Well it looks like the APBA National Tour is all scheduled and ready for kickoff. It looks like Patrick Mell has once again put together a great tour with many exciting sites. It is too bad that the APBA still fails to offer freestyle as part of their National Tour effort (we only get to compete in Nashville for a 1 run National Championship???) as many of these events look like they may have attendance. In any regards if you are a racer or a fan the following article will provide pleanty of color for some of the exciting racing that is about to heat up the North American waterways.
EASTPOINTE, MI – The HYDRO-TURF APBA Watercross National Tour returns with a revived spirit
and fresh new look to North America?s premier traveling national circuit. The 2010 National Tour will
consist of a six-event, eleven round series of professionally organized events spread throughout the
United States and Canada. The goal for the 2010 race season was to find six first class, quality race
sites with nice beaches, clean water, affordable and convenient lodging and camping, extra activities
and attractions, and great cash awards for the racers. Many of the events are run in conjunction with
great festivals and all are expected to draw huge crowds. These are great race sites and events that
the racers, their teams and families will enjoy attending. With two new fantastic sites added for 2010
we are certain that this year?s events are the best race site ever. New Tour stops this year include
Colonial Beach, Virginia and Belle River, Canada. Both of these new events will have special cash
purses with the Canada race having a purse that will exceed $30,000 ? making it the largest cash
purse in National Tour history.
From some of the hottest beaches and waterways in the United States and Canada, the APBA
National Tour is guaranteed to provide some of the most exciting and competitive Watercross racing
action to be seen anywhere in the country. Each action packed event features North America?s top
watercraft racers doing battle against one another, while negotiating buoys, obstacles and pounding
waves while en route to prestigious APBA National Tour Championship titles in eleven Pro-Am and
Expert racing classes including Women?s classes. Each racer will be vying for a portion of more than
$125,000 in cash, prizes and awards that will be up for grabs, while en-route to the prestigious APBA
National Tour championship titles and awards. Each round of the National Tour will be filmed and
two half-hour shows will be produced from each event and air on several different national cable and
satellite television networks for airing in the United States and Canada.
The 2010 APBA Watercross National Tour kicks off in Parker, Arizona, on May 1-2 and makes its
final stop in Nashville, Tennessee, on September 3-5. Check out the 2010 schedule and this year’s
Super Sites.
Round 1 & 2 – May 1st and 2nd, 2010
Bluewater Resort & Casino National Watercross Shootout
Colorado River – Parker, Arizona
The 2010 APBA Watercross National Tour will
once again kick off the season with the first two
rounds of competition at the beautiful Bluewater
Resort & Casino in Parker, Arizona on May 1 and
2, 2010. The Resort, which is the host and the
Title sponsor for the event, will see some of the
best closed course racers and teams from around
the United States converge to begin the chase for
the coveted 2010 HYDRO-TURF APBA
Watercross National Tour Championships. The
challenging rough waters of the Colorado River
can give even the most seasoned veteran a run
for his or her money.
Always one of the largest attended races in the country the Bluewater event is one that all West
Coast racers attend. This race site is a ten with on-site lodging at the host Bluewater hotel, a
campground on site, a long pit area where racers can back trailers up right to the water, beautiful
Arizona weather and lots of fun things to do at the hotel and casino and nearby. The action both on
and off the water is going to be intense with all teams vying for victory and their share of prize money.
This is great opportunity for the fans to get up close and personal with all the racers. It is going to be
an event not to be missed, so make your reservations today to be a part of the all the action at the
Bluewater Resort & Casino. RPM Racing Enterprises is proud to host this great event.
Round 3 & 4 ? June 5th and 6th, 2010
Sun Fun Festival
Atlantic Ocean ? Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
The second stop on the APBA Watercross National Tour will be invading Myrtle Beach, South on
June 7 and 8 as a feature attraction of the Sun Fun Festival. Mike Young?s Pro Hydro-X Promotions
will be producing the 4th annual big surf event that is run in conjunction with the Sun Fun Festival just
down the road that attracts 500,000 spectators annually. The event takes place in front of the
Springmade Beach Resort and is presented by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
This is a perfect race site with on-site pit parking and RV camping right on the Atlantic Ocean. The
hotel is right on site as it is the event host and cannot be any more convenient. There are great
restaurants in walking distance of the pits and hotel and great
seafood and attractions just down the road. The setting is the
beautiful Atlantic Ocean, which can get rough at times and
provide some high-flying surf racing action. The Sun Fun
Festival includes four days of live entertainment, air shows,
professional sand sculpture contest, parade, pageants,
watercraft racing, kids fair, and much, much more. The Myrtle
Beach race is one of largest attended events year after year
and is an event that you will not want to miss!
Rounds 5 & 6 ? July 10th and 11th, 2010
10t Annual Maritime Festival
Lake Huron ? Harbor Beach, Michigan
Rounds 5 and 6 will take place in Harbor Beach, Michigan, as the feature attraction of the 10th Annual
Maritime Festival. The Harbor Beach race is actually three events in one, as the event will feature the
APBA National Tour, the Monster Energy Midwest Watercross and include the spectacular Budweiser
Can-Am Cup races where the U.S. racers compete against Canadian racers. This event will
definitely be one of the largest PWC races of the year. If there is one race you ever participate in
during your racing career, the Harbor Beach, Michigan, is one race you should experience. The event
provides fun for the entire family with live bands on the beach, fireworks, camping on beautiful Lake
Huron, food tent, drawings, jet-ski giveaway, and lots of other great events. The event has a huge
number of spectators that pack the pier all day enjoying the racing action. On Friday there is the
annual racers cookout followed by the U.S. versus Canada racers hockey game.
Supercross on Water! Awe, the Budweiser Can-Am Cup. As you
stand on the line next to your ski as the National Anthem is
played your heart starts to pound as you realize you are in one of
the biggest races of the country, and with out a doubt will be one
of the most enjoyable races you participate in of your career. The
riders are announced one by one for their parade lap in front of
the 5,000 spectators. This is not just another race. This one is
special. It?s not just about winning; it?s about the winner being the
one who gets to proudly wave the flag of their country in front of
the 5,000 spectators that only you can experience. That?s what
it?s all about!
Rounds 7 & 8 ? July 17th and 18th, 2010
Naut Wukin Racing Canadian East Coast Nationals
SunSplash Festival
Lake St. Clair ? Belle River, Canada
The APBA is excited to announce the
newest Tour stop on the 2010 APBA
Watercross National Tour ? Belle River,
Canada. The event will take place on
July 17-18, 2010 at Lakeview Park in
Belle River Canada. Belle River is just
across the border from Detroit, Michigan
not far from Windsor Canada. It has
been about ten years that a National
Tour event has been held in Canada and
the APBA is excited to see racing return
to Eastern Canada. The Naut Wukin
Racing Canadian East Coast Nationals
will be held the week after the Harbor
Beach, Michigan national event that will make it easy for racers to attend and save on travel
expenses. The Belle River event will be a great race with a HUGE cash purse that is expected to be
the largest cash purse in many years. The event already will have a cash purse of a least $30,000
and growing each day with additional local sponsors coming on board.
Belle River is a historic town in beautiful Lakeshore bordering Lake St. Clair. With an abundance of
sights to see, things to do, and places to shop, Belle River is an ideal location to host an event.
Minutes away are great marine and golf resorts, inviting beaches, camping, museums, conservation
areas, and historic buildings. Lakeview Park is a first class facility with a pristine white sandy beach
and many great amenities. The city recently received a 3 million grant to upgrade Lakeview Park, so
you can expect many new features to the already beautiful facility.
The event will take place within the boundaries of
Lakeview Park on Lake St. Clair and run in
conjunction with the 16th Annual SunSplash Festival.
In addition to professional watercross racing the
annual festival features a classic Car Cruise with
over 500 classic cars that will line the eleven blocks
of downtown. Just a sampling of the other events
includes: a carnival with rides, parade, vendor booths, arts and crafts, refreshment tent with free fun
and continuous entertainment including live bands that start Friday night and will dazzle you right
through Sunday.
The Belle River Canada event is possible thanks to the fantastic support from the Naut Wukin Racing,
R&D Powersports, the SunSplash Festival and the City of Lakeshore/Belle River. For more
information on Belle River, the Town of Lakeshore and the SunSplash Festival visit
http://www.townoflakeshore.on.ca and http://www.belleriverbia.com.
Rounds 9 & 10 ? August 7th and 8th, 2010
Virginia Nationals
Potomac River ? Colonial Beach, Virginia
The APBA is excited to announce another new Tour stop on the 2010 APBA Watercross National
Tour ? Colonial Beach, Virginia. The event will take place in the historic town of Colonial Beach on
August 7-8 and take place on the Potomac River. The Colonial Beach site is a unique race site as
the pits/land is in Virginia and the water/racecourse is in Maryland. The Potomac River is more than
5 miles wide in Colonial Beach and very picturesque. It is a great race site with many exciting area
attractions for those attending the race. There are hotels as well as many bed and breakfasts that
are walking distance to the race site as well as great seafood at the local establishments and nightlife
all within walking distance of the hotel and pit area. The event will feature a large cash purse and
additional events besides the APBA National Tour.
Several years ago Colonial Beach hosted regional
watercraft racing events but this will be the first time
for a National event. It will be a fun filled event that
you will not want to miss! ?Colonial Beach and
Westmoreland County are very pleased to be in
partnership with the APBA to bring these types of
quality events to our region?, said Carey Geddes,
President of the Colonial Beach Chamber of
Commerce.
Colonial
Beach,
located at
the northern
tip of
Virginia’s
Northern Neck, is one of the few remaining small seaport
towns on the Potomac River. The town enjoys a unique
location nestled between the Potomac River on the east
and the waters of Monroe Bay on the West. Its sandy
beaches and marinas have attracted water sporting
enthusiasts for over a century. Boating, fishing, sailing,
swimming and crabbing are just a few of the water activities
enjoyed in Colonial Beach. The Colonial
Beach/Westmoreland County area is a great place to visit
and is also a very historical area. Westmoreland County is
the birthplace of presidents George Washington and James
Monroe. Tourism is an important factor in the town of Colonials Beach?s growth and popularity.
Colonial Beach is only minutes away from the heavily traveled Route 3 ?Historic Corridor? which links
such attractions as Stratford Hall, George Washington?s Birthplace, Westmoreland State Park,
Historic Downtown Fredericksburg and many other popular tourist stops.
Residents of Colonial Beach enjoy a distinctive waterside setting unlike any other waterfront
communities. Almost three-quarters of the Town site is enveloped by large expanses of open water,
with the Potomac River to the east and Monroe Bay to the southwest. This peninsula setting offers
local residents picturesque views and easy access to water recreation. This fun filled Town is still
known as ?The Playground on the Potomac.?
The Colonial Beach event is possible thanks to the fantastic support from the Colonial Beach
Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Colonial Beach and Westmoreland County. For more
information on Colonial Beach Virginia and Westmoreland County visit www.colonialbeach.org and
www.westmoreland-county.org. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements for this new event.
Round 11 ? September 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2010
APBA Watercross Nationals
Nashville Shores Waterpark
J. Percy Priest Lake – Nashville, Tennessee
The APBA will once again host the 2010
APBA Watercross Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee. The 2010 event will take place once again at
Nashville Shores Waterpark in Nashville on September 3rd through the 5th. More than 250 of the
finest watercraft racers from across the United States and Canada are expected to participate in
2010. Participants will be competing for more than $25,000 in cash and prizes, while en route to the
prestigious U.S. National Championship titles in Closed Course racing and Freestyle. Some
additional events may be added for 2010 including Drag Racing and Speed Alley (Radar Runs). This
event will be filmed and two half-hour show produced for the MavTV and Untamed Sports television
networks.
For 2010, Nashville Shores is undertaking the largest expansion in its
history and doubling the size of the park. The multi-million dollar
expansion includes a NEW 25,000 square foot wave pool and a NEW
1,000 foot long lazy river. You can check out the new attractions at
www.nashvilleshores.com. The RV/Camping area will remain the same
but the logistics of the race will be a little different. Will be making a trip
to Nashville after the winter to finalize the logistics of the event once the
new additions are completed. These new attractions will be completed
by the time the park opens in May. Nashville Shores Park will be
awesome in 2010!
The final points round of the 2010 APBA Watercross National Tour will be part of the annual APBA
Watercross Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee. This will be a double points round with overall APBA
National Tour champions crowned in the 11 National Tour classes. Participants will be competing for
cash and prizes, while en route to the prestigious APBA National Championship titles in 31 different
classes (The 11 National Tour classes plus the 20 Amateur and Freestyle classes). The combination
of National Championship closed-course and freestyle events will make this a very exciting and
memorable event.
Nashville Shores Water Park is Tennessee’s premier recreation and watersports destination. It’s your
ticket to wide-open beauty of 14,000-acre J. Percy Priest Lake, which features three full miles of
natural shoreline, sand beaches and water activities. On site, soak up some excitement and twisting
thrills as you speed down one of Nashville Shores seven waterslides, cool off at the Bucket of Fun
waterfall, cruise down the new lazy river, hot the new wave pool, or hang out and soak up the rays at
the Sun Tan Lagoon. In addition to the park, there are many activities including live entertainment,
watercraft rentals, paddleboats, mini golf, volleyball, and more to enjoy. On site facilities include
motor home and trailer camping, catering services, tent rentals, dinner cruises, and more. Bring the
entire family and get ready for some fun as we wrap up the 2010 racing season!
About the American Power Boat Association (APBA)
The American Power Boat Association, founded in 1903, celebrates a phenomenal 107 years of
organized boat racing competitions. Whatever your need for speed, APBA is sure to have a place
just for you. Competition, thrills, victory and honor can be found in all 13 of APBA’s racing categories,
comprising a broad selection of inboard and outboard engines and countless hull configurations.
From Offshore and Unlimited powerboats to Personal Watercraft, APBA is the place to be. The
APBA is an International Affiliate for the International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) for the
United States. For more info visit www.apbaracing.com or www.ijsba.com.
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