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Engines to roar on Sproat Lake for annual regatta

From bathtubs to hundreds of horsepower, boats of all sorts will race on Sproat Lake this weekend
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FILE PHOTO The Sproat Lake regatta will bring boats of all sorts to the lake this weekend.

Engines will be roaring on Sproat Lake this weekend as boats of all sorts race in the fourth annual revival of the Sproat Lake Regatta.

The boat races were extremely popular during their decade taking place on Sproat Lake from 1953 to 1963 and would attract upwards of 5,000 spectators and 200 racers.

After a several decade hiatus, due to a lack of volunteers, the races are back.

“It was a big thing in the 50s and 60s and Joe Van Bergen who was a racer then and still holds a national record is the one that kind of got it going again,” said Nancy Harvey, Alberni Valley Regatta Association committee member.

Quarter-mile races will be held offshore from the Sproat Lake Provincial Park on Saturday and Sunday July 15 and 16.

“Saturday kicks off first of all with a big safety meeting with all the racers that have to attend at 9 a.m. and the event starts at 10 a.m. Saturday is considered the test and tune because they’re out making sure the boats are running,” Harvey said. “It’s done on duel races/head to head except for the bath tubers who do circuit racing and the F1’s which are the tunnel boats also go out and race.”

Harvey said, so far, close to 50 racers have signed up. Classes of boats include, 10 horsepower and under, 40 horsepower and under, 115 horsepower, 150 horsepower and above and bathtubers.

“Sunday is the actual official racing,” Harvey said. “Head to head start off at 10 a.m. There’s multiple classes of boats so they go anywhere from 40 horsepower to sometimes bringing the 4,000 horsepower.”

Spectators can catch the action best at the beaches along the Provincial Park or out on a boat. A boom will be set up near the course to alleviate boat wake.

A trophy presentation will take place on Sunday after the races around 3 p.m.

For more information visit www.avraracing.com