1966 British Columbia Cup
Lake Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada, July 17, 1966
Hydroplane Happenings
There will be parking spaces for some 3,100 cars on the west side of the Okanagan Lake bridge during the Cup races. Ted Derickson of Westbank says the parking spaces will be prepared on the flat land above the former Rotary beach, and on the beach itself.
An estimated 12 boats are expected for the races, according to officials of the Kelowna Boat Racing Association. The boats range in size from 28 to 33 feet and will reach speeds in the 175 m.p.h. range. Drivers will compete for $25,000 in prize and bonus money.
Action on Okanagan Lake will begin at 11 a.m. each day from Wednesday through Saturday and continue until 4 p.m. as the thunderboats aim for high qualifying times on the 2.5 mile course. Although there will he many "free" vantage points on both sides of the lake admission will be charged for both the Aquatic bleachers and the pit areas on all five days of qualifications and racing. The qualifying runs are for only those boats which have not completed three laps as an average speed of 100 m.p.h.
Boats which have qualified at 100 m.p.h. on three laps at other races this year will spend their time from Wednesday to Saturday testing and tuning for Sunday's final. All boats will shoot for daily $250 prize money for the fastest time of the day. Daily prize money has been put up by Calona Wines, Okanagan Investments, Lucky Lager Breweries and Rothman's Tobacco.
The race is fully accredited by the American Power Boat Association, the governing body of unlimited racing, which means that points won here will apply toward the U.S. national championship. The Union of International Motorboating, the world racing body, also has sanctioned the event. Any world unlimited record set or broken here will be recognized.
There will be plenty of other excitement .for sports fans attending Western Canada's first unlimited races. A gayway-amusement park complex will operate in an area near the pits. The popular Good Time Singers will appear in the Aquatic grandstand night show Friday and Saturday. Tickets for the night show and bleacher admission to the boat practice runs and Sunday races are now on sale at the Mill St. office.
(Reprinted from the Kelowna Courier, July 11, 1966)
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