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By Marqise Allen
mallen@chronline.com
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Saturday, May 2, 2009 8:01 AM PDT
Nine-year-old Wessly Hyde is standing next to a picnic bench eating a ham and cheese sandwich, and preparing to ride his limited mini-hydroplane boat for the first time.
It’s the perfect pregame meal for the boy from Lynnwood, who came down to the Second Annual Mayfield Lake Regatta at Ike Kinswa State Park with his family and isn’t showing a hint of nervousness.
He remembers just seeing hydroplane races a couple months ago.
“I just thought it’d be cool cause you drive fast around the water,” Hyde said about racing in the junior circuit.
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Now with this own boat, he’s hoping to enjoy the experience this weekend after he gets a day’s worth of practice in. The event is scheduled for today and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days at Ike Kinswa State Park.
“I’m gonna have fun, and try to stay on the track and not crash,” Hyde said.
Daniel Korpe, 11, Kent, admitted he let the excitement get the best of him when he was going too fast and did a somersault in his junior boat before landing in the self-described freezing water during his first practice run.
“It felt like I was in a video game when I flipped,” Korpe said. “It was really slow.”
J.W. Myers, race director for the Seattle Outboard Association, which is hosting the event, remembers how much fun he had growing up in the sport, and not just for those participating.
Last year a few hundred people attended the races that were held. He’s expecting the crowds to be smaller, but the races to be no less entertaining.
Finding a sponsor was difficult this year in the current economic climate, but he is hopeful a sponsor next year will make the races even better.
“It’s going to be better next year, not that this year is bad,” Myers said. “Next year, when we get a sponsor, we’ll lower our entry fee and our boat count will go up, and we’ll put on a better show.”
A sponsor will also allow for more advertising.
But Myers said the event was worth putting on because of the location. He says he stumbled upon it on the Internet using Google Maps. Lake Mayfield was one of the best racing venue because it is the perfect size, he said.
Jamie Nielsen, 23, Puyallup, is getting back into racing hydroplanes for the first time a little bit, and is enjoying getting back into things.
“It’s a family oriented thing,” he said. “It brings my dad and my brother together for the weekend.”
And the events have become family events, where parents pass on their passion to their children.
mallen@chronline.com
Published:
Full article link
Saturday, May 2, 2009 8:01 AM PDT
Nine-year-old Wessly Hyde is standing next to a picnic bench eating a ham and cheese sandwich, and preparing to ride his limited mini-hydroplane boat for the first time.
It’s the perfect pregame meal for the boy from Lynnwood, who came down to the Second Annual Mayfield Lake Regatta at Ike Kinswa State Park with his family and isn’t showing a hint of nervousness.
He remembers just seeing hydroplane races a couple months ago.
“I just thought it’d be cool cause you drive fast around the water,” Hyde said about racing in the junior circuit.
*
Now with this own boat, he’s hoping to enjoy the experience this weekend after he gets a day’s worth of practice in. The event is scheduled for today and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days at Ike Kinswa State Park.
“I’m gonna have fun, and try to stay on the track and not crash,” Hyde said.
Daniel Korpe, 11, Kent, admitted he let the excitement get the best of him when he was going too fast and did a somersault in his junior boat before landing in the self-described freezing water during his first practice run.
“It felt like I was in a video game when I flipped,” Korpe said. “It was really slow.”
J.W. Myers, race director for the Seattle Outboard Association, which is hosting the event, remembers how much fun he had growing up in the sport, and not just for those participating.
Last year a few hundred people attended the races that were held. He’s expecting the crowds to be smaller, but the races to be no less entertaining.
Finding a sponsor was difficult this year in the current economic climate, but he is hopeful a sponsor next year will make the races even better.
“It’s going to be better next year, not that this year is bad,” Myers said. “Next year, when we get a sponsor, we’ll lower our entry fee and our boat count will go up, and we’ll put on a better show.”
A sponsor will also allow for more advertising.
But Myers said the event was worth putting on because of the location. He says he stumbled upon it on the Internet using Google Maps. Lake Mayfield was one of the best racing venue because it is the perfect size, he said.
Jamie Nielsen, 23, Puyallup, is getting back into racing hydroplanes for the first time a little bit, and is enjoying getting back into things.
“It’s a family oriented thing,” he said. “It brings my dad and my brother together for the weekend.”
And the events have become family events, where parents pass on their passion to their children.
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