Grant Trask called it an eventful weekend. The results sheet tells a different story. The Australian is second in the F1H2O World Championship after round one, heading home to Australia on Monday with 21 points, seven behind teammate Stefan Arand, and the opening round of 2026 behind him.
He spoke to Powerboat News from the plane.
The Race
Trask crossed the line 0.754 seconds behind Arand after 40 laps of racing in conditions that retired five boats. The margin was tight. There is a reason for that.
Trask said of the gap to Arand:
The gap was so tight because we finished under yellow. I was catching Stefan before the yellow, but he was fighting to finish as he had thrown a blade.
Arand’s motor was shedding a propeller blade in the closing laps as Trask closed. The yellow flag neutralised the field before the gap could close further. Second place was the result; second place, as Trask knows well, is not nothing.
Of course as a driver you always want to win, but the championship is about consistency.
Saturday’s Setback
The grand prix result came after a difficult sprint race on Saturday. Trask was penalised two places for a lane infringement at the start, dropping from third to fifth. It was a frustrating afternoon. Sunday was the response.
For myself I was very happy with the result after the set back from Saturday.
The Conditions
Five drivers barrel rolled out of the race on a circuit battered by rollers and rough water. Shaun Torrente, Rusty Wyatt, Sami Selio, Peter Morin and Brent Dillard all went over. Trask was asked whether the circuit was difficult.
Yes the circuit was rough. But you have to drive to the conditions. We have raced in worse.
Trask lost his right leg at age five. He races without a prosthetic. The question of whether rough water presents a particular physical challenge got a characteristically direct answer.
I take my leg off, so no dramas.
Racing With Arand
Arand and Trask finished 1-2 in Sharjah in December, as rivals. They finished 1-2 in Cagliari as teammates. The dynamic is different; the order is the same. Trask on sharing a garage with the 23-year-old Estonian:
Racing with Stefan is great. He is a very polite young man, and a pleasure to be team mates with.
Sharjah Team principal Scott Gillman, who signed Trask in March after Team Sweden closed, watched his two drivers finish first and second at the opening round. His reaction was visible from the podium.
Gillman busted out a cigar. So he must of been happy with the results.
The Leggy
Trask celebrated his first Grand Prix podium at Shanghai in 2025 by removing his prosthetic leg in the boat – fulfilling a long-standing promise to his father Bob, who raced F1H2O from 2002 to 2008. His uncle David raced from 2004 to 2008. The tradition continued in Cagliari, this time on the podium step. He has one condition on the next one.
Yes I will do the leggy again once I reach the top step. But with Mad Croc this time.
The Mad Croc logo is on boat 19. The top step is seven points away. Round two is the Grand Prix of Kyrgyzstan at Issyk-Kul, July 1-2 – a new venue on the calendar.
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
