RACE FOUR! President’s Cup set for Twin Lakes

The fourth race of the 2022 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is the Seafair Trophy Race, set for SUNDAY, May 22, 2022 at Woodland Creek Park in Lacey. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the fourth event of the year.

Location
Gissberg Twin Lakes Park
16324 Twin Lakes Ave., Marysville, WA 98271

Contest Director
Ron Daum

Parking Details – IMPORTANT
Only three vehicles are allowed beyond the gate at a time to unload by Snohomish County Parks. To enter, you need to have one ot our three batons. If none are hanging on the gate post, wait for someone exiting to park to pass one if the batons to you.

Exceptions: the trailer hauling vehicle and those with valid State handicapped parking permits are allowed to enter and remain without a baton.

Context
The President’s Cup was contested by Unlimited hydroplanes between 1926 and 1977, with time out for World War II (1941-1945). After 1977, the President’s Cup became a Limited event for several years.

A man named William A. Rogers is considered to be the “father” of the President’s Cup Regatta. Mr. Rogers convinced his fellow Corinthian Yacht Club members to host the race and persuaded President Calvin Coolidge to sponsor the trophy.

Most of the President’s Cup races were contested on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., adjacent to Hains Point, except for a few pre-war races that were run in Annapolis, Md.

The first-place trophy was traditionally presented to the winner by the nation’s Chief Executive. The President that demonstrated the keenest interest in the race was undoubtedly Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose love for aquatics is well known.

FDR watched the 1938 race from the deck of the Presidential yacht POTOMAC. Mr. Roosevelt was so thrilled by the close finish in the last heat that he sent for the drivers of the first and second-place boats (Theo Rossi of ALAGI and George Seay of MISS MANTEO II) so that he could congratulate them in person for their good sportsmanship and excellent driving.

The original winner of the President’s Cup was L. Gordon Hammersley in his $60,000 duraluminum CIGARETTE IV. The winning speed was around 55 miles per hour.

Please join ERCU at Gissberg Twin Lakes Park in Marysville on SUNDAY, May 22 and relive those golden days of yesteryear if only in 1/10 & 1/7 scale form.

What to Expect
(All times approximate, and subject to change)
· Winner-take-all final heats.
· Race course will be set between 7:30-8 a.m.
· Practice water and on-site registration 8-9 a.m.
· Mandatory drivers meeting 9:05-9:20 a.m.
· Racing begins at approximately 9:30 a.m. (maximum of 10 minutes after drivers meeting)
· Three 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
· Final heats will be run for each class
· One minute-30 second start clock for all racing
· A 20-30 minute lunch break will be held after the second flight of heats is complete. Participants should provide their own lunch
· Awards will be presented following the conclusion of the final heat of racing. Please stick around for the awards presentation and celebrate your fellow racers.

Pre-Registration
Pre-Registration for the Presidents Cup is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/presidents-cup.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., Saturday, May 21. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m.

You can also find pre-registration by going to www.ercu-hydros.com, then selecting “Schedule” from the main menu, and “Presidents Cup” from the schedule itself.

Schedule
It is our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m., so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. Boat owners should prepare to have time so that they can get inspections that are needed, and be ready to race.

The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m. A mandatory driver’s meeting will start no less than 5 minutes after the water closes. Drivers who do not attend the meeting will not be allowed to participate in the first round of heats. 1/10-scale modern heat 1A will begin no less than 10 minutes after the conclusion of the drivers meeting.

Starting Clock
A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. When all drivers are at the driving area and boats launched/ready to launch drivers the 1:30 clock will be started. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position.

Drivers Meeting
The drivers meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin immediately upon the closing of time trials at the scoring table. 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.

Heat Draws
Heat draws will be completed with the randomizer in our Excel workbook that’s used for scoring races. Every effort will be made to avoid preferred driver/spotter heat conflicts, but sometimes those cannot be avoided. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. No re-draws of heats will be done after the draws are finalized.

Race Officials
· Contest Director: Ron Daum
· Chief Referee: Ron Daum
· Drivers Representative: TBA at drivers meeting
· Pit Boss: TBA at drivers meeting
· Turn Judges: First and second place finishers will judge two heats later

Rookie/Guest Drivers
ERCU always welcomes new members to the club and visiting racers from other clubs. Rookie driver testing will be offered during the open water period as needed. The course will be closed for rookie driver tests. Visiting racers may not take home ERCU perpetual trophies, in the event they win the race.

2022 Rules
There have been several changes to the rules for the 2022 season, so please review the rulebook as is posted on the ERCU website, available under the Resources tab (or by clicking here). Changes to the rulebook are noted in green bold italics, but it’s always good to read the whole thing just to refresh your own memory. The Contest Director/Chief Referee will make every effort to be sure that officiating is consistent with the rules as published on the website, and that every effort is made to assure consistency in officiating.

Inspections
As noted above, it is possible that there will be new boats in the pits that need to be inspected. We ask that you print out the 2022 Hull Inspection Form, found on the Resources tab of the club website (www.ercu-hydros.com), and complete the member information at the top of page one prior to arriving at the race site. Please also remember to bring a photo of the real boat (a photo on your phone or tablet is acceptable) that your boat models.

Reminder: Boats that have not been altered significantly since last season do not need to be inspected. Only new boats, or those that have had significant repair or refurbishment must be inspected. By rule, a boat may also be inspected, at random, any time, for any reason, by one or both of the club’s inspectors.

Presidents Cup Defending Champions
· 1/10 Scale Modern: Jerry Dunlap, 2015 Dalton Industries (Owner: Rick Evans)
· 1/7 Scale Modern: Rob Edwards, 1982 Gilmore Special
· 1/10 Scale Classic: Brandon Sano, 1985 Squire Shop
· 1/10 Scale Vintage: David Newton, 1960 Miss Thriftway (Owner: Kerry Kjos)
· 1/7 Scale Vintage: Tyler McKeon, 1974 Miss Lapeer

Race Format
· LOVE PLAN: Three flights of preliminary heats, five laps each. Connies and winner-take-all finals.
· First and second connies for each class (depending on total boat count and attrition). Boats 6-10 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 11-15 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 & 1/7 scale modern
– 1/10 scale classic
– 1/10 & 1/7 scale vintage
– 1/8-scale boats may run between flights as time allows (1/8 scale will not be scored; and there are no entry fees or registration necessary for 1/8 scale)
· Final heat of the day will feature a 1/7-scale class

Post Race Cleanup and Awards Presentation
Following the conclusion of the final heat of the day, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the podium (first, second and third place). After the awards are presented, please remember to stick around to help cleanup and re-pack the club trailer.

Weather Forecast
As of this writing, weather.com predicts partly sunny weather and 66 degrees with a 19 percent chance of rain.

Covid Accomodations
Following local, state and federal guidance, face coverings, social distancing and vaccination proof will not be required at ERCU events in 2022. Those who would like to take any precautions to their own comfort level are certainly welcome and encouraged to do so. ERCU reserves the right to change the Covid accomodations, in accordance with local, state or federal guidelines, should that need arise. ERCU will give as much notice as possible if changes are made.

Restrooms
There are public restrooms available on site, and they are expected to be open.

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 charge during the day.