Trinidad and Tobago Great Race added to 2021 Ocean Cup Series calendar

The Trinidad and Tobago Powerboat Association (TTPBA) Great Race has been added to the 2021 Ocean Cup Series calendar. This year’s inter-island event speeds off on August 21.

In 2018, the local powerboat association hosted the Ocean Cup event which featured a new Union Internationale Motonautique world record established by Joey Sabeeney, Peter Peak, Josh Sabeeney and Daniel Peake in their A8 Motul Monster.

Their boat, a Sterling Performance Engines-powered canopied Skater Powerboats catamaran, completing the course in 47 minutes, 43 seconds while averaging 102.27 mph.

According to speedonthwater.com, Janet Wilson, a driving force behind the series and the team manager for the Lucas Oil/SilverHook offshore race team, said, “The Great Race is truly a great race—being that it’s celebrating its 53rd anniversary as the longest continuous running offshore race in the world, it exemplifies Ocean Cup’s vision for the sport.”

“Being able to bring a race like the one in TT into the fold is exactly what the Ocean Cup needed. The event also is going to be part of the 2022 series. We’ll have some exciting news to announce about that soon as we have several race sites around the world in the works.”

She also said that organisers are excited about the series, especially since they’ve partnered with P1 Offshore, which has an expansive global platform between television and other media.

Wilson continued, “We’re planning to keep the series races to 120 miles or less, although we may bring back some of the longer runs in the future.”

At this year’s Great Race, six classes will be competing for their respective championship trophies. They are the 60 miles per hour (mph), 70 mph, 80 mph, 95 mph, 120 mph and 130 mph classes.

Additionally, eight-time world champion Steve Curtis is expected to compete at the local event. He will vie for honours with a 50-foot victory powered by twin 1750 hp mercury twin turbos.

Curtis plan is to not only win the event but to also break the record of 47 minutes and 45 seconds set by Motul Monster.

Peter Peake and Sabeeney, however, are intent on defending their title as their 46-foot Skater is being prepped with its 1,700 hp ethanol burning sterling motors.

Two other entrants from California and Lake of the Ozarks are also interested in competing alongside the likes of local legend, Ken Charles with Mr Solo and Guy Costa with Ironman.