Vision Marine partners with Shaun Torrente to pilot Hellkats 32' “Fulgura I” Sport Catamaran
by Vision Marine Technologies 26 Jul 2021 17:09 BST
E-Motion Electric Outboard Series 180E © Vision Marine Technologies
Vision Marine Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: VMAR) ("Vision Marine" or the "Company"), a leading manufacturer in the electric recreational boating industry serving both OEMs and consumers, is pleased to announce today that the Company will partner with Shaun Torrente of Shaun Torrente Racing to pilot the Hellkats 32' Super-Sport Widebody Catamaran, equipped with a twin application of Vision Marine's groundbreaking E-Motion™ powertrain system.
Shaun Torrente is an integral part of our plan to achieve the world's fastest electric boat, powered by E-Motion™, the world's most powerful electric outboard. Mr. Torrente will apply his experience as a multi-series World Powerboat Champion and manufacturer of marine components, to work jointly with Vision Marine and HellKats Powerboats to design the lower unit section of the engine, in addition to assisting with rigging, fabrication, and setup of the boat in order to shatter the world speed record.
Mr. Torrente will pilot the Hellkats 32' widebody boat for the world speed record attempt. Mr. Torrente's knowledge and expertise in racing, custom fabrication and machining capabilities make him an invaluable asset in the research and development of the world's fastest electric powered catamarans.
Mr. Torrente's racing career began in the United States when he was 15 years of age, going on to become an SST-120 (F2) World Champion twice in 2002 and 2003, before moving up and winning the North American F1 Championship three times. Mr. Torrente's first full Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship season was in 2011, with Team Qatar. From 52 starts, Mr. Torrente finished on the podium fourteen times, winning nine races, and qualifying for pole position nine times.
The Florida native finished runner up in the world title competition in 2013 and 2016, and on two occasions placed third overall. After three terms with Qatar, he joined the Victory Team at the Grand Prix of France in 2015, before moving to Team Abu Dhabi at the end of 2017.
In 2018, Mr. Torrente was crowned Formula 1 Powerboat World Champion, winning the title, and repeating that success the following year with Team Abu Dhabi. Additionally, Mr. Torrente throttled the Team Abu Dhabi XCAT offshore race boat in 2018, winning the 2018 XCAT World Powerboat Championship, making him the only racer to win both major UIM world powerboat championships titles in the same year.