From Seafair to Qatar: hydros plot a new race

While an uncertain economy has many sports organizations cutting back, the American Boat Racing Association is attempting to buck the trend, announcing one of its most ambitious undertakings — a three-year agreement to hold a season-ending race in Doha, Qatar, beginning in 2009.

The announcement was made Tuesday morning in a conference call with media.

The race will be held the third or fourth weekend in November and will be named the ABRA/UIM World Championship. It will count in the points standings for the ABRA championship, making it the end of the unlimited hydroplane season.

The race will be called the Oryx Cup, named after an animal native to Qatar.

The circuit currently has five races set in the United States next year, including Seafair on Aug. 2.

The race is the result of several years of negotiations between ABRA officials and boat owners and officials in Qatar.

ABRA Chairman Sam Cole said he traveled to Doha with Ken Muscatel, owner of the U-25, last week to cement the agreement.

"It's pretty exciting," Muscatel said. "This is opening up a new horizon for us."

Cole said he hopes it could lead to more races overseas, including possibly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Cole said, however, there are a lot of details still to be worked out for the Doha race, including financing and an exact date.

He said he is hopeful that as many as 10 hydroplanes will make the trip but acknowledged there has not yet been a meeting with owners to determine who can participate.

Boats will apparently be shipped from Houston, a process that could take a month or so.

Among the most enthusiastic proponents of the venture is Erick Ellstrom, owner of the Miss Elam Plus U-16, who last year skipped half of the circuit to help put the Qatar race together.

The Qatar Marine Sports Federation will serve as the host of the race, which will be held on a 2.5-mile course on Qatar Bay running parallel with the city's downtown skyline in the background. According to a news release, the Qatar Marine Sports Federation hosts Class 1 Offshore, Formula 1 and Formula 2000 tunnel boat events annually and campaigns racing teams in those categories in international competition.

Additionally, the release stated that the Qatar Marine Sports Federation was founded in January 2000 with a vision to be the leader and primary organizer for all water sports events and to host world class competitions. Additional QMSF events include Jet Ski racing, Dhow sailing, wakeboarding, water ski competition and pleasure craft racing.

Cole said ABRA will also host an exhibition race in 2009 in Kelowna, B.C., the weekend after Seafair, with plans to have a full-fledged race there in 2010.

Cole said he thinks holding races internationally could help revitalize the sport.

"We have no doubt this event could change the way the sponsors and supporters of unlimited hydroplane racing view our sport," Cole said.

At the moment, only five races are set in the United States, at traditional sites Madison, Ind., Detroit, Tri-Cities, Seattle and San Diego.

A traditional race in Evansville is uncertain due to financial issues, though Cole said he hopes it could be held in August.

Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or bcondotta@seattletimes.com.