6:24 PM Fri 7 Oct 2011 GMT
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''Team Cintron', emerging as the boat to beat when the Key West World Offshore championships begin in a few weeks. - Clearwater offshore race'
Rodrick Cox
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Bright House Super Boat Offshore Championship - 'Team Cintron', the 50' (15.24-metres) Mystic, its 1500hp engines to the fore, has claimed victory yet again in the third annual championship at Clearwater Beach, Florida.
With Hugh Fuller at the wheel and Rich Wyatt on throttles, 'Cintron' was never headed and averaged 104mph (167km/hr) over the tough, 79.2 mile (127.45km) course to claim outright, Superboat Unlimited class and the National Championship.
More than 30 boats and crews turned out for the event with thousands of spectators packing Clearwater Beach and hundreds more enjoying the spectacle on the estimated 5500 or more vessels moored offshore.
The competitors and the big crowd enjoyed what organisers described as 'chamber of commerce weather'.
Racing was close and highly competitive throughout the event and some turbulent conditions ensured that spectators were treated to some genuine highlights as boats soared off waves and literally 'went airborne'.
'Team Stihl' was also crowned National Champion in the Super Cat Class after a race-long battled with 'Loriblu.
'Needless to say, we're very happy with the outcome,' 'Stihl owner/driver Jay Noble said.
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'Loriblu', Dan Zampalonio at the wheel, Randy Sweers on throttles, was 'on song' but had to settle for seocnd place behind 'Stihl.' - Clearwater offshore race - Rodrick Cox
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'Loriblu ran a great race and was there with us all day long, but we crossed the finish line first and that's what counts,' he added.
It came as no surprise that the awesome 'Miss GEICO' claimed victory in the turbine class, the thundering 48' (14.63-metre) MTI charging to the finish line, Scott Begovich driving, Marc Granet on throttles.
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Rob Vesper (driver) and Dan Crank (throttles) piloted 'Warpaint' to the chequered flag in Superboat 750. - Clearwater offshore race - Rodrick Cox
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Another GEICO sponsored rig, 'Caveman' won Superboat Vee Extreme while the well-performed 'Warpaint', Rob Vesper (driver) and Dan Crank (throttles) aboard took out the Superboat 750 class.
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'Watch Your Back' flies high on the way to victory in Superboat Vee Limited. - Clearwater offshore race - Rodrick Cox
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'Watch Your Back', Brian Forehand (driver) and Michael Janssen (throttles) aboard claimed a double, winning Superboat Vee Limited and P3.
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'Zipp Express', Bruce Walter (driver) and Cy Mugford (throttles) aboard on its way to winning P2 off Clearwater Beach. - Clearwater offshore race - Rodrick Cox
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Others to walk away with the winning spoils included 'Hulk' (Superboat Stock), 'Twisted Metal Motorsports' (P1), 'Zipp Express (P2) and 'Team Velocity' (P4).
'Cintron' driver Hugh Fuller, a Clearwater Beach local, was delighted with the success of both his team and the event itself.
'This was a great race and everyone involved has done a superb job in putting it all together,' he said.
'It's nice to have the race in my own backyard, too,' he joked, 'I don't have to drive far to jump aboard.
'Every member of our team has done a great job getting the boat ready and it ran great out there today,' he said.
Two men came in for high praise from Super Boat International Founder and President John Carbonell.
'Brian Aungst, a co-founder of the Clearwater event and Frank Chivas have done a great job in preparing the Super Boat International championships and they have established a great team here in Clearwater,' he said.
'They did a wonderful job in promoting the event as evident by the thousands of fans ashore and float and we're delighted that cities like Clearwater recognise the financial impact Super Boat racing can deliver to local communities,' he added.
Super Boat International is now concentrating its efforts on gearing up for the World Offshore Powerboat Championships at Key West, scheduled for November 6-14.
Various activities and boat races will be staged throughout the action-packed week, beginning with the gala Super Boat International Grand Parade of Boats on Sunday, November 6.
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Performance boating legend Reggie Fountain (centre) with the happy crew of the winning 'Cintron.' - Clearwater offshore race - Rodrick Cox
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Super Boat International website
by Bob Wonders
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Trangie, NSW
