Race Circular: Gold Cup up next

The 11th race of the 2023 ERCU Pentair Championship Series is perhaps the biggest. It’s finally time for the 2023 ERCU Gold Cup, presented by Amain Hobbies. This is a two-day event, set for Saturday, Sept. 16 and Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, at Woodland Creek Park in Lacey. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for most coveted event of the year.

Location
Longs Pond at Woodland Creek Park
6729 Pacific Avenue SE
Lacey, WA 98503

Contest Directors
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 2023 season, and there will be four flights of heats rather than the regular three. Winner take all finals will determine the winners of our club’s Gold Cups for 2023. There will be five Gold Cups awarded at the end of the day: 1/10 scale modern; 1/7 scale modern; 1/10 scale classic; 1/7 scale classic; 1/10 scale vintage and 1/7 scale vintage. The club is doing its best to make sure all of the actual cups are present at the event to be awarded in person.

What to Expect
(All times approximate, and subject to change)

Saturday, Sept. 16
9 a.m. – Set racecourse/club equipment, registration & heat draws
10-11 a.m. – Open water
11-11:30 – Lunch during time trials (participants provide their own lunch on Saturday)
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Optional time trials (two runs for each boat in a period of at least an hour). Fastest qualifier in each class wins the Bill Muncey Memorial fastest qualifier award. Points will be awarded for positions in time trials as follows:

1. 100 points
2. 80 points
3. 70 points
4. 60 points
5. 50 points
6. 40 points
7. through last place – 30 points each

12:45 p.m. – Saturday Gold Cup Drivers Meeting (mandatory for those in attendance)
1 p.m. – 1/10 Scale Modern Heat 1A, followed by first flight heats for all other classes/divisions.
3 p.m. – Clean up pits, club equipment
4-6 p.m. – BBQ dinner, hangout and swap meet, at Woodland Creek Park

Sunday, Sept. 17
7-8 a.m. – Open Water
8-8:15 a.m. – ERCU Gold Cup Drivers Meeting (mandatory for those in attendance)
8:30 a.m. – Heat 2A, 2B, etc. (1/10 modern; 1/7 modern; 1/10 classic; 1/7 classic; 1/10 vintage; 1/7 vintage)
9:30 a.m. – Heat 3A, 3B, etc. (1/10 modern; 1/7 modern; 1/10 classic; 1/7 classic; 1/10 vintage; 1/7 vintage)
11:30 a.m. – Lunch break (club provides lunch for all members in attendance)
Noon – Heat 4A, 4B, etc. (1/10 modern; 1/7 modern; 1/10 classic; 1/7 classic; 1/10 vintage; 1/7 vintage)
1:30 p.m. – Ted Jones Memorials for all appropriate classes. (Gold Cup First Connies are the Ted Jones Memorial and count as a race win. Winners move up as trailer in Gold Cup Final)
2:30 p.m. – Winner Take All Gold Cup Final Heats (1/10 modern; 1/7 modern; 1/10 classic; 1/7 classic; 1/10 vintage; 1/7 vintage)
3:30 p.m. – Club equipment breakdown and packing – ALL HANDS
4:30 p.m. – Awards Presentation

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 gray box near the top of the page. Pre-registration will close at 11:59 p.m., Friday, Sept. 16. 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 “ERCU Gold Cup” from the schedule itself.

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 Directors: ERCU Board of Directors (Jerry Dunlap, Rick Evans, Nelson Holmberg, Jim McKeon, Bill Mowatt, David Newton, Paxton Reunanen)
Course Marshals (setting buoys, chase boat): Paul Dunlap & Paxton Reunanen
Heat Draws/Scoring: Nelson Holmberg & Bill Mowatt
Chief Referee Modern: Rick Evans (1/10 scale), David Newton (1/7 scale)
Chief Referee Classic: David Heilbrunn
Chief Referee Vintage: Mike Hughes
Drivers Representatives: Craig Mullen & Chuck Murray
Pit Boss: Tom Markos
Turn Judges: First and second place finishers will judge the next heat

ERCU Gold Cup Defending Champions
1/10 Scale Modern: Mike Hughes, 1991 Winston Eagle
1/7 Scale Modern: Bill Mowatt, 1990 Oh Boy! Roberto (Owner: John & Denise Sjostrom)
1/10 Scale Classic: David Newton, 1979 Squire Shop (Owner: Paxton Reunanen)
1/7 Scale Classic: David Newton, 1970 Pride of Pay ’n Pak
1/10 Scale Vintage: David Newton, 1960 Miss Thriftway (Owner: Kerry Kjos)
1/7 Scale Vintage: Craig Mullen, 1958 Hawaii Kai III (Owners: Craig Mullen & Ben Keller)

Race Format

• GOLD CUP PLAN: Four flights of preliminary heats, five laps each.
• Winner-take-all final heats
• Boats 1-5 in total cumulative Gold Cup points are front line starters
• Ted Jones Memorial winner is trailer in the Gold Cup final
• First connies are the Ted Jones Memorials and count as race wins
• Boats 6-10 qualify for Ted Jones Memorials and start on the front line
• Winner of the Ted Jones Memorial counts as a race win and moves into the Gold Cup final heat as a trailer boat.
• Second place boat in Ted Jones Memorial is alternate to the trailer in the final
• Second connies for each class (depending on total boat count and attrition).
• Boats 11-15 in cumulative event points qualify for the first connie.
• Second connie winner advances to the Ted Jones Memorial as a trailer.

Flight Schedule

• 1/10 & 1/7 scale modern
• 1/10 & 1/7 scale classic
• 1/10 & 1/7 scale vintage

Post-Race Cleanup and Awards Presentation
Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once each day’s racing is complete. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the first, second and third place finishers. 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 forecast for Saturday is clear skies, 77 degrees with a 6 percent chance of rain and 6 mph winds out of the north east. Sunday’s forecast is 74 degrees with a 6 percent chance of rain and 7 mph winds out of the west southwest.

Restrooms
Clean public restrooms are available in the park and 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.