1997 | Tom D'Eath

D'Eath is a three-time winner of the APBA Gold Cup and of the Prince Edward Canadian Gold Cup - the only person ever to win each country's Gold Cup three times and to win both in the same season (1976).

The 7-time world champion set many records and is a many-time APBA Hall of Champions inductee in both Inboard and Unlimited. Dubbed "Mr. Hydroplane" by Powerboat Magazine, D'Eath was a driver, designer, boat and engine builder, and consultant to race teams; the first driver to win a Gold Cup in a cabover Unlimited; and the first to win with the Allison power plant.

His father, the late Al D'Eath, raced in the 1940s and 1950s, and Tom started racing at the age of 14 in A Utility Stock Outboard, then in 280 class and 150 cubic inch hydroplanes. He set a 1971 kilo record with his boat Southern Style, and won three national championships. He also set records and won races in Offshore in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The first 2.5 Litre Mod he designed and built is a four-time Inboard national champion that held all class competition records. D’Eath's 5 Litre engines won championships and set records.

He started racing Unlimiteds in 1973 with George Simon's Miss U.S. and drove others during his career. D'Eath retired from driving in 1991.

In 1994, he headed up the new APBA Vintage and Historic division. In 1997 D'Eath was inducted into the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum Unlimited Hydroplane Hall of Fame.