The 41 year-old powerboat ace from Oyster Bay ran his V8-blown superclass boat ‘Anarchy’ from flat out flag to flag to win the 73rd Bright Print Bridge to Bridge classic atWindsor Marine Stadium.

Perfect weather conditions greeted the 92 combatants on the Hawkesbury at Brooklyn shortly after sunrise on Sunday.

“Last night I thought of protecting our electrics with plastic, but I checked the forecast and no rain was predicted so I didn’t worry,” said.

“Preparation is one thing but you can spend too much time tinkering at the edges and invariably it will cost you in the end.”

McMah, who was third in 2006 and runner up last year to Ricky Howard, trailed his nemesis beneath the Brookyn Bridge.

From that point he accelerated down the straights at 200kmh and swept unchallenged through the corners to win from a fuel-starved Paul Vella (Impatient 2) and local BG Engines Ford entrant Darren Greentree (Handfull) in another trouble-free run.

Vella, one of the veterans of the sport, was almost red-faced at the presentations when he admitted his race was perfect – except for his bright red hydroplane starving for fuel five kilometres from home.

“We checked and then double checked for good measure and to admit the only thing we overlooked was a full fuel tank is a great source of irritation,” Vella said.

Had the event gone just one additional metre Vella would not have cleared the finishing line.

There were two outstanding finishers in the top six.Rooster tailing behind fourth finisher Andrew Petty was 51 year-old West Australian Tony Bridson who charged home for a deserving fifth place with Wilberforce Police inspector Steve Oswald and his wife Monica rounding the super six in their NASCAR Dodge powered ‘Enforcer’.

Despite the Hawkesbury Show on Sunday the Bright Print Bridge classic attracted a wonderful turnout of finish line spectators, believed to be more than 10,000.

Given the crowd at Brooklyn and along the river, more than 25,000 sun drenched spectators are estimated to have watched the event.

Official guest at the Bridge to Bridge Hawkesbury City Mayor Bart Bassett told the Gazette the event was outstanding.

“We have an iconic sporting event that is unique to the Hawkesbury and the Upper Hawkesbury Power Boat Club does such a wonderful job promoting the big race,” Mayor Bassett said. “We are indebted to them.”