Bermudian pair Steven Bridges and David Selley secured a podium finish at the Sheboygan Midwest Challenge in Wisconsin last weekend.

They endured an eventful outing on the water at the P1 Offshore event en route to an impressive third-place finish. They were competing in their 32-foot twin-engined catamaran, S25 Team Bermuda/GL Construction, among the 12-strong Super Stock class.

“It’s always good to be on the podium when racing against 12 boats but we want to be on the top spot,” boat owner and throttle man Bridges told The Royal Gazette.

“The conditions were windy with gusts to 25 miles per hour, but it wasn’t rough as the course was close to land. All boats were crab walking [wind pushing the boat across the course] because of the wind.

“At the first start two boats collided, causing other boats to come out of their lane and we got hosed down. Then another boat, Northwing Offshore, blew over so they [race officials] red-flagged the race.

“The next restart was a better start and we were running in fourth chasing Jackhammer. With a lap and a half left, Celsius rolled in a corner and they again red-flagged the race, leaving us to take a third-place podium finish.

“Another incident on the track where JS Racing/Tit for Tat ran into Steele Offshore Racing causing major damage to the former, resulting it in sinking. Luckily all crew of all the incidents walked away with no injuries.”

Driver Selley described the race conditions as a war zone.

“It was tough and like going into battle,” he said. “It was like going into war and going into an accident; you knew there was going to be an accident.

“That’s how it felt with how tight the racing was and how windy it was. It was a matter of time before there was a yellow or red flag.

“The day (Saturday) we raced the swell had dropped but the wind had increased, so that just made it tricky and the boat was real unpredictable. It was like trying to fly a kite on a real blustery day how it takes turns and has a mind of its own and misbehaves than normal.

“But you just deal with it. In the closed cockpit you can’t feel the wind so you more or less feel it in the sea. You anticipate what it’s going to do and react accordingly, and just hope you can get through it.”

Cocos Monkey took the win in the Super Stock class with fellow American team Jackhammer finishing runner-up at the August 9 to 11 event.

The podium finish was Bridges and Selley’s second of the season having finished runner-up in the Super Stock class on their debut in the Seven Mile Offshore Grand Prix in Florida in May. It was also their fourth top five showing overall this season.

“We are happy with the progress this season, and racing a full season is allowing us more seat time and gaining valuable experience,” Bridges added.

Selley believes he and his colleague will only get better as time goes on with more seat time in the boat under their belt.

“I think we have the speed and patience and it’s been proven,” he said.

“We just have to get more organised and lined up at the start, which is the committee’s job as well as much as it is ours. You just got to hit your marks and do the best that you can.

“The boat is there and I feel that we guys are learning every time. We are constantly cleaning up a few things and when it all comes together we will be right there.

“It’s just seat time; the more time in the boat the better.”