Driver Damon Morris and co-pilot Anthany Steede were plucked to safety after their boat sank, while B-class rival Makinday Johansen suffered a suspected broken rib during an incident-filled Rubis Around the Island Race on Sunday.

Morris and Steede’s afternoon took a dramatic turn when their boat sank after taking on water on the South Shore. They were quickly rescued by course marshals and were unharmed in the mishap.

“Both co-pilot and driver are fine and were retrieved before the boat went down,” Bermuda Power Boat Association commodore Janae Nesbitt told The Royal Gazette.

In a separate incident, co-pilot Johansen suffered a suspected broken rib while racing with driver Ryan Resendes and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Johansen sustained the injury before he and Resendes intentionally ran their boat aground to avoid sinking after it was damaged and began taking on water on the South Shore.

“He [Johansen] told me he thinks one of his ribs might be broken and he was in pain after we beached the boat so we called the ambulance for him,” Resendes said.

“We blew out the bottom by Tucker’s Point and I saw Tucker’s Point Beach and put her up on the beach to save the boat so she didn’t sink because we were taking in water fast. I beached the boat and that was our race.”

Six other teams also saw their title hopes go up in smoke after being forced to retire from the race through mechanical breakdowns.

The team of Andrew Cottingham and Henry Talbot were the biggest winners on the day having claimed D class honours and led the entire fleet across the finish line at Ferry Reach in 40min 25sec in their new 24-foot Twister catamaran.

“It’s a great feeling and a lot of anticipation with the race being delayed twice,” throttle man and boat co-owner Cottingham said.

“Obviously a new boat to us and only had a few times in it. We knew the boat was fast but just wasn’t sure if everything was going to hold out and things went right.

“Conditions were good; South Shore was a lot rougher than we expected.

“But it was a good race all around and a big thanks to committee and all the crash boats that went out because the weather wasn’t looking great.

“Also big thanks to my team; we guys all work hard to make this stuff happen and it’s a great feeling.

“This is win No two for us Around the Island overall and to do it in our brand-new boat in its first race was a great accomplishment for us and we are very happy.”

B-Class honours went to driver Steven Meireles and co-pilot Aaron Daniel who were second overall across the finish line in 48min 45sec.

“I am very content with our showing today and very sore as well,” Meireles said.

“The boat ran well and this is my first time taking class honours in the Around the Island Race.”

Leading the A-class across the line with a time of 54min 36sec was driver Brandon DeSilva and co-pilot Blake Burgess, who also rounded off the top three boats to finish the 53-nautical mile circumnavigation of the island, competing for the first time in their new 19ft Ocke Mannerfelt boat.

“We had a good first first run; first race in our new boat,” DeSilva said.

“We are getting the hang of it and looking forward to more fun it and some more exciting competition in A-class to come.”

The pair led the entire fleet before being passed by Cottingham and Talbot off John Smith’s Bay.

“We thought we had the W in our sights but we kept pushing,” DeSilva said.

“We wanted to get in the top three, and that’s what we did so. We came to get top three so we’re happy.”

Driver Chad Sutherland and co-pilot Lee Wilson were the only entry in C class.

A total of eighteen boats competed in the annual race spectacle that was postponed twice due to adverse weather.