Key West, Florida - Peter Meyer won the Super Vee Unlimited class during the first of three events Wednesday at the Key West World Championship offshore powerboat races.

Meyer, a Port Washington, N.Y., resident, and throttleman Johnny Stanch of Westmont, N.J., averaged 89.09 mph over a wind-blown course. Their Seminole Hard Rock boat won national championships in 2008 and 2009 and also earned a world title here last year.

"It was more than a little snotty," Meyer said of the 3- to 4-foot seas on the outside leg of the course. "But we had the right propellers on for the day."

Miss Geico, piloted by Marc Granet of St. Petersburg Beach, Fla., and Scott Begovich of Jupiter, Fla., easily won the two-boat Turbine class and their 106.35 mph average speed was the fastest of the 50-boat fleet.

Driving Spirit of Quatar, Sheik Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and English throttleman Steve Curtis placed second in the Superboat 850 class, but a second team boat, driving by Abdullah Al Sulaiti, won the class.

"Because there are three races, we decided to take it easy and go slow," Hassan said. "Its very important that we race on Friday (the second race) and start and finish on Sunday (the final race)."