By Brady Fredericksen
The Ledger
LAKELAND — Gene Engle remembers watching the Orange Cup Regatta as a boy from the shore of Lake Hollingsworth.

At 76, Lakeland resident has taken after his father, Walter Engle, who created the event 82 years ago.

The only time the Orange Cup Regatta wasn't held was two years during World War II and the two years the lake was dredged in the early-2000s.

But you can tell when Engle looks back on those days that he remembers the excitement. He wants to bring that back as the race returns for its 78th running on Saturday and Sunday.

“It's a sport that's very competitive, very challenging that has grown over the years,” Engle said. “Back then, the lake would be surrounded by cars. It's very competitive, the faster the boats — the higher the rooster tails — the more exciting it gets. These guys, they're fast.”

A rooster tail is the mountainous wake that comes from behind these boats as most travel near 100 miles per hour.

Engle expects about 100 boats in 15 classifications this weekend. The action will begin Friday with testing in the afternoon before competition gets going Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The free event turns Lake Hollingsworth into the “Lake of Records.” Engle said more American Power Boat Association records have been broken here than any other lake.

He also thinks there's a good shot that two more are broken this weekend.

Racers in the 2.5-liter stock and 5-liter inboard divisions will look to break maximum speed records. The current 5-liter world record is 98.854 miles per hour and was set two years ago in Waterford, Mich., by Kent Henderson. It's thought that the 5-liter record is most likely to be broken this time around.

“When we have good weather, it allows racers to do what they're capable of doing,” chief official Sally Titus said. “This is an excellent course, and if you have great weather, they can do it. You've got some of the very best people coming to this race.”

Matt O'Connor of Palm City is one of those racers set to compete in the 5-liter class. The inboard boats, which do not have exposed engines, will do five laps on the one-mile course. The 37-year-old knows it's going to be a competitive class.

“You spend all winter working on your boat nights and weekends,” he said. “Of the boats that are coming, there's not one boat that couldn't win each heat. I would expect, if the weather conditions are ideal… it's very, very possible and probably very likely.”

http://www.theledger.com/article/201...9777?p=1&tc=pg

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Orange Cup Regatta
WHERE: Lake Hollingsworth
WHEN: Testing begins at 1 p.m. today; races Saturday from 10 a.m. to dusk; Sunday from 11 a.m. to dusk.
PRICE: Free