Mark and David Selley added another glorious chapter to their family’s rich and proud racing legacy in yesterday’s Rubis Around the Island Power Boat Race.

The siblings obliterated their own records on the way to securing honours in their respective classes.

Mark and co-pilot Jordan Fletcher circumnavigated the island in their Batboat V23 in 41 min 49 sec, slashing more than two minutes off the B class record of 43:52 they set during the previous race in 2019.

“We broke a record in 2019 so our fiercest competitor was the clock,” an elated Selley told The Royal Gazette. “The only goal in mind was that clock.

“We are a good team and the boat ran great.”

The pair achieved an impressive double having come from behind to take the chequered flag as the first boat back to the finish line at Ferry Reach. They snatched the lead for good from Selley’s sibling David and co-pilot Matthew Smith off Devonshire Bay and never looked back.

“The start was a little messed up and the class went so we basically came from the back and the rest was history,” Mark Selley added.

“It was basically cat chasing the mouse and we have a lot of people to thank and can’t believe it went the way it did.”

David Selley and Smith were the second boat to finish and clinched the A class title in a record time of 49 min 16 sec, shaving more than a minute off the previous record of 50:19 they set two years ago in their 19-foot Phantom.

“I was happy with the performance but it was not the speed we thought we were going to get being as calm as it was,” David Selley said. “The wind definitely affected us and pleasure boats being in different spots they weren’t supposed to so you lose a tenth here, lose a tenth there and it’s hard to gain that back.

“It was a typical day on South Shore. It was rough so you had to be on your toes.”

David Selley and Smith also came from behind to secure class honours having trailed sole class rivals Shane Medeiros and Errin Butterfield up until Hog Fish Beacon where they took the lead for good.

“They had the lead all the way up North Shore and we actually caught them at Hog Fish,” Smith said. “We made a better turn and that was the last time we saw them.”

It is the second straight race the Selley siblings have been the first and second boats back to the finish.

David and former co-pilot Scott Barnes were first to finish in 2019 and Mark and Fletcher second.

“We flipped the script,” Mark grinned.

David Selley took the opportunity to hail his brother’s success.

“I just couldn’t be more proud of my brother Mark and Fletcher for what they have been through and overcome,” he said.

“They keep taking blows and never give up and got the win they deserved.”

Medeiros and Butterfield were the third boat to finish in 50:58.

Full results were unavailable at press time.

Unofficially, race debutants Lee Wilson and co -pilot Callum Cunningham were the first to finish in the C class, Shawn Butterfield and co-pilot Jermal Woolridge in the D class and Henry Talbot and co-pilot Andrew Cottinghman in the S class.

Ten of the seventeen power boats that started completed the race.

Dakari White won the jet ski race with Cleveland Maybury taking second and Dean Simmons third.

Maybury was actually the first to finish but was tagged with a minute penalty for missing one of the markers on the racecourse, handing White the title by default.

Trystan Hocking, Jouza James and Isobel Rowe dominated the junior races with two wins each in the six race-series held inshore.

“It was just a tremendous day all around,” Robert Cardwell, the Bermuda Power Boat Association president, said.

“The juniors went all the way at it and they really did well. ”We saw all the jet skis go really flat out and then the around the island power boat race went off fairly uneventful.

“We had a couple of breakdowns but for the most part it was a safe event and we are really pleased with the results.”