Two New Records: 2012 Around The Island Race

[Updated] The Bermuda Powerboat Association’s Around the Island Race is about to get underway this afternoon [Aug 12], with the first class due to start at 2pm. Crowds have packed some of the best spots to view the race, and the water’s conditions today have been described as ideal for racing.

Drivers meeting at Ferry Reach before the race:

The race starts at Ferry Reach and proceeds through the pylons at Coney Island, along North Shore, around Hog Fish Beacon, through Two Rocks Passage and around Whites Island.

From there, boats continue along the Harbour Road shoreline, around buoys at Five-Star Island, along to Commissioner’s Point, around Daniels Head and on to South Shore.

Crowds pack Ferry Reach for the start of the race:

Boats continue along South Shore to St. David’s Head, then around St. Catherine’s Point, down North Shore and back into Ferry Reach for the finish.

Update 2.19pm: The race is underway, with the boats going out class by class.

Update 2.56pm: Boats are starting to finish, FB55 [pictured below] with brothers Tonka and Stacey Simpson were first across the line, which is not an official thing, the scores are done by class. The organizers are still tabulating the official winner.

Update 3.05pm: A few photos from Hamilton Harbour are below

Update 3.30pm: The race is over, we are still awaiting the official scores.

Update 4.30pm: We are still trying to get the results…

Update 5.42pm: We will post the full results shortly, but in the meantime can confirm two records were broken. In the FB Class brothers Tonka and Stacey Simpson driving FB55 won in a record time of 47 mins 10 secs. A new record was also set in the S Class, with Andy and Anthony Stoneham in S22 finishing in 33 mins 35 secs.

Update 6.06pm: Bobby DeCosta and Chris Wells were the third boat across the line clocking a time of 43:40, however their race was not without incident. They were attempting to re-enter Ferry Reach however they hit a wave and loss control coming into contact with a pylon damaging the right side of the boat, which is pictured below.

The class winners were:

A Class:
Tony and Jody Carreiro in A77 won in 1 hr 8 mins 20 secs

B Class
Mark Selly and Jordan Every in B707 won in 52 mins 11 secs

FB Class:
Tonka and Stacey Simpson in FB55 won in a record time of 47 mins 10 secs

C Class:
Henry Talbot and Howard Ascento in C4 won in 1 hr 15 mins

Stock D Class:
Quincy Dowling and Eric DeSilva in D441 won in 51 mins 42 secs

D Modified Class:
Mackie Wilson and Graham Sutherland in D5 won in 43 mins 27 secs

E Class:
Shayne Furbert and Ryan Rebello in E324 won in 47 mins 46 mins

S Class:
Anthony and Andy Stoneham set a New Course Record with a time of 33:35 in S22

PX Division:
P25 did not finish

Update 6.28pm: Click here to view a video of the race from the driver’s point of view filmed using an camera on board FB55, which saw brothers Tonka and Stacey Simpson set a new record in the FB class of 47 mins and 10 seconds.

Update 8.12pm: A photo gallery and race video has been posted here.

#AroundTheIslandBoatRace #PowerboatRacing

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