DOHA 2009: Steve David drove Qatar finals with fractured leg
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U-6 goes airborne in Heat 4A
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Four-time H1 Unlimited National Driver Champion Steve David learned this week that as a result of his spectacular 360-degree flip while competing in the inaugural Oryx Cup UIM World Championship he has suffered a fracture in his leg. None-the-less, he raced in the finals and placed second.
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QATAR 2009: J. Michael Kelly wins Oryx Cup UIM World Championship in dramatic final
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Dave Villwock had the race and championship won until his engine staring blowing fire
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What a wild finals! U-5 FormulaBoats.com and Jeff Bernard flipped over, forcing a restart. Then, Dave Villwock in the U-16 Ellstrom Elam Plus appeared to be on his way to victory when his engine flamed out, allowing J. Michael Kelly in the U-7 FormulaBoats.com to pass him for the victory. Steve David in the U-1 Oh Boy! Oberto, who had flipped in Heat 4A, finished second to seal the team and driver championship.
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QATAR 2009: David, Villwock, Kelly win unlimited hydroplane heats; David lengthens points lead
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U-37 Jean Theoret gets some air in Heat 1A - Photo by Bill Osborne/H1 Unlimited
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Heat Winners:
1A U-7 J. Michael Kelly
1B U-16 Dave Villwock
2A U-1 Steve David
2B U-16 Dave Villwock
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Unlimited Hydroplane racing changes name from ABRA to H1 Unlimited
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The ABRA name is no more. The unlimited hydroplane racing circuit will now be known as H1 Unlimited. Sam Cole, chairman of the H1 Unlimited and Sami Abu Shaikha, Officer of the Day for the U.I.M., revealed the now logo at a news conference in Doha, Qatar. UPDATED
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U-16 Elam and Dave Villwock take top qualification spot at 2009 Oryx Cup UIM World Championship unlimited hydroplane races
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Dave Villwock in the U-16 Ellstrom Elam Plus raced around the two-mile course at Doha Bay at an average speed of 146.427 mph (235.651 km/h) to claim the top qualifying position for the 2009 Oryx Cup UIM World Championship, the final stop on the newly renamed H1 Unlimited series.
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Very cool, interactive tour of the U-17 Our Gang Racing
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Thursday is Qualifying day for the Unlimited Hydroplanes in Doha, Qatar
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Steve David, Jeff Bernard and Dave Villwock
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Qualifying begins Thursday for the inaugural Oryx Cup-UIM World Championship on the Arabian Sea against the booming city backdrop of Doha, Qatar --the first stop for the unlimited hydroplane powerboat series’ race outside North America.
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Hydros Get Ready For Qatar Race
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The Oryx Cup race site at Sheraton Park in Doha is beginning to take shape on Tuesday.
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Unlimited Hydroplanes shine in the Middle East
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The Oryx Cup race site at Sheraton Park in Doha is beginning to take shape. In a city skyline where you can count upwards of 30 sky cranes working on high-rise buildings you can triple that count with workers constructing tents and making the area race ready. All in the shadow of this Middle Eastern shining city.
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UIM World Championship unlimited hydroplane race in Doha, Qatar will determine team, drive championship as well
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Boats have cleared customs in Doha, Qatar - PHOTO: Joe Roop
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The final race of the 2009 unlimited hydroplane season will determine Team Championship, Driver Championship and World Championship. “This is definitely a tight race. It’s going to be a real challenge for all three boats,” said Steve David on the ABRA's conference call along with drivers Jeff Bernard and U-16 Ellstrom's Dave Villwock.
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Unlimited hydroplane races in Doha, Qatar will expose sport to worldwide audience
"If we do a good job in this foreign land, put on a good show – and we think we can – and get people in another country excited about our sport," said U-16 Ellstrom's Dave Villwock; "I think we’ll be able to springboard this sport to a whole new gear.”
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Unlimited hydroplane teams will battle high salt water content in Doha, Qatar race
The salt content in Qatar is 50% more dense than San Diego. "More salt in the air and will cause more trouble for the turbines,” said U-16's Dave Villwock. "It’s something we have to deal with. We know there are some challenges there that may cause us trouble.”
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Hydroplane Museum hosts a slumber party to watch live coverage of the Oryx Cup, in Doha, Qatar
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Boats arriving in Doha, Qatar - PHOTO: Joe Rood
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"We will take the feed from online and project it onto the big screen, so fans can come and watch it together. "This race, due to the 11 hour time difference, doesn't begin until just after midnight on Friday, November 20th" comments David Williams, Executive Director of the Museum. "So we decided that this monumental event demanded a slumber party, where fans can come down and spend the night watching history being made."
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Final unlimited hydroplane race for 2009 will be available as live stream with HD cameras in Doha, Qatar
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U-100 as it will look in Doha
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Sam Cole, Chairman of the ABRA said, "The majority of hydroplane owners have stepped up to the plate in arranging this coverage. They want to make sure fans across the world see what a terrific race his Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani, President of QMSF has provided." Cole added, "This is the start of the future for us."
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UPDATED WITH U.S. DATES/TIMES - Oryx Cup UIM World Championship for the Unlimited Hydroplanes
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New logo for the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship
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Here's the schedule for the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship for the Unlimited Hydroplanes in Doha, Qatar on November 19-21. UPDATED WITH U.S. TIMES.
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UPDATED -- DOHA 2009: There will be an internet streaming broadcast for Unlimited Hydroplane championship
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Yes, there will be live audio/video streaming from Doha, Qatar for the UIM World Championships for Unlimited Hydroplane racing!
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Unlimited Lights making news in the off-season
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A new boat and driver enters the Unlimited Light Hydroplane racing ranks, ULHRA heads to the Performance Racing trade show, and a bank is named as an official sponsor of ULHRA racing.
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2009 ABRA Unlimited Hydroplanes Poster - Proceeds to driver's fund
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DOHA, QATAR 2009: Unlimited Hydroplane race course laid out for Oryx Cup UIM World Championship
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The course has been laid out in Doha Bay for the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship race. All four flights of qualifications heats will be four laps and the winner-take-all World Championship race will be five laps.
INSIDE: Map of the course >>
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Abu Dhabi to Qatar - Trans Gulf Record Bid
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His Excellency Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani has confirmed that he and Class 1 racing colleague Abdullah Al-Sulaiti will attempt to set a new Trans-Gulf speed record for the passage between Abu Dhabi and Qatar.
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SPONSOR ALERT: U-37 Schumacher Racing announces sponsor for Oryx Cup UIM World Championship unlimited hydroplane race.
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Schumacher Racing announced today they have secured Peters & May USA as a sponsor for the inaugural Oryx Cup UIM World Championship Nov. 19-21, 2009 on Doha Bay in the Arabian Gulf.
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Madison Regatta unveils 60th Anniversary logo
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Joe Hertz, Madison Regatta Marketing Chairman stated, "We wanted to highlight this special occasion in our 2010 marketing campaign and thought a unique logo would be a nice touch."
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Mark Evans wins ULHRA Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing event in San Diego
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Courtesy ULHRA
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Welcome back to hydroplane racing, Mark Evans! Mark won two out of three heats and took the finals in San Diego.
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EVANSVILLE 2009: Greg Hopp breaks APBA GP/single automotive powered hydroplane record, set previously by Jerry Hopp
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These boats make some noise!
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Also this year in Evansville was the LOUD Grand Prix's, which brought the thunder back to Thunder on the Ohio. Greg Hopp ran 132.846 MPH on the record course, breaking last year's 123.660 MPH record for single automotive powered hydroplane set by Jerry Hopp.
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RESULTS: Unlimited Lights Hydroplane Racing in San Diego
ULHRA racing in San Diego.
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Terry Troxell Memorial Regatta
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Good turnout for the first annual Terry Troxell memorial regatta.
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Clearing up some rumors about Unlimited Hydroplane racing and San Diego
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ABRA's Sam Cole: "We are concerned about rumors circulating that some of our (ABRA) unlimited hydroplanes will be part of the event in San Diego. There is no truth to these rumors, and we want to be absolutely certain that there is no confusion among our fans."
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Unlimited Hydroplane racing in Qatar is official - Sam Cole and Qatar's Shiekh Hassan sign the deal
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PHOTO: KIRO-TV
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"Doha, here we come," said ABRA's Sam Cole as he and Shiekh Hassan of Qatar sign the deal that officially gets 10 unlimited hydroplane boats to Qatar for the UIM World Championship this year.
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GPS telemetry in Unlimiteds could help officials, end disputes
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Mock-up of what future TV broadcasts could look like with GPS on board boats
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GPS technology will be tested in the Unlimiteds in Seattle. It will transmit the data, such as speed and exact position on the course back to the shore - all in real-time.
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PHOTO GALLERY: Hydro drivers ride Qatar camels (Chris Denslow photos)
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Power Boat
