Despite the rough economic waters of the past year, Trenton Rotary Club, organizer of the annual National City Roar on the River, is gearing up for another weekend of full-throttle excitement on the Detroit River alongside Elizabeth Park in Trenton.
Two outboard powerboat world championships will be up for grabs Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26, during the 59th running of the “Roar,” which is expected to draw a competitive field of drivers from throughout the country.
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“Spectators want constant action, and we never really have any down time between races,” said Fred Miller, who has served as racing coordinator for the Roar for the past several years and is a former race driver who has been involved with the event virtually since its inception. “And even when we do have down time, we have the Jet Ski stunt shows. So there’s always something exciting going on on the water.”
The SST 120 and SST 45 boat racers will each compete in four heats over the two days, concluding with marathon 20-lap championship finals on Sunday afternoon.
For racing fans and newcomers to the sport, the Roar on the River never disappoints.
“People are amazed by what we have to offer with the Detroit River,” Miller said. “People who race love coming to the area because it has so much to offer.
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The SST 120 boats are 16 feet long and weigh a minimum of just over half a ton. On straight-aways, these boats can fly along at speeds reaching nearly 120 mph.
The SST 45 boats are not quite as powerful, using a smaller engine to carry a lighter load. Make no mistake, however; they can still blast through the course at speeds approaching 100 mph. The focus with these smaller crafts, however, is more on skill than speed.
The championships are determined through a point system, with points accumulated throughout each preliminary heat and the finals.
Mark Jakob (Clifton, Ill.) won two of four heats -- including the decisive final race -- to nab the SST 120 championship last year. Jakob came out of racing retirement to compete in the SST 45s two years ago and moved up to the 120s in 2008.
This season, the red-hot Jakob has won several races, including the Marietta (Ohio) Riverfront Roar on July 12 (which was for the Formula 2 North American crown).
One racer to watch is Bay City’s Jay Fox, who won that city’s River Roar race last year. Fox finished second there this year, and was the top Michigan finisher in last year’s Roar on the River.
Last year, Miami’s Jose Mendana won two of the four heats to earn the SST 45 series championship. It gave Mendana his second consecutive SST 45 title on the Trenton course. He finished well ahead of Stoney Point, Ontario’s Butch Ott (who lives just across the river near Windsor. His son, Steve, plays for the NHL’s Dallas Stars).
While the boats race on different types of courses, the Trenton course is challenging in that conditions are determined by not only the Detroit River but also nearby Lake Erie.
“Every course is different,” Miller explained. “With Lake Erie being a large body of water, and other factors, it can be a pretty interesting course. If you’ve never seen racing like this, you’ll be amazed.”
Racing will take place in other boat classes both days, too, including stock outboard runabouts and two-man inflatables. Though smaller in horsepower, the lightweight boats can still fly along, racing a slightly shorter course directly in front of the park, where great viewing spots abound along the boardwalk and hillside that forms a natural grandstand. Race organizers advise bringing blankets and chairs.
As for the Jet Ski stunt shows, Typhoon Tommy (Downriver native Tommy Nuttall) and his team of experts perform a wide range of acrobatic moves with the small watercraft, including full mid-air barrel rolls and jumps off a floating ramp. The stunt team will appear throughout the weekend.
The show is part of the 2009 World Freestyle Watercraft Alliance Jet Ski national championship tour.
“We are planning a Jet Ski freestyle competition on Saturday evening that includes the Roar on the River freestyle championship, plus the Hydro-turf highest fountain of water competition and Slippery submarine underwater competition (riders are judged on deepest underwater dive),” Nuttall said. “We also have ‘sickest trick’ and ‘big air’ competitions.”
The Roar on the River features a bevy of other activities throughout Elizabeth Park throughout the weekend. Additional information can be obtained at www.trentonroarontheriver.com
