Mr Solo fastest to Tobago in Great Race

Despite challenges, Mr Solo clocked the fastest time – one hour and 14 minutes – at the 55th annual TT Great Race on Saturday.

The race which sped off in a staggered start at 7.15 am from the Mucurapo Foreshore in Trinidad saw 28 boats competing in eight classes aiming to complete the 90-mile journey to Store Bay, Tobago.

At 8 am, Mr Solo – the only boat in the 130 mph A class – took off.

Crew chief Ken Charles said entering the race came with no guarantees, as he recounted difficulties during preparation.

“We had a little problem on Thursday after trying out the boat. We had to pull the engine, take it down, strip it out, rebuild it and put it back into the boat.”

Throttleman Darin Marshall said getting ready came with its fair share of adversity.

“The challenge of trying to get the boat ready in time for the Great Race. After encountering problems, we worked until 6pm on Thursday, put the boat in the water, test it, realised that we are 99.9999 per cent ready and then we said, 'We’re going with what we have.'”

He said in terms of the course itself; it was “a little challenging.”

“We had some six-foot swells rolling on the morning tide and up the coast, it was choppy.”

Navigator Joseph Charles also pointed out challenges along the path.

“The GPS itself conked out before Maracas. Going into Maracas itself, I had to try and get it started again but a little while after Maracas, it gave out again and then I finally got it working again turning off Grande Riviere. So we were happy with that – it wasn’t the initial course but we got a mapping and it took us to it so we’re grateful.”

Driver Hayden Charles said he was just happy to complete the route.

“To be honest, whether we win or not, we enjoy coming to Tobago, we enjoy taking part in the Great Race, but the added bonus is when we actually finish first and we get to celebrate.”

He added: “We always want to come to Tobago. We have a different route from everyone else, we have the longest course so the extra challenge would be the time getting here before everyone else, even though we start last and we have the longest course as well. Even if it is just us coming in in our class, we have to still try to get to Tobago – to be honest, we love Tobago.”

Limitless, in the G class (60mph), which started at 7.25am, was the first vessel to reach Tobago at 9.10 am.