An eerie sense of calm washed over the Coast Hotel near the Queensbay Bridge, as more than fifty speedboats sat silently awaiting the marine fog to lift so they could turn over their massive engines and begin a mad dash in the 60th annual Catalina Ski Race this morning.
Competitors from five nations gathered to compete in more than ten classes, as riders and drivers prepared themselves in the shadow of the Long Beach skyline and Queen Mary. The boats took off around 9:45am, churning up white water as they made a break for the breakwater – before being released into the open ocean on the way to Avalon and back.
The funny thing? It won’t even be the loudest event this weekend.
Tomorrow, the Sea Festival continues with the 97th Off Shore Powerboat Race, and professional Watercross racers pilot revved-up jetskis to Catalina and back. Both events can be viewed from the Belmont Pier.
The Aquarium of the Pacific will also broadcast a brand-new episode of the popular Discovery Channel series Shark Week, which begins Monday. Of course, if you’re a lifelong Shark Week nerd like me, you already knew that.
Enjoy these pictures taken this morning as a preview of the fun to come this weekend.
UPDATE: The Men’s Open division was won this morning by the #191 Nordic boat towing American Todd Haig, which finished the 64-mile race in just under 52 minutes! Haig actually fell in the rough Pacific waters on the way back from Catalina and fell into second place, but kept pushing and was able to regain the lead and the victory.
The Formula II Outboard division was won by the #70 Bernico with American rider Cameron King earning the trophy.
By Ryan ZumMallen, Managing Editor