Tomlinson, Coil win Superboat title off Florida Keys

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — John Tomlinson and Myrick Coil won the Superboat title Sunday in the Key West World Championship off the Florida Keys.

Miami throttleman Tomlinson, with 18 national and world titles during his 30-year career, and driver Coil of Osage Beach, Missouri, averaged 95.06 mph and finished first in the final race, combining that with first- and fourth-place finishes in Nov. 9 and 11 preliminary races to secure the championship.

During the first few laps, the team trailed Cleveland Construction, driven by Edward Smith of St. Clair, Michigan. However, they took the lead well before the 55-mile race’s halfway point and maintained it until the checkered flag.

“Once you get through that first lap, then you see where you stand,” Tomlinson said.

He credited the triumph in part to “just picking the right prop and getting the balance the way you want it.”

The race began dramatically when Pro Floors Racing flipped on the first turn, but event officials said no injuries were reported for driver Wayne Vlader and throttleman Chris Hanley, both of Auckland, New Zealand.

In the Superboat Unlimited class the world title went to Wake Effects, owned and driven by Rusty Rahm of Olathe, Kansas, and throttled by Jeff Harris of Greenville, North Carolina.

AMH Construction-Instigator, with New Jersey racers John Stanch and Anthony Smith, earned the Superboat Extreme world title for the third consecutive year.

The championship featured 43 registered boats competing for victory in seven classes.