In the past the media and fans recognized the first boat to Tobago as the "Winner of Great Race", but in recent times there is no longer just "one" winner of the Great Race. Competitors in each each speed class are recognized as a Great Race winner in their respective class, as each class does a slightly different course and also start at different times.

The different course, different start time and different starting point of the Great Race has varied over the past fifty years based upon sponsor requests, the need to improve viewing for the general public, the variety of competing classes and to try and make the finish more exciting with boats arriving in Storebay, Tobago more closely grouped together.

The first boat to cover a Great Race course, from start to finish in under one hour was MR SOLO piloted by the legendary KEN CHARLES along with throttleman DARIN MARSHALL. The year was 2008 and the course was approximately 90 miles and they completed the race in an incredible time of 58 minutes!

 

In 2018 the TTPBA became a member of the UIM which registered the Great Race as a world record title. In order to ensure  a course would be recognized by the UIM it was necessary to ensure the UIM course would not change year to year. As such the UIM course would be measured from a specific waypoint in the Gulf of Paria, in Trinidad to a specific waypoint in Storebay, Tobago, a distance of 80.5 miles. Team "Motul Monster" secured the record in 2018 over the UIM course with a very fast time of 47 minutes 43 seconds. This world record is a "point to point" race so it excludes the circuit at the beginning of the race and the circuit at the end of the race. 

 

​​​The current World Record holders of the UIM sanctioned Great Race course is shown below.

 

UIM WORLD RECORD

BOAT: Motul Monster - 46' Skater

CLASS: 130MPH

TIME: 47 minutes 43 seconds

CREW: Joey Sabeeney/ Peter Peake/ Josh Sabeeney/ Daniel Peake

DATE: August 18th 2018

​

GREAT RACE CLASS WINNERS 2023

S-Class (Bowen/Yamaha Spec): Kraken (Crew: Gary Johnson/Jacques Gomes)

60 MPH: Limitless (Crew: Otis Walker/David Singh)

70 MPH: Extreme Measures (Crew: Jonathan Mouttet/Johnathan Tardieu/Nicholai Assam)

80 MPH: Heatwave (Crew: John Michael Sabga/Morgan Hannock)

95 MPH: Tyrant (Crew: Danny Agostini/Ryan Edghill/Gordon Dagliesh)

130 MPH: Mr. Solo Too (Crew: Hayden Charles/Darin Marshall/Joseph Charles)

​

GREAT RACE CLASS WINNERS 2022

Cruiser II: Loco Xpress

Cruiser I: Fire Chief

60 MPH: Limitless 

70 MPH: Ketch This

80 MPH: Mobil Outlaw

120 MPH: Iron Man

130 MPH: Motul Monster

​

GREAT RACE CLASS WINNERS 2021

60 MPH: Limitless

70 MPH: Speed Up

80 MPH: Blue Ice

130 MPH: Motul Monster

 

GREAT RACE CLASS WINNERS 2020

50 MPH: Super Tuff

60 MPH: Limitless

70 MPH: Fire Chief

80 MPH: Mobile Outlaw

95 MPH: Energiza

130 MPH: Big Thunder

 

GREAT RACE CLASS WINNERS 2019

CRUISER X: Jesus Is Coming     

60 MPH: Trident                           

70 MPH: Extreme Measures        

80 MPH: Heatwave                      

95 MPH: Energiza                       

130 MPH: Mr. Solo Too                

 

GREAT RACE CLASS WINNERS  2018

CRUISER X: Ruff'N It    

CRUISER S: The Legend Ms. Apple J

60 MPH: Limitless

70 MPH: Fire Chief II

80 MPH: Mobil Outlaw

95 MPH: Bachannal

130 MPH: Motul Monster

​

From its inception in1969, although the boats that competed in the Great Race varied in size, engine horsepower, type of hull, number of crew and many other variables, the media and fans always wanted to know "which was the fastest boat to Tobago". The list below is a history of the boats that set the fastest time, thereby earning the title of "Fastest Boat" and recognized as the Great Race Champion.

 

GREAT RACE CHAMPIONS: 1969 - 2023

2023  Mr. Solo Too                  50' Victory                               Hayden Charles/Darin Marshall/Joseph Charles

2022  Motul Monster               46' Skater                               Peter Peake/Joey Sabeeney/Daniel Peake/Josh Sabeeney

2021  Motul Monster               46' Skater                               Peter Peake/Joey Sabeeney/Daniel Peake/ Josh Sabeeney

2020  Mobile Outlaw               29' Extreme                            Jason Ross/Michael Ross

2019  Mr. Solo                         50' Victory                              Kenneth Charles/Darin Marshall/Devendra Jose

2018  Total Monster                46' Skater                               Peter Peake/Joey Sabeeney/Daniel Peake/ Josh Sabeeney

2017  Mr. Solo                         50' Victory                              Ken Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

2016  Paramount                    50' Mystic                               Jason Laing/Patrick Balgobin/Donald Webster

2015  Total Monster                46' Skater                               Peter Peake/Joey Sabeeney/Daniel Peake/ Alfred Bell

2014  Total Monster                46' Skater                               Peter Peake/Joey Sabeeney/Daniel Peake/ Alfred Bell

2013  Total Monster                46' Skater                               Peter Peake/Joey Sabeeney/Daniel Peake/ Alfred Bell

2012  Fire One                        38' Doug Wright                     Guy Costa/James Hadeed

2011  Fire One                        38' Doug Wright                     Guy Costa/Troy Hannon

2010  Heatwave                      29' Extreme                            Gary Johnson/James Hadeed

2009  Mr Solo                          Scism 40'                               Hayden Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

2008  Mr Solo                          Scism 40'                               Hayden Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

2007  Mr Solo                          Scism 40'                               Hayden Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

2006  Rage                              Formula III 38'                       Riad Shaker/Jeffrey Simmons

2005  Soul Rebel                     Formula III 20'                       Phillip Tardieu/Wayne Honnock

2004  Mr Solo                          Scism 40'                               Hayden Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

2003  Mr Solo                          Scism 40'                               Hayden Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

2002  Mr Solo                          Scism 40'                               Ken Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

2001  Mr Solo                          Scism 40'                               Ken Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

2000  Mr Solo                          Formula III 40'                        Ken Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

1999  Mr Solo                          Formula III 40'                        Ken Charles/Darin Marshall/Gino Fusco

1998  Cutting Edge                 Motion Cat 30'                       Mark Robinson/Joey Sabeeney

1997  Checkmate                    Bowen 38'                             Carlos Sabga/Derek Crooks/Brian Crooks

1996  Mr. Solo                         Formula III                              Ken Charles/Darin Marshall/Shaheed Mohammed

1995  Checkmate                    Bowen 38'                             Carlos Sabga/Derek Crooks/Brian Crooks

1994  Checkmate                    Bowen 38'                             Carlos Sabga/Derek Crooks/Brian Crooks

1993  Blaze                             Formula III 28'                        Chris Johndton/Jerry Johnston/Jeffrey Simmons

1992  Patriot                            Bowen 31'                              Marcel Carrington/Neil Ramtahalsingh/Daryl Gomes

1991  Top Gun                        Bowen 37'                              Carlos Sabga/Brian Crooks/Robin Geofroy

1990  Super Stat                     Magnum 27'                           Mark De Gannes/Stephen Perreira/Malcolm Brown

1989  Dollar Marine Special   Apache 41'                             Jack Herrick/Scott Herrick/Phil Lipschtz

1988  Checkmate Too            Shadow Cat 30'                      Carlos Sabga/Derek Crooks/Brian Crooks

1987  Checkmate Too            Shadow Cat 30'                      Carlos Sabga/Derek Crooks/Brian Crooks

1986  Sheer Terror                 Bowen 31'                               Larry Romany/Keith Murray/Richard Blaize

1985  Mr. Solo                        Shadow Cat 30'                      Ken Charles/Sheldon Charles/Curtis Charles

1984  Top Cat                         Shadow Cat 30'                      Robert Tang Yuk/Chris Johnson/Dellanor Nichols

1983  One Zee                        Pantera 28'                            Carrol See Tai/Larry See Tai

1982  Coyote                           Bowen 28'                             Jimmy Hadeed/Keith Murray

1981  Mr. Solo                         Cigarette 35'                          Ken Charles/Gerry Lue Chin/Sheldon Charles

1980  Checkmate                    Bowen 28'                             Brian Crooks/Derek Crooks

1979  Blackmax                      Cutlass 28'                             Lennox Tang Yuk/Hayden Lee

1978  Mr. Solo                         Bowen 31'                              Ken Charles/Winfield Aleong

1977  Beep Beep                    Bowen 28'                              Cecil Ferdinand/Johnny Walker     

1976  Checkmate                    Bowen 28'                             Junior Thompson/Mervyn Thompson

1975  Mr. Solo                         Bowen 31'                              Ken Charles/Gerry Lue Chin/Ulric McNeil

1974  Bassman                       Bowen Pirogue 31'                 Brian Bowen/Jeffrey Meyer

1973  Boomerang                   Bowen 28'                              Harold Lee Yen/Johnny Walker

1972  Mr. Solo                         Bowen 28'                              Ken Charles/Gerry Lue Chin/Ken Robinson

1971  Seeing Red                   Hustler 18'                              Donald Hadden/Malcolm Boyack

1970  Mr. Solo                         Bowen 28'                              Ken Charlers/Joe Alves

1969  Cam-Ena                       Wooden Deep Vee 21'           Lennox Tang Yuk/Hollis Rodriguez