Mr Solo Too flies to Tobago

After clearing choppy waters off the Trinidad’s north coast, Mr Solo Too virtually flew over the calm Tobago waters into Store Bay to win the Carib Beer-sponsored 35th edition of the annual Great Race in one hour, 11 minutes and 31 seconds. The 42-foot catamaran was registering a fifth straight victory in the annual powerboat classic from Westmoorings to Tobago. “We took a BeeWee,” Gino Fusco, navigator of the winning crew, told Newsday yesterday after the race. “It was a little bit choppy at the Grand Riviere, then as we turned we had nice flat water, except for a few little ‘bumps and bruises’, and we took a flyer, like a three-second jump,” he explained. “We didn’t see any competition,” declared Fusco. But the usually large Store Bay crowds were not on hand to greet the winning combination of Fusco, Kenneth and Hayden Charles, and Darren Marshall.

In fact, the crowds had all but disappeared, and was a far cry from what normally obtains for this event. It was explained that the actual race was now only incidental and a mere backdrop to the giant street party; the large crowds having partied Friday night, would rest up while the race activity held sway, only to emerge with bumper to bumper traffic back to Store Bay by mid-afternoon. Yesterday was no exception. Rage came in two minutes behind the winners, for second spot in one hour, 13 minutes, 14 seconds. White Heat won the Racing “B” Class in one hour, 25 minutes, 56 seconds, while Castrol Extreme took the Racing “A” class in one hour, 26 minutes, 41 seconds. Among the pirogues, Hero 11 took second spot to Predator. Scandal won the Production One Class in two hours, 37 minutes, 7 seconds, while in the Production Two Class it was Ambush in 2 hours, one minute, 20 seconds. With the formalities of the prize-giving out of the way, the partying in Store Bay and environs, of course, took over; it was like deja vu.