Lake Of The Ozarks Shootout Adding Kilo Run To Sunday Festivities
In an announcement released Friday night, the organizers of the largest unsanctioned boat race in the United States of America—the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout in Central Missouri—publicized that they are teaming up with the Union Internationale Motonautique and the American Power Boat Association to add a kilo run to this year’s event, which takes place the last full week of August on the popular Midwest waterway.
For the professional boat racers who participate in the popular Central Missouri event—such as the 450R Factory Stock-class TS Motorsports crew in the 39-foot MTI—this year’s Lake of the Ozarks Shootout is going to include a kilo run on Sunday. Photo by Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix
“Unlike the traditional ‘top speed racing’ that we typically witness at the Shootout, kilo races, rather, are a speed run based upon the average time between two survey points, which are marked by buoys,” explained Leah Martin, the executive director of the Shootout, in the press release. “The addition of kilo racing is a great way to enliven the event, and to add something new and unique to the 35th annual Shootout.”
The two-way kilo course, which measures roughly 0.62 miles compared to the event’s traditional one-way 0.75-mile course, is scheduled to open for interested professional-class racers from 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon on the same three-quarter-mile course as the Shootout participants are going be competing on all day Saturday and earlier in the day on Sunday. Registration for the kilo run event is going to be handled separately.
“The American Power Boat Association is pleased to become a part of the biggest performance boating event in the world,” Rich Luhrs, the APBA Offshore commission chairman, said in the release. “The Shootout will produce true UIM/APBA world records the internationally recognized speed titles. This LOTO-based event has epitomized excellence in organization, promotion and state-of-the-art course management, and we look forward to a long and mutually rewarding relationship.”
Martin, who was a new driving force behind the record-breaking $625,000 raised in 2022 for 40 local charities, accredited the initial idea of introducing kilo racing to the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout to former boat racer Alvin Heathman, the organizer of the popular Super Cat Fest and a longtime supporter of the Shootout.
As previously reported on speedonthewater.com, Martin added that the 35th annual Shootout broadcast will be produced by P1 Offshore and it will be livestreamed on the official Shootout Facebook page and YouTube channels. Lake area residents and water-based marinas/restaurants are going to be able to air this year’s broadcast live on Co Mo Connect and Spectrum platforms. This broadcast also will air in Columbia, Kansas City and Springfield, Mo., along with many other areas across the state.
“It’s the best of both words as unsanctioned meets sanctioned for the first time in Shootout history,” said Brett Manire, co-owner of Performance Boat Center in Osage Beach, Mo.—the event’s longstanding title sponsor. “We are so proud to continue to be a part of the biggest powerboating event in the world, which draws thousands upon thousands to our lake every year.”
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