2022 OPA Eastlake Grand Prix

[Serious News]

Friday, July 8, 2022

All Day
Arrival of Race Boats - Race Village - Chagrin Marine (226 E Island Dr, Eastlake, OH)

Crane Area - Chagrin Marine (226 E Island Dr, Eastlake, OH)
Ramp Area - East Bank Marine (35909 Lakeshore Blvd, Eastlake, OH)
Wet Pits -Chagrin Marine (226 E Island Dr, Eastlake, OH)
Dry Pits -Chagrin Marine (226 E Island Dr, Eastlake, OH)
Wash Down Area - Chagrin Marine (226 E Island Dr, Eastlake, OH)

Saturday, July 9, 2022
10AM - 4PM - Race Village open to the pubic
TBD - Swim/Dunker Testing
10AM - RACER MEETING - Chagrin Marine
8am - 2pm - RACER REGISTRATION - Chagrin Marine
11am - 2pm - GPS REGISTRATION - Chagrin Marine
11am - 4pm - Crane & Ramp Operational
11am - Race Control Operational (TBA)
11am - 4pm - Race Boat Inspections - Race Village
12pm - 3pm - Race Boat testing
6pm - 10pm - BOATS on DISPLAY DOWNTOWN on Erie Street
(Staging at 4:30) (5:30 parade to Erie Street)

Sunday, July 10, 2022

10am - 5pm - Race Village open
7am - Team Physicals - Chagrin Marine
8am - Racer Meeting - Chagrin Marine
9am - Set Course Markers
9:30am - Medical and Dive Team briefing - Chagrin Marine
9:30am - Patrol Fleet Briefing - Chagrin Marine
10am - Race Control Operational
10am - Crane and Ramp operational
11am - Race Patrol Fleet & Course Support Fleet on station
12pm - 4pm - Race Times are Subject to Adjustment
7pm - Awards Ceremony - Chagrin Tavern

[Serious News]

Powerboats set to race on Lake Erie’s waters July 13, 2021

More than 20 boats of all powers and sizes will be on the waters of Lake Erie next weekend — a number that could intensify, says Kris Mendeszoon.

“Our main headquarters is going to be the Chagrin Tavern marina in Eastlake, but we’re going to have boats on display in Eastlake Thursday evening (July 15),” said Mendeszoon, one of the organizers of the powerboat race scheduled for July 18. “I believe we are going to have boats on display in Downtown Willoughby Saturday Evening (July 17).”

The schedule of events for the powerboat race start July 14 and will go until race day July 18. Boats will start arriving throughout the day July 14 and will then compete in five races on July 18. Sponsors of the race include Eastlake, Willoughby, Chagrin Tavern, the Chagrin Tavern marina, SD Motorsports, Achilles Running Shop, Excalibur Auto Body, the Lake County Visitors Bureau and Motel 6.

Community members and spectators will have the opportunity to meet captains of the boats along with photography opportunities. Back in the day, races took place through Michigan, several race sites in Ohio and into Erie, Pa., as well as Buffalo, Mendeszoon said.

“I think everybody is tired of being cooped up. People haven’t been able to experience sports as much as they have in the past,” Mendeszoon said. “It could 20,000 to 30,000 people. Hopefully, next year, we can shift the course where it could be a little bit more on land, user friendly. We have a load of boaters in our region that will be out on the lake watching.”

According to the Offshore Powerboat Association, offshore powerboat racing is possibly the most dangerous, yet one of the most exciting forms of motorsports today. Offshore racing draws a wide variety of fans and interest from companies as the boats themselves are high performance works of art designed to race on a course that has an ever changing surface.

“People love the sounds of the boat engines firing and the speed, but the changing of the water,” Mendeszoon said. “Great Lakes, especially Lake Erie, are known for how fast it can churn up. It’s not a set pattern.”

https://eastlakeohio.com/powerboats-...s%20Mendeszoon.

[Serious News]

PHOTOS: Eastlake-Willoughby Offshore Grand Prix Boat Race, July 10, 2022

Joe Bojc photos from the Eastlake-Willoughby Offshore Grand Prix Boat Race, July 10, 2022.

https://www.news-herald.com/2022/07/...-july-10-2022/

[Serious News]

Boats go full throttle as annual Eastlake Grand Prix kicks off on Lake Erie

EASTLAKE, Ohio — Boats fueled up and went full throttle this weekend out on Lake Erie.

The annual Eastlake Grand Prix kicked off on Sunday with more than 30 teams competing this year.

Ed Smith, owner and driver for Knucklehead racing, was one of the people out on the water. He and his team from Michigan arrived earlier in the week. But before they could hit the road for Eastlake, a lot of work needed to be done.

“Well, the first steps we do, you know, is we get everything loaded up for the boat,” Smith explained. Once at their final destination, the group gets to work, making everything sparkle. “Clean and getting everything cleaned up, ready to go, and then there's a few things that we didn't get done on the boat before we left.”

Smith has years of experience when it comes to offshore boat racing. He's been doing it his whole life. Smith first learned the craft from his adopted father, Al. As a kid, he was inspired by his father's work on speed boats and wanted to get involved. Twenty-five years later, Ed has brought home many world and national championship wins.

https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/...-in-cleveland-

[Serious News]

Legendary powerboat manufacturer’s ‘Predator’ wins in Lake County

The boat finished first in its class during Eastlake Willoughby Offshore Grand Prix

Among the powerboats that raced in the Eastlake Willoughby Offshore Grand Prix this year was “Predator,” one of the many boats Mark McManus has manufactured.

“Predator” finished first place in its class during the races that took place July 10. The boat goes back 30 years in history and has three different owners, McManus said.

“Hats off to all the organizers,” he said. “We wish to congratulate and thank them from the bottom of our hearts.”

McManus, president and part owner of Apache Powerboats in Fort Myers, Florida, alongside Kelli Thurman, said that “Predator” is one of the more famous boats he’s manufactured in the history of offshore racing. It’s a 41-foot long powerboat owned by Stahlman Motorsports and the president of the company, Dean Stahlman, who is the driver of the boat.

"Predator," a boat that Mark McManus has manufactured, competed in the Eastlake Willoughby Offshore Grand Prix this year. The boat finished first place in its class. (Mark McManus Inc.)
“Predator,” a boat that Mark McManus has manufactured, competed in the Eastlake Willoughby Offshore Grand Prix this year. The boat finished first place in its class. (Courtesy of Mark McManus Inc.)
“The throttle man of the boat, because it takes three people to operate, is Nate Hunt,” McManus said. “The navigator for this race was Wayne Courson. The race on Sunday as attended by 23 race boats. Most of those boats, I would say, were veteran boats.”

“The important thing is why did we come from Naples, Florida, where the home team and the home of the boat is?” McManus said. “Why did we come all that journey to Eastlake? The organizer and the promoter of the race makes it fun for us, make us feel like family, makes it feel like a small club race of friends and we’re well taken care of.”

During the Eastlake Willoughby Offshore Grand Prix’s days of events, which took place from July 8 to 10, McManus took note of the accommodations for the powerboats, the events, the parade and the parties.

“The town is a friendly, old-time America town that you don’t find anymore,” he said. “That’s what makes people come a 1,000 miles to race there. It’s about the people and not anything else. The town has open arms and it’s one of the only venues where all of our boats were kept protected in a warehouse after the long journey there.”

The powerboat parade and the opportunity to interact with the public reminded McManus of the way things used to be 30 years ago.

“I’ve been building race boats for 35 years,” he said. “To find a small town, friendly atmosphere is difficult today. We would have went 3,000 miles because it’s about respect and how we’re treated there.”

When traveling with a powerboat, it takes two drivers, a lot of spare parts and road equipment, McManus said. Due to roads being overcrowded with mainly truck traffic, it is a long, challenging journey.

“You do the best you can, but you never know what you’re doing to deal with around the next corner,” McManus said. “The temperature is so warm now that we’ll go through six or eight tires to get there because the roads are 130 to 150 degrees. The truck and trailer are almost 82-feet long, so you have to use two professional drivers. Each driver rotates probably every four to six hours. It’s worth it, it’s part of racing and you do it because it’s heaven when you get there.”

McManus’ grandfather, Amos, owned a shipbuilding and repair yard business, which McManus began visiting at age 4. After studying architecture design and mechanical engineering, McManus began his career with New Orleans shipyard Halter Marine, where he managed the construction of 65-foot yachts.

In 1977, Halter Marine purchased Cigarette Boats from the late Don Aronow, a boat builder and champion racer who was murdered in 1987. Aronow has built speedboats fore the Shah of Iran, Charles Keating, Robert Vesco, Malcolm Forbes and George H. W. Bush during his career. McManus moved to North Miami Beach where he supervised construction of Cigarette models from 20 to 41 feet.

At the time, Vice President Bush traveled to Miami to inspect the prototype named Blue Thunder, the first of 14 vessels McManus built for U.S. Customs to be used for drug smuggling patrols along the Florida coastline. Throughout his storied career, McManus has manufactured more than 600 offshore boats from 20 to 65 feet.

“I’m 69 this year and it’s about the quality of life, of what we experience and the memories we make,” McManus said.

Entire Article and Photos: https://www.news-herald.com/2022/07/...n-lake-county/