Today, powerboat racing is one of the most popular aquatic motorsports, with major races drawing spectators and racers from virtually every corner of the globe. The journey to this global popularity has been gradual. Over the years, several major events have helped powerboat racing reached its current level of international prominence.
Here is a closer look at five of the most important events in the storied history of offshore powerboat racing.
1. Miami-Nassau Race of 1956
The modern era of offshore powerboat racing began in 1956 with the first annual Miami-to-Nassau powerboat race. While powerboat racing had already started to gain popularity in Europe, this event introduced the sport to an American audience. The 185-mile race traverses 55 miles of the Gulf Stream, 70 miles over the Bahamian shallows, and finally 60+ miles over the deep waters of the Atlantic en route to Nassau.
The foundations for the first Miami-to-Nassau race were laid by Sam Griffith and Forrest Johnson. They were both involved in Miami’s boat-building industry and were also avid racers themselves. In 1956, Griffith and Johnson met with international sports promoter Sherman F. “Red” Crise, and the three men came up with the idea for a race from Miami to Nassau, the capital city of the Bahamas.
Along with his boat partner Richard Bertram, Griffith would go on to win the first Miami-to-Nassau race on December 4, 1956. Forrest Johnson also participated, finishing third out of the field of 14 racers.
2. Cowes-Torquay of 1961
While Miami-Nassau put powerboat racing on the map in the United States and the Caribbean, the Cowes-Torquay race is credited with sparking new interest in the sport among European audiences. This legendary 200-mile race was organized by newspaper magnate and avid yachtsman Max Aiken, and the first annual race was held in 1961. A total of 27 racers took part in the inaugural race, and former Jaguar sports car racer Tommy Sopwith took first place with a time of 7 hours and 17 minutes.
The Cowes-Torquay quickly gained a reputation as one of the toughest and most prestigious powerboat racing events in the world, a distinction that it continues to hold today. However, the format has evolved since then, as racers now turn back around and return to Cowes to finish the race. The name of the race has changed to reflect this difference, and it is now known as the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes.
The 61st edition of the Cowes-Torquay-Cowes was held on August 28, 2022. The Silverline team took the title, led by co-pilots Drew Langdon and Miles Jennings.
3. The 1969 Round Britain Powerboat Race
While it is held very seldomly, the Round Britain Powerboat Race is one of the greatest endurance challenges in powerboat racing. The race is 1,600 nautical miles in length and has only been held three times—in 1969, 1984, and 2008.
The 1969 race included 10 racing stages that spanned 1,459 miles through a thick fog and rough coastal conditions. There were 42 participants in the race, with a wide variety of specs ranging from 100 hp to 1000 hp. The conditions were clear for the first 700 miles before a thick fog set in between Inverness and Dundee, followed by clear skies but rough conditions in the Dundee-Whitby leg.
A team called Avenger Too won the 1969 race, with a crew of Timo Makinen, Pascoe Watson, and Brian Hendicott. They completed the grueling race with a final time of just over 39 hours—two hours quicker than the second-place finisher.
4. The Return of the Round Britain Race in 1984
Even though the 1969 Round Britain race was a spectacle that attracted various spectators and international competitors, it was not held again until 1984. This revival of the classic event was designed to imitate the original as much as possible. Former powerboat racer Tim Powell organized it, finding a sponsor in Everest Double Glazing.
Many of the great racers of the 1980s were in attendance, including Fabio Buzzi, Lady Arran, Peter Armstrong, Colin Gervase-Brazier, Renato DelaValle, and Ted Toleman. Buzzi was both the company owner and the pilot for the White Iveco boat, which competed neck and neck with Renato della Valle’s Ego Lamborghini model. Buzzi was victorious in the end.
5. The 2008 Revival of the Round Britain Race
The iconic Round Britain Race would lay dormant for another 24 years before its revival in 2008. Another former powerboat racer and businessman, Mike Lloyd, organized this edition of the race, which was sponsored by Fiat Powertrain and brought out 47 competitors.
Legendary racer Fabio Buzzi participated again, competing with his vintage four-engine Red FPT. Unfortunately, he was not able to replicate the success of the 1984 race. Harsh weather conditions caused damage to his drives and forced him to drop out of the race early. Greek racer Vassilis Pateras and his Blue FPT boat finished first.