OPA's 2018 St Clair River Classic

[Serious News]

Thursday, July 26, 2018

11am - 6pm Coast Guard Permit in effect - SPECIAL RULES APPLY
6pmM - 29 road closure in place; Race Village set up
7pm-8:30pm - Patrol Fleet Safety Briefing, St. Clair City Hall

Friday, July 27, 2018

ALL DAY - Arrival of Race Boats; Race Village - N. Riverside Rd, St Clair, MI

Crane Area - Fred Moore Hwy, St. Clair, MI
Ramp Area - St Clair City Boat Harbor, St. Clair, MI
Wet Pits - Rotary Park (3rd St & Clinton Ave.)
Dry Pits - ​ Riverside Rd, St Clair, MI

Saturday, July 28, 2018

10am-12am - Race Village open to the Public
7:30am - Course Buoys set
8am-11:30am - Swim & Dunker Testing - St Clair City Pool, (715 Orchard St)
11am-2pm - Registration - St. Clair Riverview Plaza (201 N Riverside Ave)
10amRacer Meeting - St Clair Fire Station
10:30am-4:30pm - Boat Ramp & Crane Operational
11am-5pm - GPS Registration - GPS Trailer in Race Village
11am -5pm - Race Boat Inspections - Race Village
11:30am - Race Boat Testing
12:30pm-3:30 - pm Race Control Operational
6pm - Race Team Autograph Session - TBD
10:15pm - 11:30pm Live Entertainment ~ SPONGE (music starts at 5:30pm)

Sunday, July 29, 2018

10am - Race Village Open
7:30am - Set Course Buoys
8am - Racer Physicals - St Clair Fire Station
9am - RACERS MEETING - St Clair Fire Station
9:30am - Medical/Dive briefing - St Clair Fire Station
9:30am - PATCOM Law Enforcement Briefing - St Clair Boat Harbor
10am-6pm - Boat Ramp & Crane Operational
10am - Race Control Operational
10:30am - Pilot's Meeting - FLZ (if necessary)
11am - Course Support Fleet on station
11:45am - Opening Ceremony; Flag Float Down (tentative)
12pm - RACE 1 (start subject to adjustment)
2pm - RACE 2 (start subject to adjustment)
3:45pm - RACE 3 (start subject to adjustment)
TBD - RACE 4 (start subject to adjustment) (if needed)
7pmAwards Ceremony - War Water Brewery (St. Clair Riverview Plaza)
​
*Schedule Subject to Change

 

[Serious News]

Powerboats roar back to St. Clair

The St. Clair River Classic Offshore Powerboat Races return to St. Clair this weekend for its 24th year.

The race village will stretch from Brown Street to Clinton Avenue. The best view is from Palmer Park, said Bob Currier, Blue Water Offshore Racing Association secretary and treasurer.

"The entire four mile race course is visible from the park," Currier said.

To make way for the race village, M-29 in St. Clair will close at 6 p.m. Thursday and will not reopen until Monday. A detour posted by the St. Clair County Road Commission will take a driver heading south on M-29 toward St. Clair through Brown Street, Carney Drive, Fred Moore Highway, King Road, St. Clair Highway to Bree Road.

St. Clair Mayor Bill Cedar expressed enthusiasm about this year's race, inviting the crowd to check out some of the improvements made in downtown St. Clair.

"It looks like it should be nice weather," Cedar said. "Brand new boardwalk, come on out and have some fun."

Thursday, volunteers and race crews are invited to a memorial service racer Keith Holmes, who died in a crash during last year's race. The Blue Water Offshore Racing Association and racing community have purchased plaques on benches near the boardwalk on the south end of Palmer Park near the race control area.

One plaque is for Holmes, while the two others are for Ray Skuta and Tony Pizzo. Skuta was a firefighter in St. Clair and a founding member of Blue Water Offshore Racing Association who died in February 2017. Pizzo also had worked at the St. Clair Fire Department and served as medical coordinator for the power boat races, and died in a motorcycle accident in 2015. Currier said he hopes to see the plaques up before the races.

Registration and boat inspections will take place on Friday as boats and race teams arrive in town. Live music starts at 5:30 p.m., with Great White performing at 10:15 p.m.

On Saturday the race village opens to the public with registration and inspections continuing through the day. At 6 p.m., race teams will be available for an autograph session. Live music starts at 5:30 p.m. and Detroit alternative rock band Sponge takes the stage at 10:15 p.m.

On Sunday, the race village opens at 10 a.m. and the first race is scheduled for noon. The second and third races are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., but those times are subject to change based on the number of racers and length of the races. A fourth race may be scheduled after that, if needed, Currier said.

The races will conclude with an awards ceremony at War Water Brewery, scheduled for 7 p.m. For more information about the races, visit oparacing.org/race4.html or call (908) 910-8025.


https://www.thetimesherald.com/stor...7/25/powerboats-roar-back-st-clair/818418002/

 

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