RACE CIRCULAR: ERCU Gold Cup up next, August 9 in Lacey

Race number nine on the 2025 ERCU Championship Series season is the ERCU Gold Cup, set for Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the Bill Mowatt Memorial Race Course in Woodland Creek Park, Lacey. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the seventh event of the year.
 
LOCATION
Bill Mowatt Memorial Race Course at Woodland Creek Park
6729 Pacific Ave SE
Lacey, WA 98503
 
CONTEST DIRECTOR
ERCU Board of Directors
 
CONTEXT
The Gold Cup has long been held in high regard. It’s been referred to as “boat racing’s Indy 500” – the granddaddy of them all. It’s no different in model boat racing. In ERCU, the Gold Cup is the most coveted of all trophies. Consistent with boat racing history and the tradition of the Gold Cup, the race is one of endurance and survival. Thus, the course will be longer than others during the 2025 season, and there will be four flights of heats rather than the regular three. Winner-take-all finals will determine the winners of the Gold Cups again in 2025. There will be five Gold Cups awarded at the end of the day: 1/10 scale modern; 1/7 scale modern;/classic; 1/10 scale classic; 1/10 scale vintage and 1/7 scale vintage. The club is doing its best to make sure the five actual cups are present at the event to be awarded in person.
 
Because this race is likely to see a very large turnout, and we have an extra flight of heats, the schedule for the day will start one hour earlier than usual, so please plan accordingly.
 
WHAT TO EXPECT
(All times approximate, and subject to change)

• Course will be set on Friday, August 8 in the afternoon by Jerry Dunlap & David Heilbrunn
• Practice water and on-site registration 7-8 a.m.
• Mandatory drivers meeting 8:05-8:20 a.m.
• Racing begins at approximately 8:30 a.m. (maximum of 10 minutes after drivers meeting)
• FOUR flights of heats for each division (1/10 and 1/7)
• First and second consolations (depending on boat count and attrition)
  • First connie winner is trailer in the final
  • First connie second place is alternate for the final
  • Second connie winner starts on the front line in first connie
  • First connies are the Ted Jones Memorials and count as race wins
• Winner-take-all final heats will be run for each class
• One minute-30 second start clock for all racing
• A 30-minute lunch break will be held after the second flight of heats is complete. The club will provide pizza for all members in attendance. Members should provide their own drinks.
• Awards will be presented after the club equipment is re-packed and the park is cleaned up. Please stick around for the awards presentation and celebrate your fellow racers.

 
PRE-REGISTRATION
Pre-Registration for the ERCU Gold Cup is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/ercu-gold-cup.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., Friday, August 8. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 7:30 a.m.
 
You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “ERCU Gold Cup” from the schedule itself.
 
ERCU GOLD CUP SCHEDULE
All times approximate and subject to change (except open water and drivers meeting)
7-8 a.m. – Open water
8:05 a.m. – Mandatory Gold Cup Drivers Meeting & heat draw announcement
8:30 a.m. – First flight of heats (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern-classic, 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
9:45 a.m. – Second flight of heats (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern-classic, 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
11-11:30 a.m. – Lunch break
11:30 a.m. – Third flight of heats (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern-classic, 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
1:15 p.m. – Fourth flight of heats (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern-classic, 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
3 p.m. – Ted Jones Memorials (consolations) for all appropriate classes. Gold Cup first connie are the Ted Jones Memorial and count as race wins. Winners also move up to the Gold Cup finals as trailer boats.
4 p.m. – Winner-take-all Gold Cup Final Heats (1/10 modern, 1/7 modern-classic, 1/10 classic, 1/10 vintage, 1/7 vintage)
5 p.m. – Club equipment breakdown and packing — ALL HANDS
6 p.m. – Awards presentation

DRIVERS MEETING
The drivers meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin at the scorer’s table within five minutes of the closing of the testing period. Drivers who do not attend the drivers meeting will be scratched from the first heat regardless of whether they are pre-registered and pre-paid. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats.
 
RACE OFFICIALS

• Contest Director: ERCU Board of Directors
• Chief Referee 1/10 Modern: Jerry Dunlap & Paul Dunlap
• Chief Referee 1/10 Classic: Bob Van den Akker & David Heilbrunn
• Chief Referee 1/10 Vintage: Carl Lewis & Mike McIntosh
• Chief Referee 1/7 Classic/Modern: Jerry Dunlap & Paul Dunlap
• Chief Referee 1/7 Vintage: Carl Lewis & Nelson Holmberg
• Drivers Representatives: Nelson Holmberg, David Heilbrunn
• Turn Judges: First and second place finishers will judge the next heat

 
ERCU GOLD CUP DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

• 1/10 Scale Modern: Paxton Reunanen, 2019 Graham Trucking American Dream
• 1/10 Scale Classic: Mitch Dillard, 1975 Pay ‘n Pak
• 1/7 Scale Modern/Classic: Mike McIntosh, 1989 Winston Eagle (Lobster)
• 1/10 Scale Vintage: Mitch Dillard, 1954 Slo-Mo-Shun V
• 1/7 Scale Vintage: Paxton Reunanen, 1982 Island Security System

 
RACE FORMAT

• FOUR flights of preliminary heats, five laps each. Connies and winner-take-all finals. Top four boats automatically make final on the front line.
• First and second connies for each class (depending on total boat count and attrition).
  • First connies are Ted Jones Memorials and count as a race win for the first-place finisher.
  • Boats 5-9 in cumulative event points qualify for the first connie.
  • First connie winner advances to the final as a trailer boat. Second place in first connie is alternate in the final.
  • Boats 10-14 in cumulative event points qualify for the second connie.
    Second connie winner advances to the first connie as a front starter.
• Final heat with top five boats in each class, plus the connie winner as a trailer starter.
• Flight Schedule
  • 1/10 scale modern
  • 1/7 scale modern/classic
  • 1/10 scale classic
  • 1/10 scale vintage
  • 1/7 scale vintage

 
POST-RACE CLEANUP AND AWARDS PRESENTATION
Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once the race is over. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the first, second and third place finishers, first connie and Triple Crown winners. All members have a responsibility to help with set up and breakdown of club equipment. As a courtesy to your fellow racers, please stick around for the awards presentation whether you’ve won one or not.
 
WEATHER FORECAST
The early forecast for the ERCU Gold Cup is partly cloudy skies and 89 degrees with a 8 mph breeze out of the west-southwest and a 8 percent chance of precipitation.
 
RESTROOMS
Public restrooms are available on site.
 
ELECTRICITY
There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source to charge your batteries if you need to during the day.