Easton Hydroplane Driver Finishes Sixth in National Championships

Submitted to Easton Patch:

In her first National Championship event, thirteen year old Easton racer Lily Deware battled her way to a sixth place finish in the 2012 American Power Boat Association Junior Hydroplane National Championships.  The annual event held from July 30^th – August 4^th attracted over 300 of the top boat boats and racers from across the US and Canada.  The racers gathered in the small south eastern Michigan Township of Grass Lake for six days of qualifications and finals to determine who would be named 2012 National Champion.  

Deware was the only representative from Massachusetts and one of only two New England racers to compete in the Championships.  To get to the finals Deware first had to driver her F1 Boston / RBC Investments, Mercury powered hydroplane in two qualifying events and had to quickly adapt to a race course that was very different from what she usually races on.  Most of the race courses in the North East are three quarters mile around with very tight turns.  The Championship course was one mile around with very wide turns.  “I only had about four laps of practice on Monday and the race course and milling (starting) area was very different then what I’m used to at home,” said Deware.  As she found out, the long race course also did not favor her boat and made the starts a struggle.  Despite this disadvantage Deware fought hard through the qualifying events to earn a seventh place ranking out of twelve for the finals.  

The finals were a two race, or heat, format with points awarded to each finisher in each race.  The final championship order is based on the total points for both finals race heats.   

With temperatures in the mid 90’s and a light wind, Deware overcame a poor start in the first heat, entering the first turn in last place, then battling her way toward the front only to run out of laps as she made a move to pass Callie Shensky of Michigan for fifth place.  In the second heat Deware once again had to overcome a poor start and work her way through the field of talented junior drivers.  And once again Callie Shensky was in Deware’s sights when the checkered flag dropped.  Deware completed the two final’s heats with a pair of sixth place finishes and earned a sixth place overall in the 2012 National Championship event.    ‘We are all very proud of Lily” said her Dad Scott, “to finish sixth in her very first National Championship is really something special.” “Lily has just a little over a year racing experience and most of the kids she raced against have three to four years experience.”  

The young racer now has several weeks off before her next event on Labor Day in Lock Haven, PA