Claiming a maiden victory in professional powerboat racing at the St Petersburg Powerboat Grand Prix in Florida at the weekend proved to be much more than a career highlight for David Selley.

Along with colleague Steven Bridges, the experienced driver steered the team’s 32ft twin-engined catamaran, Team Bermuda, to the top of the Super Stock class podium after competing against some of the world’s elite powerboat racers.

“This is probably the best day of my life,” Selley told The Royal Gazette. “I am still excited and it’s kind of unreal.

“It’s like a huge weight has been lifted and if we get another win from here it would be great, but I think this one would be the top.

“We knew we could do it and with the improvements we made to the boat we were both able to showcase what we can do. I feel I have one of the best throttle men in the world in Steven. He was able to do his thing with good equipment and we showcased what we can do.

“There is not one thing on the whole team that isn’t important and every little piece of the puzzle is all ingredients and it’s finally come together. It took a little too long but we always knew we could do it and now we are in better equipment and I just can’t thank the sponsors and everybody else enough.

“This is huge for everyone. We win or lose as a team and guys have stuck with us from day one, so I am just super impressed.”

The local team ventured into uncharted waters on their season debut having not spent much time in the boat after making modifications in the lead-up to the race.

“We wanted to go out and hopefully get at least a top-five finish but we weren’t quite sure how we would run with the modifications as we did not have much testing time between the competition and the race,” Bridges said.

“Getting the bottom of the boat fixed has made a huge difference in the performance of the team.”

Team Bermuda achieved two milestones at the event after securingd pole position for the first time during qualifying with a fastest time of 10min 49sec.

“That was a shock to all of us but it was the plan and a huge shoutout to Scott Porta for improving an old boat,” Selley said.

“He’s just got so much experience and knowledge in his head. He’s just a mad scientist and I can’t thank him enough.

“I am just super happy with how the boat ran. Conditions were so calm when we qualified and the weather turned on us yesterday, so it was not like it was a fluke. We had two totally different conditions and we capitalised on both with whatever was thrown at us.

“We were confident after the pole but the next day there was some uncertainty. We questioned the set-up, what we were going to change and things start spiralling as that’s a moving target.

“But it’s the same for everybody and it’s who makes the best money call in the pits. Once you got what you got on the track that’s it, you got to make it work.

“It was really rough but the boat just went through and handled the conditions perfect. It was a pleasure to drive.”

Bridges added: “Being able to get the pole in the calm and a win in the rough gives us a huge confidence boost to the start of the season.

“The goal every season is more podiums and of course to be national champions, but we are taking it one race at a time.”

Selley feels the experience of competing at this level over the past two years is beginning to bear fruit.

“The experience is paying off and you learn as you go,” he said.

“You make things up as you go and try different things so the experience definitely helps for sure. Everybody steps their game up constantly so you can’t stand still.”

Also flying the island’s banner at the event was the team of Luis Martins and Nick Imprescia who placed sixth in their 32ft twin-engined catamaran, Nuff Said, in 13min 01sec.

Bermuda Powerboat Association commodore Jermal Woolridge was delighted to see the local teams do themselves and the island proud at the event.

“We all wanted to see them do well and they both did,” he said.

“The two teams represented themselves and the island very well in only their first race of the season and to do so in stormy conditions is a testament to their determination, ability and skillset as boat racers.”