Powerboat racing has come a long way since the first races were held at the turn of the 20th century. Modern offshore powerboat racing has become popular on a global scale, with international race series that attract thousands of spectators at each event.
The journey from niche motorsport to international phenomenon has been made possible through the contributions of dozens of legendary figures, from boat designers to perennial racing champions.
Here are five of the most significant figures in the history of powerboat racing.
Ray Hunt – The Inventor of the Modern Powerboat Design
Most modern offshore racing powerboats are derived from the revolutionary deep V-hull design, which Ray Hunt invented in the 1960s. While technology has evolved and allowed for more advanced powerboats, Hunt’s early fiberglass boats were the first to use the deep-V hull and stern drive, which remain staples of modern racing boats.
Hunt’s legacy also lives on through the company he founded, C. Raymond Hunt Associates. Specializing in the design of fiberglass powerboats and sailboats, the company has been in operation since 1966 and remains one of the main designers of modern racing powerboats.
Fabio Buzzi
Fabio Buzzi is another legendary powerboat designer, but his legacy extends into the racing world as well. Buzzi’s company, FB Design, is one of the most successful racing outfits of all time, with the following stunning resume:
- 52 world championships
- Seven Harmsworth Trophies
- Two Round Britain titles
- 76 world speed records (in both Europe and the United States)
Buzzi was the designer of the most successful powerboat in history: the Cesa/Gancia dei Gancia. This boat has won more races than any other powerboat in history. Boats based on this iconic model are currently used in races, as well as in government and military agencies across the globe.
Betty Cook
Betty Cook was a trailblazer for women in powerboat racing. In 1974, she and her 36-foot Cigarette boat named Kaama smoked her male competitors, earning Cook her first victory at 52 years of age. This seminal victory was only the beginning of what would become an illustrious offshore powerboat racing career for Cook.
She would go on to win a total of 17 races and two world championships (1977 and 1979), along with being named the American Power Boat Association US champion three times (1978, 1979, and 1981). Cook was the first woman to win a championship in what had previously been a men-only sport.
Cook also had a dominating victory in the 1978 Cowes Torquay Cowes race—considered by many enthusiasts and racers to be the toughest major race on the planet.
She was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1996.
Lady Violet Aitken
Before Betty Cook began dominating the powerboat races of the 1970s and ‘80s, Lady Violet Aitken left her mark as one of the sport’s first female pioneers. Known as the first lady of powerboat racing, she and her husband organized the very first Cowes to Torquay race in 1961 and Aitken would later become the first female powerboat racer.
Lady Aitken won the Ladies Trophy several times between the 1960s and 1980s. Her legacy lives on through the countless women she inspired to enter the male-dominated sport of powerboat racing, including her daughter Laura and granddaughter Lucci, who are both talented racers.
Even if Aitken had never entered the world of powerboat racing, her life would have still been biopic-worthy. In addition to her status as the sport’s first female pioneer, she was the first female chancellor of the University of New Brunswick.
Steve Curtis
Steve Curtis is one of the most accomplished powerboat racers in history, with eight Class One powerboat racing world championships. Born in 1964, Curtis entered the racing world at the tender age of 19. He followed in the footsteps of his father Clive, who owned the boat manufacturer Cougar Marine and was a successful powerboat racer in his own right.
Steve began his motorsports career as a motocross rider and won the junior motocross and British schoolboy championships before transitioning to powerboat racing in 1983. He won his first championship in the United States in 1985, becoming the youngest Class 1 champion of all time and the first British champion at age 21.
He took down his second title in 1987, and won his third as a throttleman for the Spirit of Norway in 1998, alongside driving partner Bjorn Rune Gjelsten. He would go on to three-peat as World Champion in 2002, 2003, and 2004.
Other major career achievements for Curtis include:
- Three-time European Champion (1998, 2002, 2003)
- Two-time Middle East Champion (2003, 2004)
- Four-time Pole Position Champion (2001-2004)
Gjelsten retired in 2005 and Brad Eker took over as the Spirit of Norway owner and pilot, alongside Curtis as the throttleman. This pair won the championship that year. Gjelsten came out of retirement just one year later and he and Curtis won all four world titles in 2006 (World Championship, European Championship, Middle East Championship, and Pole Position Championship).