Powerboats boss urges spectators: Be mindful of safety

TT Powerboat Association (TTPBA) president Johnathan Tardieu has urged TT Great Race fans to be more cognisant of safety concerns.

Tardieu told Newsday on Monday said he was aware of a video clip which showed a competitor passing dangerously close to a spectator boat along the course along the north coast of Trinidad.

The TTPBA boss said, "We try our best to have marker patrol boats, Coast Guard, TTPS. We need the viewing public to exercise common sense. As much as you want to get close and view the boats up close, you need to follow instructions.

"I did see the clip. It looked very dangerous. That's an ongoing issue where people don't consider the safety factor. This is the open ocean, and you need to exercise good common sense."

Tardieu said with the speed the boats are travelling at, it does not take much for a Great Race to turn into something ugly if people are not mindful of the safety of themselves and others.

Otherwise, Tardieu said he was happy with the 2023 staging and the strides made by the association this year.

"It was a good one. We got support from the THA, Tobago Tourism agency, Carib. We had a lovely event in Store Bay and a great prizegiving. We had quite a lot of spectators despite there being a lot of rain."

Tardieu said a large number of boats compleed the journey from Trinidad to Tobago and there was a low attrition rate.

"We did make strides in the direction we wanted to. Still have a lot of work to do but the committee did an excellent job."

He said the new spec class gave the race a boost.

"The spec class is a great addition to the racing on a whole. An entire class comprising six boats finished the race. They were all close going up, so it made for good spectatorship."