PORT ANGELES — This year’s Strait Thunder hydroplane races on Port Angeles Harbor, scheduled for Sept. 26-27, were canceled Monday and won’t be back until next year, their organizers announced late Monday night.
An e-mailed statement from the marketing agency that represents the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association said the lack of support from Port Angeles sponsors and volunteers contributed to a “difficult” decision made Monday in concert with the Peninsula Water Sports Association.
“The depressed economy has taken its toll on event sponsorships across the country, and Port Angeles has been no exception,” the statement said.
“Some of the festival’s major supporters have recently had to reprioritize their discretionary spending during the deepest economic downturn in a century.”
“A lack of support at the local level from both sponsorships and volunteers who help conduct the event contributed to [Monday’s] decision,” the statement said.
Officially to be called the seventh annual Victoria Express Presents Strait Thunder Hydroplane Races and Family Festival, the event would have featured about two dozen hydroplane racers — some among the top in the nation — traveling in watercraft at speeds of 160 mph on a 1¼-mile loop in Port Angeles Harbor.
Thousands of spectators have viewed past Strait Thunders from City Pier, Hollywood Beach and the Waterfront Trail.
North Olympic Peninsula tourism promotion organizations have touted Strait Thunder as a major tourist draw, and a current Seattle-area TV commercial placed by the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce mentions the event that’s now canceled.
Strait Thunder, which had been held during the first weekend of October, was moved up to the final weekend of September this year and was to have again marked the end of the season for the Unlimited Light Hydroplane Racing Association’s unlimited light, lighter-than-light and thunderboat racing craft.
“In most cases, corporate supporters have expressed a hope to bring the event back to the Port Angeles Harbor next year,” Monday night’s statement from the racing association said.
“In fact, an organizing meeting scheduled for this Wednesday will continue with the agenda centered around a 2010 event.”
In the meantime, Victoria Express will instead become presenting sponsor of Silverdale Thunder in Silverdale this coming weekend.
The Port Angeles passenger ferry and water taxi service also will have a “major presence” at Bayfair on Mission Bay in San Diego on Sept. 18-20, the statement said.
