Ocean Cup World Speed Record competitions are designed for sea worthy, offshore craft capable of undertaking independent, extended offshore passages in unprotected waters. 

 

First recognized as a sport in 1904, offshore powerboat racing began as point-to-point, endurance races frequently spanning hundreds of miles of open ocean. In the mid-1990s, offshore became near-shore racing in a track style format, a circuit loop around which boats raced for a number of pre-determined laps. This improved the viewing for the spectators.

 

During the years, the near-shore course has gotten smaller and shorter. Today a race course is normally a small 5-mile oval as close to the beach as possible. Since the beach drops off quickly, the boats usually run within 150 feet of the surf. Even the outside leg can be clearly seen from the shoreline.

 

The Harmsworth Trophy (1932) https://youtu.be/6ZqYgy0g67o

 

In 2013, Nigel Hook deciding to get back down to old school, endurance style offshore events established the first Ocean Cup referred to as “Golden Gate to Queen Mary”. The 2013 Ocean Cup was a 435-mile run from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Pilots Nigel Hook, Dan MacNamara, Lance Ware, and Andy Hindley were up to the challenge, however, the fuel water separator issues forced the team to stop the 48’ Apisa Scarab outfitted with twin Cummins QSB 6.7 550 diesel engines several times.  Time 9 hours 50 minutes 51 seconds.

 

The second event was the 2017 Ocean Cup - “Key West to Cuba” world speed record where Nigel Hook and Jay Johnson smashed an existing record by 15 minutes and garnered a Guinness World Record for the fastest journey from Key West to Cuba by powered boat in 1 hour 18 minutes 03 seconds. After spending a couple of hours in Havana for a press conference and passport control, the round trip was completed in 5 hours 41 minutes 59 seconds setting a UIM World Record. 

 

The 2018 Ocean Cup – “Trinidad to Tobago” was incorporated into the 50th Anniversary running of The Great Race where Team Motul Monster set the UIM record at a blazing fast 47 minutes 43 seconds.

 

The 4th Ocean Cup held June 7 & 8, 2019 revived a historic ocean event, The Gateway Marathon, which had been staged for six years 1964-1969. Previous winners include legendary offshore racers Allan Brown, Jim Wynne, Odell Lewis, and Don Aronow.  In 2019, Nigel Hook and Michael Silfverberg set West Palm to Freeport, Grand Bahama at 1 hour 3 min 43 seconds with an average speed of 95.327mph and the return trip was set at 1 hour 5 min and 36 seconds with an average speed of 91.646mph (cumulative total 2 hours 9 minutes 9 seconds with an average speed of 93.497 mph) as sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association and the Union Internationale Motonautique.

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The 5th & 6th Ocean Cup - Huntington Beach around Catalina - The RUM RUN ran from 1968-1985, varying courses from 

Long Beach to Malibu and Long Beach around Catalina. In 2006, after a 21-year hiatus, the Rum Run returned to 

Long Beach utilizing the classic race course to Catalina and back. In 2020, Nigel Hook and Jay Johnson established a UIM World Record in SilverHook 48GP and in 2021, Nigel Hook and Jay Johnson reset their Vee Hull record in a 52' Mystic Cat "JHook" in 1 hour 0 minutes 10 seconds with average speed 112.19mph.  Also in 2021, Austin Carver and Mike Carver made history as the first Center Console to earn a UIM world record in their 42' MTI. 

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The 7th Ocean Cup - The Gateway Marathon - Palm Beach to Freeport Grand Bahama, was a lucky 7th for Nigel Hook & Jay Johnson racing their 52' catamaran to Freeport in just 58min 4sec averaging a crisp 103.66mph. In the B class. Pete Riveiro's entry, Cigarette Racing Team, with Shawn Steinert navigating, established their world record in a 52' Cigarette crossing in 1hr 7min 10sec averaging 89.51mph. 

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Hosted by the Pacific Airshow - the 8th event - Huntington Beach around Catalina fielding 7 boats which included two Navy SWCC Teams!