ROVILLE
BSERVER

Racers from all over the Western United States were cheered by hundreds of spectators during American Power Boat Association 2008 Western Divisional Pro Outboard Hydroplane Championships at the South Thermalito Forebay Recreation Area in Oroville on May 31 and June 1.

The weather was warm and sunny with a gentle breeze, making for pleasant viewing for the spectators, and smooth water and several near-record runs for the racers.

The event was hosted by two APBA regional clubs, the Northern California Outboard Association and the East Bay Boat Club, in conjunction with local event company Solar City Productions.

“We’re very pleased with the positive response from the community and their enthusiasm for this family friendly event”, said Patrick Bulmer of Solar City Productions. “We’ve been working closely with the local APBA clubs to promote Oroville as a premier racing venue.”

The annual boat races may just be Oroville’s best kept secret. They have been going on for around 40 years, according to Kenn Christie of Northern California Outboard Association. “We were here the year the Forebay opened,” said Christie. “We keep coming back year after year.”

The partnership between Solar City Productions and the APBA clubs paid off earlier this year when their joint bid for the 2010 National Championships was awarded to Oroville at the national conference in Detroit earlier this year.

“This is an incredible boon for Oroville,” says Bulmer, who attended the conference in person to make the bid presentation and expects nearly 20,000 people from across the country to attend the event. “We’re really looking forward to showing off Oroville’s incredible natural resources and community spirit to a national audience.”