July 5, 2005 > Aquatic Grand Prix

It is morning at Fremont's well-hidden Kaiser Cove and a large group of spectators have come out for a day of boat racing. These vessels, with names like Lamborghini and Hurricane, cut through the water at breakneck speeds of 80 to 100 mph. Thrilling the crowd (who trekked nearly a quarter of a mile from parking lot to race site) with their quick movements and incredibly sharp turns - and these speed machines are no bigger than a breadbox.

The Grand Prix Classic is a sanctioned event of the North American Model Boat Association (NAMBA), an international organization of gas, nitro and electric powered boat owners. Racing duo Alfred Lanza and Roger Hooks Jr., known as Tag Team on the racing circuit, formed the event to get more people involved in the rapidly growing sport.

Lanza, a Fremont resident, contest director and racing champion, said "We want to take the sport of radio control boat racing to the next level."

And the next level is finding a bigger venue for the race. Now in its third year, The Grand Prix Classic has become very well-known in the RC community and is purported to have some of the best (i.e., fastest) water to race on in the country. Just ask Tag Team, owners of the fastest radio-controlled twin-engine powered hydroplane in the world, having reached speeds of 114 mph. Unfortunately, Kaiser Cove can no longer accommodate the numerous boats, racers and high-speed enthusiasts that flock to The Classic each year.

Grand Prix Classic is in search of a bigger and more accessible venue for next year's competition. Ideally, their new racing grounds would be Lake Elizabeth where more spectators and racers could join in the excitement. More RC boat racing records have been set at Kaiser Cove than any other radio-controlled boat racing facility in the nation. Local RC racers would like to see what could be accomplished at a larger aquatic track; however, it is left to the city of Fremont to grant the group permission.

This awesome event held during the second week of February helps to raise money for noteworthy causes. This year, funds were raised for tsunami relief. For more information about the Grand Prix Classic visit www.grandprixclassic.com, or www.hookscity.com.