Mario Maraldo - Power Boat Racing | United States

No Finish Line in Sight. In 2004, after 45 years of racing power boats, Mario Maraldo achieved is highest honor yet—the title of National Champion of the American Power Boat Association Limited Grand Prix Class. At age 68, he became the oldest Grand Prix Class driver in the world. But for Mario, the race is by no means nearing an end. He has no plans to retire from power boat racing in the foreseeable future. Mario attended his first hydroplane race in 1958, and since then he has been "hooked" on this daring (sometimes death-defying) sport. He acquired his first racing boat in 1959, and in 1960 competed in his first race. Within five years, Mario felt that the time was right to attempt a record run—the "flying mile," a straightaway through a measured mile. His first run recorded a speed of 121 miles per hour. During the return leg, however, his boat flipped over while moving across the water at about 135 miles per hour. Mario not only survived this accident, but after a week in the hospital and two months at home, he returned to his regular job as an experimental auto mechanic for General Motors. Over the following years, Mario won several major regional races, including the prestigious Eastern Division championship. Still an active power boat racer, since 1998, he has been racing the same boat he started building in 1993.