Knot In Slow Motion better prepared for Great Race debut

Knot In Slow Motion (KISM) is raring to hit the waters when the 53rd edition of the NLCB Great Race speeds off on Saturday, after last-minute engine problems cancelled their anticipated debut last year.

Reynaldo Motilal (driver), Kern Cobles (throttleman), Stephan Mc Connie (communication) and the race’s lone female participant Carlene Caldon (navigator) will vie for honours in the 60 miles per hour category.

They plan to conquer the inter-island journey with a 25-foot Cutlass boat powered by a modified 350 Mercury small block v8 engine. The 60mph class will feature seven boats altogether, the most competitors in a single category.

Motilal said, “Last year was a learning experience. We gained a lot of experience preparing for this year’s regatta. Your boat is not only your engine – it’s plenty other moving parts.

“Preparing for last year’s regatta was a bit of hard luck but we were able to identify where needed improving, where we could do better and where we needed new parts.”

Saturday’s event will be Motilal, Mc Connie and Caldon’s first shot at the Great Race.

Cobles, a seasoned contender, has been involved in the race for over seven years and even won the 60mph category in 2019 with Team Trident.

He was also the main man behind KISM’s fibreglass, hull and engine repair for this year’s competition.

Motilal and his crew have taken their vessel on multiple test runs recently and are confident they will complete the challenging marine course.

Besides their new engine and well-equipped team, Motilal believes the weather also plays a significant role in the team’s success.

“We have put together some strategies for the different things that are going on with the weather right now. We’re seeing a lot of rain these days so we’re preparing to meet some showers in the Gulf of Paria.

“The last thing you want to do is to try to jet out of the Gulf of Paria in heavy rain, destroy the propeller and cannot finish the race. Everyone always says: in order to win you have to finish. That’s what we’re looking at,” he said.

Motilal expects a tough race but believes his crew has what it takes to top the competitive field. Mc Connie is the team’s newest member, but Caldon has been working with the KISM squad for about two years.

This year will be her first time she on the official trek from the Foreshore in Port of Spain to Store Bay.

“Carlene has been around the team for quite some time. She has always been there with us all the time, preparing and taking care of the boat, dealing with the mechanics and everything. She has more than earned her right to do make the trip this year,” Motilal said.

Caldon said she is a bit nervous to make the journey but is motivated by her crew’s confidence to put on a good showing. She has worked with boats for several years and has faith in her team.

“I am quite excited to compete. I’m familiar with what to look out for on the trip. I’m only concerned about the north coast where the water can be a bit unpredictable.

“But Kern is also familiar with the course and I know we have good guidance and experience on the crew,” she said.

Caldon added that finishing the inter-island course remains top priority. According to her, many powerboats prepare for the course but several of them are unable to finish owing to varying reasons.

“It’s very important for us to leave the start line in Trinidad and arrive in Tobago. We don’t want a repeat of last year. It will be an accomplishment for three of us because Kern has done it previously. To start and finish would be a great accomplishment. To win, even better,” she said.

Among their marine opponents are last year’s winners Limitless, who also won in 2018, and 2019 winners Trident.

Motilal is hoping for a strong Great Race debut – and possibly a category win.

“As always we want to win the division and we believe we’re in a position where we can. We need to finish. The first objective is to finish the race but we would like to do it in first place. It all depends on the amount of rain we get from now until Saturday,” he said.

Sponsoring KISM’s boats are Onboard Freight and Logistics, Hott 93, Toppers Restaurant, Tops Office Supplies, Seaboard Trinidad, Trinidad Freight Solutions, Rum Runners, Bunny’s Imports and DDI Trinidad.