The 5th Annual Monster Energy St. Petersburg Powerboat P1 Grand Prix in Tampa Bay, Florida, proved to be a dramatic event for the two Bermudian boats competing, with one facing an early mechanical issue and the other running at the front of the pack. The race also served as the decider for the prestigious Monster Energy P1 Offshore Triple Crown.
The first start in the Super Stock Class was aborted due to mechanical issues with the 32-foot Doug Wright, S-12 NUFF SAID / Team Bermuda, crewed by Luis Martins and Andy Stoneham. When the green flag finally went up for the second time, Say Less MF jumped out to an early lead, quickly separating themselves from the fleet.
Further back in the pack, drama unfolded. A near collision occurred when Northwing ran off course and made an aggressive move to return, nearly hitting Team Nautical Ventures. The incident resulted in a one-minute penalty for Northwing and caused Nautical Ventures to pull off the course on the fifth lap.
Meanwhile, the Bermudian boat S-25 GL Construction / S-25 Team Bermuda, with driver Steven Bridges and throttleman David Selley, was having their best run of the year. They were running at the front of the pack, in contention for a podium finish. Drink Kelo held second place, while Raymarine moved up to fourth after the incident. The race was a testament to the skill of Bridges and Selley, who expertly navigated the mayhem to stay in the lead pack.
Both Bermudian teams will take away valuable experience from the event, with GL Construction's strong performance a positive sign for the remainder of their season.
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