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Serious News
06-05-2016, 08:40 AM
Enjoy hydroplane racing at Nickel Cup Regatta in Gananoque

The Nickel Cup Regatta in Gananoque will offer one more day of hydroplane racing on Sunday, June5.

St. Lawrence News
By Jan Murray

Do you feel a need for speed? Does the sound of roaring engines raise your adrenaline level? Do you thrive on the excitement surrounding activities on the St. Lawrence River?

If you said yes to even one of those questions, you won’t want to miss the 1000 Islands Nickel Cup Hydroplane Regatta happening in Gananoque from June 2 to 5.

The Nickel Cup Regatta is hydroplane racing like you have never imagined before and it will be right here in Gananoque, thrilling die-hard speed enthusiasts and recruiting new ones.

The hydroplane races were a tradition here for many years, adding excitement to the summers in the 1000 Islands during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was commonplace for them to attract quite literally thousands of spectators. All along the shoreline of the St. Lawrence River, hydroplane enthusiasts lined the shores, vying for the best spot to catch the excitement, hear the roar of the engines and watch as the boats soared past.

These hydroplane boats will average speeds between 180km/hr up to 300km/hr, depending on their class of watercraft. Co-chair of the Nickel Cup Regatta committee, Chris McCarney, has been involved with the sport for almost 30 years. He strongly believes these races are an important way to embrace the river, its past, the people who are called to it, who live and play here.

“It’s some of the most exciting racing in the world,” McCarney said. “When you get boats going faster than a stock car, it’s really something to experience.”

“It was Chris’ dad that was involved in it back in the day,” explained Kathrine Christensen, executive director, 1000 Islands Accommodation Partners. “Chris has the actual trophy that they were giving out back in the ‘40s and ‘50s. He spent an entire afternoon shining it up. It is the most beautiful trophy. It is more beautiful than the Stanley Cup itself.”

Gananoque will be the second stop on this year’s ACHA (American Canadian Hydroplane Association) race schedule. This exciting event is part of the North American race circuit, sanctioned by the American Canadian Hydroplane Association. It will include four different classes of boats; Formula 2500, Hydro 350, 2.5 litre and Grand Prix.

The excitement begins today (Thursday) with an opportunity to see the boats up close and personal. Visitors will have an opportunity to meet and speak with the drivers, which will in turn naturally build even more excitement for the upcoming races. There will also be events planned for children and families during that time. On Friday, the committee hopes to host a parade throughout the downtown core.

The races themselves will take place on Saturday and Sunday along the waterfront, in front of the boat museum and along the waterfront in Joel Stone Park.

“Those new docks at the museum opened just the other day. They are an integral part of the races,” explained Christensen. “It’s quite interesting how that project has already, even though it’s only been open for a week, will already be facilitating new and interesting events.”

“They will present the trophy to whomever wins on Sunday,” she added. “That person will have their name put onto a small plaque and it lives at the boat museum in Gananoque”

The committee hopes that the hydroplane race weekend will help to regenerate the interest that Gananoque had for this event in the past, bringing it alive once again for this and future generations to enjoy.

“Boat racing owns a piece of history in Gananoque,” McCarney said. “It’s a significant part of our heritage and culture, and we’re looking forward to celebrating that and making the past come alive.”

Christensen anticipates this event will become one of Gananoque’s signature events over the summer, much the same way the Festival of the Islands was for 20 years.

In an effort to make this an opportunity open to everyone, and ensure nobody miss out on the experience, there is no charge for this event.

Visit NickelCup.com for more information.

http://www.insidebrockville.com/news-story/6702314-enjoy-hydroplane-racing-at-nickel-cup-regatta-in-gananoque/

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