July hydroplane races canceled in Coeur d’Alene

There will be no hydroplane races this summer on Lake Coeur d’Alene, says a new group trying to revive the sport here. Coeur d’Alene Silver Cup, Inc. needs more time to raise at least $300,000 from sponsors to pull off the races, said Keith Allen, vice president and race director. The group had planned to hold unlimited hydroplane races July 17-19 in the Silver Beach area east of downtown. “We have a talented and dedicated group of volunteers who have been working hard to pull together all the moving parts and pieces to make this a successful event,” Allen said, “and we feel we are going to be in a very strong position to ensure a successful and safe event as well as one that is financially whole once it’s over.” Hydroplane races last were held on the lake in August 2013 — the first time since 1968. The event lost money and was unable to fully pay its debts, and the following summer the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office denied a permit needed to stage the races again. The Silver Cup group then formed to renew the effort and signed an agreement with H1 Unlimited, which sanctions hydroplane races. Allen said the group began the permitting process in late December and by mid-January had contacted all the required permitting agencies. Many of the permits were issued, he said. “Nonetheless, it has been challenging to work with many agencies given their experiences from the past events, and working through those issues, which has occurred successfully, has taken more time than originally planned and the only right thing to do to ensure a successful event in 2016 and beyond was to take our time and do this right,” he said.