Serious News
02-18-2016, 08:38 PM
new safety requirement led to the cancellation of this year's Thunder on the Narrows powerboat races off Kent Island, but organizers say it's not connected to last year's fatal accident.
Wheeler Baker, president of the Kent Narrows Racing Association, said the event was canceled because the racecourse is no longer able to meet depth requirements mandated by the American Power Boat Association.
The APBA in January mandated that the water on racecourses must be 4-feet deep, said Richard Shaw, the Region 4 chairman of APBA, which consists of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. Shaw said the change came as result of a fatal accident that occurred on the West Coast in September, in which a driver's boat flipped over and he wasn't able to open the canopy lid of his boat.
Having a depth of 4 feet, Shaw said, is important because it allows enough room for a driver to get out of his boat, which isn't always possible in shallower conditions.
Shaw, who is also a member of the Kent Narrows Racing Association, said the association is still hoping to find an area to host the race this year, but nothing is definite.
Thunder on the Narrows was scheduled for June 25-26. The event would have celebrated its 26th year.
During a race last year, a high-speed crash into a group of spectators left a 7-year-old girl Chester girl dead and several others injured.
The U.S. Coast Guard launched an investigation after the crash. A Coast Guard spokeswoman on Thursday could not immediately provide information on the status of the investigation. State and federal court records do not show any charges against the driver of the boat.
Several race enthusiasts said they were disappointed when hearing the news about this year's cancellation.
Charles Cron, 59, has been going to Kent Island for the race since it began more than 25 years ago. Cron, who is from New Jersey, is now a retired racer, but said the Thunder on the Narrows is one of the best races he attends.
"I'm very disappointed," Cron said. "I've been going every year with my son. It's a race we all look forward to."
Racers all over the nation enjoy coming to Kent Island, partly because of the racing association's hospitality, Cron said. Every year, during the weekend of the race, the association hosts a crab feast for the racers.
Cron said one of his favorite memories as a father took place at Thunder on the Narrows about three years ago, when his son, Johnny, who was 10 at the time, competed in his first youth race and came in second place.
"It was one of those Kodak moments," Cron said. "Nothing I've ever done has made me more proud than to see his smile."
Jaimi Mattingly, 26, has lived on Kent Island all of her life and has attended the last four races. Mattingly describes the race as a "high school reunion," as it's a time when everyone in the area gets together.
"It's definitely a huge part of the summer," she said. "It's something everyone in the area goes to. It's one of the biggest things that happens in the summer."
Racing association member Chris Oliver, 74, of Stevensville, said that while it's important to have safe conditions, he's sad about this year's cancellation. Oliver, who has been racing since the 1960s, said there was once a time when you could race every weekend without traveling too far.
But now, as equipment and boats get more expensive, there are less races every year, Oliver said. The Thunder on the Narrows, he said, was one of the few races in the area.
"It's a big part of the community," Oliver said. "I'm really going to miss it. It's another race we've lost."
http://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/sailing_boating/ph-ac-cn-thunder-on-kent-narrows-cancelled-0219-20160218-story.html
Wheeler Baker, president of the Kent Narrows Racing Association, said the event was canceled because the racecourse is no longer able to meet depth requirements mandated by the American Power Boat Association.
The APBA in January mandated that the water on racecourses must be 4-feet deep, said Richard Shaw, the Region 4 chairman of APBA, which consists of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. Shaw said the change came as result of a fatal accident that occurred on the West Coast in September, in which a driver's boat flipped over and he wasn't able to open the canopy lid of his boat.
Having a depth of 4 feet, Shaw said, is important because it allows enough room for a driver to get out of his boat, which isn't always possible in shallower conditions.
Shaw, who is also a member of the Kent Narrows Racing Association, said the association is still hoping to find an area to host the race this year, but nothing is definite.
Thunder on the Narrows was scheduled for June 25-26. The event would have celebrated its 26th year.
During a race last year, a high-speed crash into a group of spectators left a 7-year-old girl Chester girl dead and several others injured.
The U.S. Coast Guard launched an investigation after the crash. A Coast Guard spokeswoman on Thursday could not immediately provide information on the status of the investigation. State and federal court records do not show any charges against the driver of the boat.
Several race enthusiasts said they were disappointed when hearing the news about this year's cancellation.
Charles Cron, 59, has been going to Kent Island for the race since it began more than 25 years ago. Cron, who is from New Jersey, is now a retired racer, but said the Thunder on the Narrows is one of the best races he attends.
"I'm very disappointed," Cron said. "I've been going every year with my son. It's a race we all look forward to."
Racers all over the nation enjoy coming to Kent Island, partly because of the racing association's hospitality, Cron said. Every year, during the weekend of the race, the association hosts a crab feast for the racers.
Cron said one of his favorite memories as a father took place at Thunder on the Narrows about three years ago, when his son, Johnny, who was 10 at the time, competed in his first youth race and came in second place.
"It was one of those Kodak moments," Cron said. "Nothing I've ever done has made me more proud than to see his smile."
Jaimi Mattingly, 26, has lived on Kent Island all of her life and has attended the last four races. Mattingly describes the race as a "high school reunion," as it's a time when everyone in the area gets together.
"It's definitely a huge part of the summer," she said. "It's something everyone in the area goes to. It's one of the biggest things that happens in the summer."
Racing association member Chris Oliver, 74, of Stevensville, said that while it's important to have safe conditions, he's sad about this year's cancellation. Oliver, who has been racing since the 1960s, said there was once a time when you could race every weekend without traveling too far.
But now, as equipment and boats get more expensive, there are less races every year, Oliver said. The Thunder on the Narrows, he said, was one of the few races in the area.
"It's a big part of the community," Oliver said. "I'm really going to miss it. It's another race we've lost."
http://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/sailing_boating/ph-ac-cn-thunder-on-kent-narrows-cancelled-0219-20160218-story.html