Speedboat flips midair in 200 mph crash, wins race at Lake Havasu — VIDEO
LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. — A speedboat went airborne and did a complete backward flip while racing at about 200 mph before crashing into an Arizona lake.
Two racers inside the boat’s covered cabin survived the event at Lake Havasu, which saw the boat go over 30 feet in the air. They wore harnesses and helmets, and “were just a little banged up,” according to a social media post on Facebook by the Freedom One Racing team and an account by a race witness.
The speedboat’s drivers are known by the pseudonyms John Wayne and Clint Eastwood.
The Saturday crash took place on a three quarter-mile course at an annual speedboat race.
The flying boat still managed to cross the finish line and win the contest by registering a top speed of 200.1 mph, Speedboat Magazine Publisher Ray Lee said.
Lee said the twin-hull Skater boat is designed to rise up and hydroplane across the surface of the water. Windy conditions and propeller adjustments called trims likely contributed to the boat taking flight, he said.
Lee says it’s an inherently dangerous sport, through courses have been shortened from a previous length of 1 mile that produced speeds in excess of 240 mph. Safety precautions include reinforced cockpits with underwater diving gear.
Freedom One Racing released a video saying its boat operators got out safely and that the vessel was now back on a trailer. The video showed extensive damage to the boat, including splintered fiberglass.
Representatives for Freedom One Racing did not immediately respond to email and phone messages. The team emphasizes fundraising for charity.
Steve Ticknor, president of the company that runs the event, said the boat was participating in a contest to see which vessel could race the course the fastest. He said divers were on hand and responded to the crash within 20 seconds.
He described the relief of seeing both people on board the boat pop open the hatch. “Oh my gosh, it’s just a miracle,” Ticknor said.
There have been 11 fatal racing crashes at Lake Havasu since 1963, according to Motorsport Memorial.
