |
Carlos Sabga |
Derek Crooks |
Robin Geofroy |
Most famous team. Great Race Champs 7 times. 1st to win abroad. Race record holder: 1 hour 4 min. |
|
|
Mr. Solo |
Formula 111 - 40' |
Kenneth Charles |
Darrin Marshall |
Gino Fusco |
One of the most famous boats ever to grace our waters. Ken is the only man who has won 7 times. |
|
|
Snack Attack |
Jaguar 35' |
Joe Pires |
Nicholas Lockjack |
|
New team, new boat. This should be very interesting. |
|
|
Rage |
Formula 111 - 39' |
Riad Shakeer |
Brent Texeira |
Gerard Awon |
The most anxiously awaited boat. Has tremendous potential. |
|
"B" Class |
Shell White Heat |
Bowen 31' |
Victor Tardieu |
Richard Tardieu |
Robert Tardieu |
This team has been the unrivalled champions of Sports 2 for eight years. Lost only 2 races in the same period. |
|
|
Chevron Cutting Edge |
Motion Cat 30' |
Mark Robinson |
Joey Sabeeney |
|
Last year's overall champions, this dynamic duo is not afraid of the competition. First cockpit boat. |
|
|
Kiss of Fire |
Phantom 29' |
Keith Murray |
Peter Peake |
|
This boat is out to do some serious damage to the class. According to Peter, "victory or destruction." |
|
"A" Class |
Castrol Nuff Pepper |
Formula 11 - 29' |
Chris Johnston |
Mark De Gannes |
|
Started off as a 25-ft boat, but has since been extensively modified to be more competitive in this class. |
|
|
Team XS |
Formula 111 |
Chris Johnston |
Mark De Gannes |
Michael Sabga |
National class champions from 1996-1998. Great Race champions '95, '96, '97, and '98. |
|
|
Coyote |
Bowen 28' |
Daynes Harford |
Ryan Maingot |
Niall Costelloe |
This Great Race Winner ('82) has been given a radical face-lift. |
|
|
Mobil Motors Too |
Scarab 30' |
John D. Bianc |
Christopher Skinner |
Marcelle Carrington |
First mono-hull in Trinidad with a cockpit as per Lavin Spees. Very fast hull. |
|
|
Hi Tenshun |
Phantom 29' |
Wayne O'Connor |
David Scott |
|
Used to be Kiss of Fire, now she's come down in class to make waves with "A" Class. |
|
|
Alien |
Phantom 29' |
Scott Pollonais |
Jason Pollonais |
Lee Pollonais |
Jason won in Diamond Cut, but now it's time for the family to show what they've got. |
|
"Sports I" |
Slite Pepper |
Bowen 22' |
Alan Harris |
|
|
This race will be the last under this name, the boat will be retired. |
|
|
Royal Flush |
Formula 111-20' |
Gary Johnson |
Kirk Lee Woo |
|
Kirk has been racing for 25 years now, in 3 different boats called Royal Flush. |
|
|
The Boat Yard Fast Forward |
Formula 111 - 20' |
Paul Soloman |
Ian Keizer |
|
Class champions 3 years ini a row. 1996 Great Race Champion. |
|
|
Castrol Extreme |
Formula 111-23' |
Donald Webster |
Ronald Worthman |
|
1998 Great Race class champions; achieved this in first year of competition. |
|
|
Texaco Rush |
Bowen Marine 22' |
Alan Rouse |
Larry Edghill |
|
1998 class champions. Entered and completed every race in same year. |
|
|
Evolution Stage II |
Bowen 22' |
Christian Bourne |
Jason Ross |
|
First rcers to stop in a race, change valve springs and continue. |
|
"Sports II" |
The Legend, Miss Apple J |
Bowen 28' |
Adam Morton Gittens |
Silbourne Clarke |
|
5 times National Sports II champion. Completed in Quay West World championships 1 second, 2 thirds, '85, '86, and '87. |
|
|
Texaco Beretta |
|
|
|
|
No information available. |
|
|
Hard Drive |
Formula 111-28' |
Junior Phillips |
Richard Phillips |
Scott Sheppard |
This crew recently acquired this boat, formerly White Heat, and hope to be as successful. |
|
|
Superstar |
Magnum 27' |
Malcolm Brown (owner) Kurt Rooks (driver) |
|
|
A past overall champion. |
|
"Produc-tion" |
Pyramid |
Formula 111-28' |
Darwan De Costa |
Adam de Freitas |
Norman De Costa |
Finished race with throttle between legs. |
|
|
How it go look |
Formula 111-28' |
|
Vishmi Ramoutar |
|
Awesome, new member to racing. |
|
|
Climax |
Bowen 22' |
Ricky Louis |
|
|
Competed for 1st time last year. Had such a blast he's coming back for more. |
|
Pirogues |
Micro Chip |
|
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|
Gone Clear |
|
David De Gannes |
|
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|
4 J's |
|
Cyril Collier |
|
|
|
|
|
Salt a Holick |
|
Freddy Zahour |
|
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|
Pals |
|
David Brash |
|
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GREAT RACE RESULTS
|
YEAR |
BOAT |
MAKE OF HULL |
CREW |
|
1969 |
Carmena |
21' Wooden Deep V |
Lennox Tang Yuk / Hollis Rodriguez |
|
1970 |
Mr. Solo |
28' Bowen |
Ken Charles / Joe Alves |
|
1971 |
Seeing Red |
18' Hustler |
Donald Hadden / Malcolm Boyack |
|
1972 |
Mr. Solo |
28' Bowen |
Ken Charles / Jerry Lue Chin / Ken Robinson |
|
1973 |
Boomerang |
28' Bowen |
Harold Lee Yen / Johnny Walker |
|
1974 |
Bassman |
31' Bowen Pirogue |
Brian Bowen / Jeffery Meyer |
|
1975 |
Mr. Solo |
31' Bowen |
Ken Charles / Jerry Lue Chin / Ulric McNeil |
|
1976 |
Checkmate |
28' Bowen |
Junior Thompson / Mervyn Thompson |
|
1977 |
Beep Beep |
28' Bowen |
Cecil Ferdinand / Johnny Walker |
|
1978 |
Mr. Solo |
31' Bowen |
Ken Charles / Winfield Aleong |
|
1979 |
Blackmax |
28' Cutlass |
Lennox Tang Yuk / Hayden Lee |
|
1980 |
Checkmate |
28' Bowen |
Brian Crooks / Derek Crooks |
|
1981 |
Mr. Solo |
35' Cigarette |
Ken Charles / Jerry Lue Chin / Sheldon Charles |
|
1982 |
Coyote
|
28' Bowen |
Jimmy Hadeed / Keith Murray |
|
1983 |
One Zee |
28' Pantera |
Carol See Tai / Larry See Tai |
|
1984 |
Top Cat |
30' Shadow Cat |
Robert Tang Yuk / Chris Johnson / Nick Nicholas |
|
1985 |
Mr. Solo |
30' Shadow Cat |
Ken Charles / Sheldon Charles / Curtis Charles |
|
1986 |
Sheer Terror |
31' Bowen |
Larry Romany / Keith Murray / Richard Blaize |
|
1987 |
Checkmate Too |
30' Shadow Cat |
Carlos Sabga / Derek Crooks / Brian Crooks |
|
1988 |
Checkmate Too |
30' Shadow Cat |
Carlos Sabga / Derek Crooks / Brian Crooks |
|
1989 |
Dollar Marine Special |
31' Apache |
Jack Herrick / Scott Herrick / Phil Lipschtz |
|
1990 |
Super Stat |
27' Magnum |
Mark de Gannes / Stephen Perriera / M. Brown |
|
1991 |
Top Gun |
37' Bowen |
Carlos Sabga / Brian Crooks / Robin Geoffrey |
|
1992 |
Patriot |
31' Bowen |
Marcel Carrington / Neil Ramtahalsingh |
|
1993 |
Blaze |
28' Formula |
Chris Johnson / Jerry Johnson / Jeffery Simmons |
|
1994 |
Checkmate |
38' Bowen |
Derek Crooks / Brian Crooks / Carlos Sabga |
|
1995 |
Checkmate |
|
|
|
1996 |
Mr. Solo Too |
|
|
|
1997 |
Checkmate |
|
|
|
1998 |
Cutting Edge |
|
|
|
1999 |
Mr. Solo Too |
D'Class |
Ken Charles / Gino Fusco / Darrin Marshall
|
|
2000 |
Mr. Solo Too |
D'Class |
Ken Charles |
|
2001 |
Mr. Solo Too |
D’Class |
Ken Charles / Darrin Marshall / Gino Fusco |
|
2002 |
Mr Solo Too |
|
Ken Charles / Darrin Marshall / Gino Fusco |
|
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