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Crew Claims Florida to Cuba Powerboat Record in Choppy Seas

Lucas Oil SilverHook race boat drivers Nigel Hook (C) and James Johnson (R), waving the flags of Cuba and the United States pass the castle of "El Morro" in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, Aug 17, 2017

HAVANA – A team led by a California-based businessman is claiming a record for a powerboat crossing of the Florida Straits after speeding from Key West to Havana on Thursday.

The crew of the 48-foot boat reported completing the roughly 100-mile (160-kilometer) journey to Cuba in 1 hour and 18 minutes.

They say they averaged nearly 80 mph (129 kph) and hit a top speed of 127 mph (204 kph).

The team was led by British-born Nigel Hook, who runs a data analytics and software engineering firm in California.

American Power Boat Association executive director Patrick Mell said there is no modern record for the route so the run would establish a mark once it is certified by them and the International Union of Motor-boating.

The Hook team said another boat made the same trip in 2015 in an “unsanctioned” time of 1 hour and 51 minutes.

The team is seeking recognition from Guinness World Records.