Soap Lake Regatta set to return with powerboat racing in 2014

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This year the Soap Lake Regatta returned to Soap LAke Washington for the first time in 30 years. Whenever something like that happens, there is a tendency to hold your breath and see what the results are. What makes it known the event was a success, a re-schedule for the following year. Well, it has been approved for 2014, which makes 2013's event, after the hiatus since 1983, a resounding success.

Soap Lake Regatta set to return with powerboat racing in 2014

Posted: Friday, December 6, 2013 12:33 pm | Updated: 12:37 pm, Fri Dec 6, 2013.

By Jeff Chew | 0 comments




SOAP LAKE – The Soap Lake Regatta got the starting flag to return to Soap Lake next June.

The Soap Lake city council gave unanimous approval to a permit to allow the race.

Soap Lake Regatta race promoter Terry Anderson told the council at their last meeting that the Seattle Drag and Ski Sprint Boat Association event would be staged on Father’s Day weekend, June 14-15.

“We would like to put on an event this year that was similar to last year, only bigger,” Anderson told council members Wednesday night at City Hall.

Del Redd’s Pub has agreed to be the race sponsor, he said.

Anderson asked that the city recreational vehicle park at East Beach be reserved for racing team RVs as part of the application.

This year an area will be roped off for swimmers that is far enough away from the raceway to be safe and allowed by the event’s insurers, Anderson said.

Organizers are working to move public areas closer to the race pits for better viewing.

City Councilmember Kat Sanderson, who is the Soap Lake Chamber of Commerce vice president, asked that the kickoff event be scheduled for later in spring, possibly in late March or April, for warmer weather.

Anderson said that could be done.

The event would bring in boats so adults and children could get up close to see them, take photos and talk to event promoters.

This year the races rescue team would be moved to a small portion of West Beach to launch rescue boats, Anderson said.

The boat association would use the city barge again.

“This year we want to use the city barge to have a raffle for the right to have a catered lunch during the boat race in the center of the boat race on the barge,” Anderson said, adding it would give the chamber of commerce some added promotional value for a raffle fundraiser.

Organizers are hoping to have the event broadcast live to draw more attention.

Between Seattle Drag and Ski, and the chamber, Anderson said he hopes to produce 15,000 boat race promotional posters to distribute nationally.

“The boat racers would like to have a record course,” Anderson said. “The Grand Prixes were close to a record last year on mile and a half course.”

http://www.ifiberone.com/news/soap-l...a4bcf6878.html

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You Tube Video of This Year's Event

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Photos of the Soap Lake Regatta (APBA West Coast)

http://hydroplanequebec.com/en/2013/...ta-west-coast/

[Ratickle]

I remember way back, living out there, they thought that lake would set all kinds of records because the minerals in the water made it truly "Soapy" hence the name. They thought the water was actually slippery like soap. Anyone know anything about it currently?