2014 Orange Cup Regatta, Friday, February 28, 2014 — Sunday, March 2, 2014

[Serious News]

American Power Boat Association and The Central Florida Racing Club #208 Region 5, have partnered with the City of Lakeland & Polk County Tourism & Sports Marketing to host this annual boat racing event. This is an open invitational event for participants.

Fifteen different classes of race boats will be competing in this year’s regatta on the “Lake of Records”, Lake Hollingsworth.
The Orange Cup is full of tradition and has become a legendary event over its 75 year history.

This is a free event for spectators. Bring your camp chairs, relax and enjoy this year’s Orange Cup Regatta!

Located At
Lake Hollingsworth
Lakeland, FL 33803

Event Information
For racing details, call 863-688-3009.




This footage is from the 2013 Orange Cup Regatta and aired on Polk Government Television (PGTV) episode of Sports Central.

http://youtu.be/GkrBc91TEiE
Published on Mar 21, 2013

[Ratickle]

Classes

Saturday Mar 02, 2013
07000 - OPC
01040 - 2.5 LTR MODIFIED
01110 - 5 LTR
01130 - 2.5 LTR STOCK
01140 - 1 LTR
01220 - JERSEY SPEED SKIFF
01600 - PRO STOCK
01650 - SE
06020 - ASR
07280 - SST 120
07290 - SST 60
07300 - SST200
07340 - FORMULA 150
07360 - SUPER SPORT
07640 - MOD U
11011 - J CLASS H
11012 - AXR

Sunday Mar 03, 2013
07000 - OPC
01040 - 2.5 LTR MODIFIED
01110 - 5 LTR
01130 - 2.5 LTR STOCK
01140 - 1 LTR
01220 - JERSEY SPEED SKIFF
01600 - PRO STOCK
01650 - SE
07280 - SST 120
07290 - SST 60
07300 - SST200
07340 - FORMULA 150
07360 - SUPER SPORT
07640 - MOD U
11012 - AXR

[Serious News]

Powerboats Expected To Offer Exciting Races at 76th Annual Orange Cup Regatta
By Del Milligan THE LEDGER

Published: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 10:23 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 at 10:23 p.m.

LAKELAND | More than 80 powerboats will be racing at speeds up to 140 mph Saturday and Sunday on Lake Hollingsworth in the 76th annual Orange Cup Regatta.

The Regatta's one-mile oval course, noted for its world-record capability, will once again feature tunnel-hull boats that reach 120 mph and 5-Liter hydroplanes that can hit 125 mph.

But racing fans will be treated to a new class of boats called H350 Hydros that push the extremes of speed even higher, to 135 to 140 mph.

"We're continuing to bring in faster and bigger boats," said race director Gene Engle of Lakeland. "We've been doing this transition over the past four or five years going into the tunnel boats or larger hydroplanes."

Engle said four H350s will be throwing up roostertails, running with the 5-Liter Hydros this weekend.

The H350 hydroplanes, not an officially recognized APBA class yet, are a little smaller than the Unlimited Class boats that were once ruled by the Miss Budweiser.

"I suspect they have very quick acceleration in the straightaways," said Engle, president of the host Central Florida Racing Club.

Multiple entries in 16 classes of boats are competing not only to win, but to break records and earn points in the American Power Boat Association's opening race of the season.

"We could have some records on Saturday. The weather is looking really good," Engle said.

Engle said there's a large turnout of boats this year, citing the improved economic climate.

"I think nationwide we were a little slow last year, so these people are really ready to get back to racing," he said.

Race crews from as far away as California and Canada will be setting up in the hot pits near the Lakeland Yacht & Country Club, but the majority of boats are from the Northeast.

"Normally, most of our drivers come from the east side of the Mississippi River," Engle said.

Emily Hutchinson of Winter Haven was the only Polk County racer signed up as of Wednesday afternoon. Hutchinson will run in the AXR Class (runabouts) and JH Class (hydroplanes).

The familiar high-pitched whine of boats in four general categories — hydroplanes, tunnel boats, skiffs and flat-bottoms — will fill the neighborhoods around Lake Hollingsworth when testing starts on Friday at noon to 1 p.m.

Races start at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and at noon on Sunday. There is no admission charge for the races, which bring an influx of money into the city and draw about 5,000 spectators.

"Last year the economic impact was $220,000. The projected economic impact this year based on registrations so far is $252,000," said John Oney of the Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau.

Last year, winds limited racing to one day. Engle said winds over 12 mph can stop the action, especially when they're coming out of the northwest.

Engle said safety is the No. 1 priority for racers and spectators. Four divers will be positioned on the lake at all times with oxygen.

"We don't run without having the ambulance, the EMS and our divers," he said.

There were no injuries last year. There has been one fatality in 75 years.

Spectators can bring chairs, blankets and coolers, and park around the west shore of the lake. There will be portable restrooms near the spectator area on the west shore.

Engle said the hot pit and cold pit areas will be fenced off and require an armband for entry.

http://www.theledger.com/article/20140226/NEWS/140229378?p=1&tc=pg