Orange Cup Regatta, 2016

[Serious News]

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

[Serious News]

Power boat teams adjust to race changes at Orange Cup Regatta
By John Hahn

LAKELAND — It was buzzing early as more than 100 entrants for the 78th annual Orange Cup Regatta began setting up Friday in preparation for Saturday's and Sunday’s races on a new layout for the one-mile course on Lake Hollingsworth.

Saturday, boats will be in the water at 10 a.m. with racing to start shortly after more tune-ups and practice laps. On Sunday, action will begin at 11 a.m. with all the championship rounds in 15 classifications.

This is the first of the 2016 American Power Boat Racing 65-event national schedule that continues to the middle of November.

There will be some new boat owners and drivers this year, along with those who competed last year. But in the 5-liter classification, the engines will be moving from a 305 to the 350 engine.

“When you are competing, you have to upgrade and the 350 engine is a lot more horsepower,” said crew chief Spellman Pellerin with Ragin Cajun Racin’ out of Lafayette, La.

“We knew this change was coming last year and in the offseason we worked on getting an engine built in Cincinnati,” the 54-year-old Pellerin said. “Then came all the little changes with the boat, like a deeper rudder, side fin adjustments (for turns) and making a more confident and comfortable situation for the driver.”

Last year, with Joe Sovie driving, the boat finished third in the Orange Cup.

“That was the high point of our season,” said owner Doug Beynon of Lafayette. “After that everything broke. We are trying all new pieces and I’m really excited about our chances this season.”

Further down in the pit area, Andy Keogh, 46, whose been racing inboards since he was 14, the 5 liters will be exciting with the engine upgrade.

“We’ve made some hardware and hull adjustments,” he said of Lady Luck (Racing) out of Grosse Pointe, Mich. “You want to keep the boat on the water, but then again it’s on the edge of the water; essentially a wing (off the water).”

The E-13 Lady Luck boat is owned by Kent Keough, Andy’s father and both are looking forward to the new course layout that could surpass the record 98.854 mph set two years ago in Waterford, Mich.

Twenty-one year veteran Richard Hern will take the E-14 5-liter hydro to the water with new props, fins and struts.

“It’s a beefier and bigger boat,” said the school teach out of Oshkosh, Wis., “I’ve been proactive with all the changes and we’ll avoid some breaks in my first trip to Lakeland and this regatta.”

Some of the other 5-liter boats are Tom English’s E-75 out of Cincinnati, owner John Huganear and driver Brandon Kennedy in E-30 from Bear, Del., and Wally Johnson, owner-driver, in E-98 from Helena, Mont.

Fans will get a kick out of the Grand Prix boats, which will be testing in an exhibition both days. These hydros, capable of 160 mph with 468 cubic inches of engine and 1,300 horsepower are just below the unlimited hydros.

According to officials, the new one-mile course is more rounded with inside and outside buoys to form a lane of competition. This new course was approved at the Lawrence Lake World Record Regatta in Yelm, Wash., in late September of last year.

http://www.theledger.com/article/201...9639?p=1&tc=pg