LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — Once a year, Lake Race brings some of the best powerboat racers from across the country to the heart of the Midwest. Drivers from nearly a dozen powerboat classes compete for cash and glory by roaring around a 4-mile loop of the Lake in an effort to clock the fastest time. Lake Race is part of the Offshore Powerboat Association (OPA) race circuit, and the Lake of the Ozarks event happens to be one of the OPA's best-attended races.
From 2007 to 2009, the race known as the OSS Super Series World Championship, was held between the 5 and 9 Mile Markers in front of Toad Cove. In 2013, after a three-year hiatus, Lake Race launched, reinvigorating the racing scene and moving it to Bagnell Dam between the 0 and 4 Mile Markers, where it has remained until now. Pending the approval of a regatta permit, this year's Lake Race will be returning to Camden on the Lake at the 7 Mile Marker, which is good news for Camden On The Lake, The Horny Toad, Shady Gators and Lazy Gators.
Lake Race Photos! Hull-To-Hull Action At Lake Of The Ozarks
A boat race isn't just about speed: it's also about who takes the best turns, who stays under the speed "breakout" limit, and whose boat can hold out 'til the end. Those dynamics shaped OPA Lake Race on June 2 at Lake of the Ozarks. Here's a glimpse of the action (and we've got some more shots coming soon!)
(photos by John Lejeune Photography -- for high-res versions, email lakeexpo@yahoo.com)
Last year Camden on the Lake expressed interest in hosting Lake Race for 2019, according to Nicole Kever Torres, Director of Sales & Marketing at Camden on the Lake Resort, Spa & Yacht Club.
"We are excited for the opportunity to be the host location for such an amazing event for the Lake of the Ozarks," she said.
"Camden on the Lake Resort is one of the premier destinations at Lake of the Ozarks and is the right place to host a high-octane race," Kever Torres says. "We feel our facility and its amenities will help to grow an already incredibly successful event to even newer levels. Events like Lake Race bring tourists to the Lake of the Ozarks, which benefit our entire community. We are honored to be a part of such a great destination that helps to provide an unforgettable experience to our guests."
If approved by the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Patrol Division, the race will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2019.
Any residents who wish to express their opinion on the modified location of the event can contact the Water Patrol Division by email at regattas@mshp.dps.mo.gov or by calling their main phone number at 573-751-5071.
