Stampede will need to overcome a three minute penalty when it goes head to head with Jumbie for honours in the 120mph B Class at the Carib Great Race on Sunday. The boat has been penalised for missing this year’s local regattas, though navigator Mark Bartlett is confident the team can successfully close the gap over the 116-mile course.
“We will have some catching up to do from the start,” he admitted. “But we will put pedal to the metal and will be running very hard.”
The showdown between the two boats is being billed as a battle between Deep-V and Catamaran hulls. Stampede, a 42” Deep-V Fountain, will benefit from rough conditions on the north coast while Jumbie, a catamaran, will have the edge on flat waters.
Bartlett, a six year veteran of the Great Race, has previously driven Alien, Haulin Azz and Global Warmer in different classes. An injury to his hand prevented him from driving this year so he opted to join the Pollonais brothers, driver Lee and throttleman Jason, on Stampede for the first time.
Looking ahead to Sunday, Bartlett said he did not mind having to step out of the driver’s seat.
“The Great Race is longest powerboat race in the world. It’s just an adrenaline rush to be a part of it.”
The Pollonais brothers themselves have a long history in the sport, having raced on Roughneck, Blaze, Alien and Diamond Cut among others. They debuted Stampede along with Grant Chew in 2012, winning the B class and placing second overall, but shut down a year later. The team bounced back with a third place overall finish last year, despite having to be restarted three times with a broken fuse holder.
Bartlett said the crew had spent countless hours ensuring the boat would hold together on Sunday.
“We want everything to be perfect,” he said.