1949 Albany to New York Marathon
Preview
In past years June has been a rather dull month for most of the power boat racing world. Major regattas were several weeks away. Most racing outfits were in the finishing-touch stage and the Gold Cup clan was subsisting largely on rumors. This June promises to be considerably more auspicious in several ways. In the first place, June 12 will see the running of a race that will, in all likelihood, have the greatest number of starters ever to cross a line. On that day, according to the predictions of those whose ears are closest to the right keyholes, somewhere between 250 and 400 service outboards will get together for the Albany to New York Marathon.
This 136-mile event is open to utility type outboards only, and features something like $5,000 in cash prizes plus various and sundry other loot. A summary of the technical rules can be found on page 43 of this issue. The closing date for entries has been set for June 1.
That stretch of Hudson River is so enticing that it used to lure many of us into Albany-New York Races when the rewards for winning were largely intangible. With respectable quantities of folding money brightening the picture, it is easy to understand why so many starters are expected. In 1948, 181 outboards took off from Albany in a mass start that resembled the evacuation of Dunkirk without air cover. In all probability this year’s fleet will be started in two or more waves in the interests of the contestant’s safety and the committees’ recording ability.
(Reprinted from Yachting, 1949)
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