Photo: Abraham Diaz
Sports
The Great Race
Where man and machine try to tame the open sea By Sheldon Waithe
Along the Mucurapo foreshore, the silence of a fine Saturday dawn is broken by the bestial roar of mighty engines, in preparation for one of the most gruelling journeys embarked upon annually by man and machine. A year’s worth of preparation has been undertaken, mistakes have been learnt, and nerves give way to anticipation as to which of these sleek machines will tame Neptune’s rough waters and reach Tobago’s Scarborough shores first. If it’s late August, then it must be Carib Great Race time. In 2013 the summer staple event celebrated its 45th birthday in style, with all the favourites in contention right through to the finish. Total Monster, defending champ Fire One, and the ubiquitous Mr. Solo, all finished within two minutes of each other. In powerboat racing terms, this was a sprint, with Total Monster taking the spoils and denying Fire One the chance of equalling the legendary Ken Charles’ record of three victories in a row (Charles has a phenomenal 14 Great Race titles). A hundred and fifteen miles blitzed in an hour and twenty minutes, over the choppy waters of the open sea, gives a clear indication of the skill, durability, technique and experience required to hone the speed of these boats. Ten out of twentytwo starters did not finish in 2012, while in 2013, eleven of the twenty-eight boats that faced the starter failed to make it to Tobago. Proof indeed of exactly how arduous the Great Race is, where waves are known to get as high as nine feet. It’s a long way from the festivity and jovial atmosphere that bookends the race itself. The weekend before the race, the boats
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are paraded through Port of Spain and along the Western Main Road, allowing fans to get an intimate look at their favourites and perhaps change their minds before placing their bets. Owners and crew vie for the coveted “People’s Choice Award”, while Carib creates hype worthy of the event with a series of videos that profile the courageous competitors. All categories of boats are on display, from the 60 mph vessels that leave you wondering how they negotiate the course without being battered by the elements, to the 130 mph elite boats, with covered cockpits and 1350 horse power engines; the epitome of worldclass power boating. Competition weekend sees the torch of festivity passed to Tobago, maintaining the tradition of the Great Race party. A breakfast party, on a boat, of course, begins at 6:30 a.m., taking fans to the perfect vantage point of Scotland Bay, where the boats are in full cry before cornering towards the open water. On the beach, at the bars, and especially at the Scarborough finish line, fans feed off this energy-charged event. The sister isle comes alive for the weekend, with parties and limes beginning from the day before the race and ending more than twenty-four hours after its conclusion. It’s not only the boats that are a hardy breed.... As the old adage of all finishers being heroes rings true, the crews immerse themselves in well-deserved celebrations, allowing the rivalries to subside, but only for a moment, for the meticulous planning begins almost immediately for the 2014 edition.