Local hydros head to the Middle East for season championship race

Published 10:42 am Tuesday, November 3, 2009

In two weeks, on the opposite side of the world, which in many ways is as far as a person can get from Mercer Island, there will be a hydro race on the water surrounding Doha, Qatar.

That race, the American Boat Racing Association’s Orynx Cup World Championships, will feature Islander Dr. Ken Muscatel and his team, racing under the Superior Racing banner — the team that Muscatel has owned and driven for since 1994.

The trip to Qatar, a Middle Eastern country that juts into the Persian Gulf, marks the first time that the championships will be held outside North America.

Muscatel said that getting the event created was a joint effort, with interest on both sides. Qatar’s Sheikh Hassan Bin Jabor Al Thani, a member of the royal family, is a big boat racer, according to Muscatel, and he is the president of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), ABRA’s counterpart in getting the race together.

Muscatel said he has made the trip to Qatar twice, first in January when the official handshake sealed the race, and again in April to do more work.

“It’s been in the works a long time,” he said, adding that it takes a lot of preparation with big budgets.

Muscatel said there has long been interest in the idea. Because the unlimited hydros are the fastest boats in the world, averaging 150 miles per hour on the course and hitting up to 190 mph on the straightaways, it was only natural that these boats would appeal to a country with a boat racing history.

With this first race outside of North America, Muscatel said it is opening up possibilities for teams and races around the world.

“It’s a start,” he said. “Teams have had inquiries for racing in Brazil, the Middle East and others in China.”

As it is, the championship race weekend represents the culmination of the 2009 season for the 10 teams competing. Held Nov. 19-21, the race will be along a 2.5-mile course on Qatar Bay, running parallel to the Doha skyline.

Muscatel said the course is the same as most other hydro races — the large oval, like the one raced at SeaFair. But unlike the water in the Pacific Northwest, or even at Pearl Harbor where teams race every year, the waters of the Persian Gulf are much saltier.

“The courses are all pretty much the same. It’s very salty water, which is the biggest challenge by far,” he said, explaining that the salt water is hard on the boat’s engines.

Due to the sport’s popularity and the natural draw to the big, fast boats, Muscatel said the race is set to be broadcast to the world, including live streaming online during the races.

“It’s a big deal,” he said. “Really, we just wanted to put on a good race.” Muscatel said that, on the whole, the race will probably be a low-key event compared to the hype which surrounds races like SeaFair. He said the event will be open to the public, free of charge, but the drivers and organizers expect a big crowd.

“Qatar is a very nice place. Three out of four people who live there are foreign workers and it’s a really stable country, and it’s definitely a desert,” he said. “The people are very nice, and we’ve been very comfortable.”

Since the race is half a world away, the teams will leave on Nov. 16 from Seattle and arrive in Qatar on the night of Nov. 17, giving them ample time to adjust to the 11-hour time difference, although Muscatel said during his previous visits it really wasn’t too bad of an adjustment. The hydros themselves will be shipped over on a boat.

“We race in Pearl Harbor every year, so it’s hardly unprecedented, but they are big pieces of equipment,” said Muscatel. The deal between ABRA and QMSF is currently for three years, but Muscatel said there is the possibility for it to be renewed for longer.

“We know people are going to like it,” he said.

Heading into the championship race, Steve David, with the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto/Miss Madison, has a 316-point lead over Jeff Bernard, with the U-5 Formula-boats.com team. Dave Wilwock, with the U-16 Ellstrom Elam Plus, is in third place.

Tampa Digital Studios will be producing and broadcasting the race live via the Internet.

According to an ABRA press release, the coverage includes several high-definition video cameras, interviews and play-by-play audio during the qualification heats and the final race of the weekend.

The broadcast will begin on Friday, Nov. 20, at 11:30 a.m. Qatar time (12:30 a.m. PST) and will end following the podium presentations, which are scheduled for 3:10 p.m. Qatar time.

Coverage for the final race will begin at 5 a.m. PST on Nov. 21.

For more information about the race and the ABRA, visit www.abrahydroplanes.com.