Boat Racing

Parker is home to many sporting events such as The BlueWater Resort & Casino Parker 425, The Parker 250, The Gran Prix and the new BlueWater Desert Challenge off-road races. But, being located on the Colorado River, just north of Interstate 10 on Arizona Highway 95, the region is also home to . many water sport events such as marathon ski races, personal watercraft championships, powerboat races and of course, the Great Western Tube Float. As the race courses are on the river therefore close to shore, tight and fast,the races are a great sight to watch. They are also a serious challenge for the teams.

Powerboat Racing

Probably one of the largest, most dangerous, and most powerful racing machines of all. Once widely been known as a "Rich man's" sport due to the extreme expense of the boats and the fuel required to participate make it. Now even people with normal pleasure boats can compete in some newly formed classes (with minor safety modifications). These may include single or twin piston engine V-bottom boats, single or twin piston engine catamaran style boats, four piston engine boats, and turbine boats. Depending on the class, speeds varies from 65 mph (105 km/h) to 250 mph (400 km/h).

For example ... in one class the boats can be 28ft sport racer is powered by a 250+ hp engine propeling the boat to speeds up to 70mph in flat water, and its lower centre of gravity provides greater stability and improved handling.

When you’re racing with the same boat, same engine, and same performance – the only difference between winning and losing is you. Many of the class of boat racing let the pilots battle it out on the water through every turn and every wave jump. It’s an acid test of a team’s ability to command the boat through demanding conditions.

Ski Races

Water ski racing is a high adrenalin action packed family oriented water sport. Water sport enthusiasts of all kinds are encouraged to get involved. Mom, dad, kids, aunts, uncles, friends, etc. can all take part on the same team. There are Novice and two different Social classes available for beginners, in addition to the Grass Roots Series which is an introductory series designed for the new participant. Each division is divided up by entry level, age or boat class to offer as much comparative competition as possible.

Marathon events range between 35 to 65 miles in length with a Mini Marathon running approximately 25 miles. Sprint racing takes place on a course of 2 miles or less.

 

Personal Watercraft Championships

Personal watercraft racing is a tough, competitive and increasingly popular sport. Often described as “moto-cross racing on the water”, these exciting events pit up to 18 racers against each other on a racetrack of tight turns and straight-aways. In some classes, racers must also negotiate obstacles and log jumps on the racecourse. The watercraft out there racing are not much different from the ones on lakes and waterways everywhere. The only difference is that these watercraft have many several high performance parts added to increase the speed and maneuverability in the water. Some watercraft in the Open classes have over 200 horsepower under the hood and can reach speeds in excess of 75 mph on flat water. But during the races, finding flat water is tough with racers wakes stirring up the course.