Hard work and experience culminated in success for Steven Eversley and co-pilot Brandon Franks who powered their way to class and overall line honours in yesterday’s Around the Island Power Boat Race.

The dynamic duo coped best in the challenging conditions, covering the new 54-mile racecourse in 43min 22sec to lead the overall fleet across the Ferry Reach finish line and win the D class for the second straight year.

“We really deserved it because we put a lot of hard work and sea time into this boat and it paid off,” Eversley said.

“We knew the weather was going to make up so we prepared for the rougher conditions and everything we did worked.”

Franks added: “Steve has had enough sea time so he really knows the boat and that’s what really paid off today in the conditions and it was definitely a driver’s race.

“It was definitely a team effort and it was not just him and me because there are a lot of other people working behind the scenes.”

The pair played catch up for most of the race before overtaking leader Damon Simons and co-pilot Jeff Sousa in their C-class entry near Clearwater Beach and going on to take the chequered flag.

Simons’s boat suffered a mechanical breakdown moments after relinquishing the lead and was forced to abandon the race.

“It was unfortunate what happened to Damon because he ran a good race before he broke down after we passed them,” Eversley said. “He was really running strong.”

Claiming B-class honours were David Selley and co-pilot Jordan Fletcher who covered the distance in their Phantom in 52:55.

“It was a Batboat day and technology is definitely taking its toll so our boat is getting retired after this race,” Selley said.

“But we were first in our class so we can’t complain. We worked with what we had and tried to stay on top of it and not get tripped up and go swimming.”

A-class honours went to offshore sailor Dr Steve Sherwin and his daughter and co-pilot Meghan who were fifth overall and the only entry in their class.

“We should have been sailing up South Shore today because it would have been a lovely sail,” Dr Sherwin said. “But in a powerboat it’s bad on the back.”

Sherwin’s 16-year-old daughter added: “It was a bit scary sometimes when we went up in the air and then came slamming back down again, which kind of hurt my back a bit.

“But overall it was really fun, especially on the flat bits where we were going full speed.”

Shaki Easton and co-pilot Derek Seymour took S-class line honours after their only rivals Andy Stoneham and Cameron Harris were forced out of the race because of mechanical problems.

Only six of the 13 boats that started the race finished, with six suffering mechanical trouble and the other running aground. A further five boats were scratched before the race started.