Orange Beach, AL—As a prelude to the upcoming Thunder on the Gulf Powerboat Races, Orange Beach will host the 11th Annual Sea-Doo Surf and Turf Championships on August 2-3. Perdido Beach Resort will become racing central as nearly 200 of the top watercross athletes coverage on the Alabama Gulf Coast for an exciting weekend of racing action.
Sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association, the Surf and Turf Championships feature events in the ski, sport and runabout divisions. Different from other competitions, this contest is set up to attract both experienced circuit racers and novice athletes.
Weekend events kick off Saturday morning as the first competitors hit the liquid race course at 11:00 a.m. Competition continues throughout the day until 6:00 p.m. Sunday holds the promise of more exciting racing battles from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Fans are welcome to watch the entire competition for free from the beach just in front of the Perdido Beach Resort.
Racing fans will also want to attend the autograph session slated for Saturday at 1:oo p.m. and then the Racers Party at 8:oo p.m. later that night at Night Reef, which is located on the bottom floor of the resort. There will also be a charity auction of action sports memorabilia on Sunday afternoon just prior to the 6:00 p.m. awards ceremony. Proceeds will benefit injured rider Trace Mills of Texas, who will be in attendance. Admission to all events is also free.
Adding to the excitement, I-Ball productions will be on hand to gather footage for two MAV Network shows that will air in September while Wizzard Media will produce a live podcast of the weekend.
“We are so excited to welcome the first of our two racing events for the month of August,” said Beth Gendler, director of sales for the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. “In addition to being a widely respected racing league, the Surf and Turf Championships is packed with racing action. Between hosting this event and then Thunder on the Gulf two weeks later (August 14-17), the Alabama Gulf Coast is definitely establishing itself as a premier athletic destination complimented by family friendly accommodations, attractions and restaurants.”
Even more excited is event organizer Mike Young, the owner of Surf and Turf Promotions. He added that “I have a lot of pride in the race sites that I choose, and Orange Beach is a family-friendly, vacation destination with some of America's most beautiful beaches and clean water. Their southern hospitality is second to none. I am staying an extra week!”
The Sports Commission is a partnership between Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, Alabama Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce and the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. For information, please visit www.alabamabeachsports.com or www.apbaracing.com.
