ST. CLAIR

St. Clair home to new powerboat championship

Liz Shepard
Times Herald
Wazzup passes Strictly Business during the Class 3 race Sunday, July 29, 2018 during the St. Clair River Classic Offshore Powerboat races.

Offshore powerboat racing is returning to St. Clair for the 25th year, but with a new partnership officials believe could bring in more boats. 

The St. Clair River Classic offshore races will return July 26-28.

“We are excited to be part of a new offshore racing series that includes international teams; it will bring more boats to St. Clair and we will continue to welcome teams and fans who have made our race site so popular," Steve Brunner, Blue Water Offshore Racing Association president said in a statetement. 

Powerboat P1 and OPA Racing announced in October they were partnering to create the American Power Boat Association Offshore Championship in 2019. 

They've announced four of the six venues to be used in the championship:

  • Cocoa Beach: May 17-19 — ‘Thunder on Cocoa Beach’
  • Lake of the Ozarks: May 31-June 2 — The Lake Race
  • Sarasota: July 5-7 — Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival
  • St. Clair River Classic: July 26-28 — St. Clair River Classic


OPA Racing has been the primary sanctioning body for the St. Clair River Classic in partnership with Blue Water Offshore Racing Association since 2004, according to the statement. 

Officials said the partnership aims to strengthen the future of racing in the United States by delivering an expanded, cohesive, world-class race series, split equally between the north and south. 

“Our principal goal is quite simply to further develop the sport of Offshore and, working with Powerboat P1, we now have the opportunity to unite the race teams in a way that has been missing for a long time. We plan to announce the remaining two race venues later this month and then everyone can look forward to a new and exciting six-race championship in 2019," Ed "Smitty" Smith, president of the Offshore Powerboat Association, said in the statement. 

"We have identified several important areas where we believe the partnership will deliver significant results commercially and in terms of the sport’s organization and profile," Azam Rangoonwala, chief executive of Powerboat P1, said in the statement. "Our aim is always to stage events that excite and entertain, ensuring enjoyment for spectators and TV audiences with sponsor value and a real economic impact for the host venues.”

Brunner said “combining this new offshore racing partnership with Blue Water Offshore Racing Association’s experience in race production in St. Clair and the entertainment and vendors managed by Funfest Productions will absolutely enhance St. Clair’s event so our event will continue to be a fan favorite."

Contact Liz Shepard at (810) 989-6273 or lshepard@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @lvshepard.