Hailed as the 'the world's most rugged ocean race' the fabled Miami-Nassau races first brought powerboat racing to the attention of the general public and signaled the beginnings of modern offshore racing. These races also provided the sport with its first hero - Sam L. Griffith.

The first Miami-Nassau race, run on May 6, 1956 was the brainchild of American race car promoter Capt. Sherman 'Red' Crise and yacht designer, Dick Bertram. Of the eleven intrepid pioneers who entered this now famous 184-mile race, eight went the distance to complete the race. The first boat home after nine hours 20 minutes, at an average speed of 19.7mph, was the Griffith-Bertram entry, Doodles II, a 34' wooden Chris Craft with two 215hp Cadillac Crusader engines.

Griffith was a larger than life character who made the sport his own in those early years. He was regarded as 'the man' and before his untimely death in 1963 he would win four Miami-Nassau races, break Gar Wood's 41-year old Miami-New York powerboat record and capture the Around Long Island Marathon. Many have since sought to emulate his skills and when Class 1 came of age with a sanctioned World Drivers Championship it was his name that was selected to adorn the trophy that is today the sport's biggest prize.

U.I.M. SAM GRIFFITH TROPHY WINNERS

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