1000 Islands Regatta in Brockville: A 15th Edition of Intense Racing and Weather Challenges

Brockville – The 15th edition of the 1000 Islands Regatta, held on June 29 and 30, was marked by challenging weather conditions that shortened the race schedule on the first day but delivered exciting competitions on Sunday.

Novice Class

The Novice class races scheduled for Saturday morning were cancelled due to inclement weather, but they took place on Sunday morning. The final was won by Sydney Manessis driving the N-244 Miss Virgo, who is currently leading the overall HRL standings. Olivier Maisonneuve, driving the N-109 L’angle d’attaque, finished second and is also second in the overall standings, just 7 points behind Sydney. Olivier’s sister, Noémie Maisonneuve, secured third place in the N-409 Abby’s Boat.

2.5 Litres Class presented by Docteur du Pare-Brise

Only one race in the 2.5 Litre class could be completed on Saturday, with Jacob Haineault claiming victory in the S-2 Novo Racing. On Sunday, Kenneth Brodie III (S-50 Centless 155) accumulated the highest total points, tying with Jacob Haineault. Mathis Gabriel Chiasson (S-57 How?) and Derek Anderson (S-25 Canadian Tire) also performed well. In this category, Garrett Hough, driving the S-35 TM Special, experienced a spectacular flight, causing damage to the boat but not affecting his participation in the Valleyfield Regatta.

Formula 2500

The Formula 2500 qualifications were fiercely competitive. Grant Liddycoat (F-97 Send It) posted the best performance with a time of 3:57.37, while Eddie Kanfoush (F-500 Centless 16) completed his five laps in 3:57.75, securing a win in his group. Dominic Maisonneuve, replacing John Shaw in the F-92 Tenacity, finished second in his group, and Frédéric Couturier, replacing Kevin Smith in the F-26 Dream Weaver, finished third.

On Sunday, the Formula 2500 victory was awarded to Liddycoat, who won two races, including the weekend’s best speed. Eddie Kanfoush (F-500 Centless 16) and Marc Lalonde (F-751 Lalo Racing) completed the podium. The weekend also saw a spectacular flight by Dominic Maisonneuve in the F-92 Tenacity. Fortunately, the pilot escaped without serious injuries, though his boat suffered damage. Nonetheless, the boat’s owner confirmed their presence in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

JSS Class

In the JSS class, Jimmie Stewart, accompanied by young Grant Liddycoat, won the race in the JS-10 Yumpin’ Yiminy. Peg Ewancio, usually the navigator, was at the hospital with her daughter, who was injured in a previous race incident. Thankfully, the young girl is doing well despite the scare to her family and the entire HRL family. Louis-Alexandre Beaudoin, from Sorel-Tracy, finished second in the JS-113 Another One, and Dave Greenlaw took third place in the JS-99 Veri Cheri Racing.

Hydro 350

On Sunday, Martin Rochon celebrated his first-ever victory in the Hydro 350 class final. As the pilot of the H-773 RTX Wheels, he had an excellent start and maintained his lead throughout the race. Yannick Léger (H-21 Supernova) and Fred Couturier (H-14 HMS – Hydroïd Racing Team) completed the podium. The overall standings in this category are very close, with only a 10-point gap between Frédéric Couturier (H-14 HMS – Hydroïd Racing Team) currently in first place and Éric McKenna in second with 232 points in the H-999 La Bête Noire. Richard Haineault in the H2-Novo Racing holds third place.

Pro-Hydro

Dominic Maisonneuve also competed in the Pro-Hydro class, stating that his boat performed well but still had potential for increased power. He invited other owners to join him and Jay Whitehair at the Valleyfield event for more competitive races.

Grand Prix and Grand Prix Challenge

Grand Prix class pilots had the option to race in Brockville, Ontario, or Guntersville, Alabama, to kick off the Grand Prix Challenge. The points awarded for the GP Challenge differ from those of the regular championship. Currently, three teams are tied for the lead with the same number of points: GP-35 TKO Motorsport with Brandon Kennedy, GP-50 Freedom with Ken Brodie, and GP-577 Lucas Oil with Ken Lupton. Three other boats are close behind with 84 points: GP-10 How Zat with Kevin Eacret, GP-71 The Wild One, which had Tom Thompson as pilot and will be driven by Kent Henderson in Madison, and GP-33 JLM Jack Lupton Motorsport with Jack Lupton.

The weekend’s accolades go to Ken Brodie in the GP-50 Freedom, ahead of Jack Lupton in the GP-33 JLM Jack Lupton Motorsport and Éric Langevin in the GP-212 Sylco, who secured third place.

The next stop for the Grand Prix Challenge is Madison, Indiana, before concluding in Valleyfield, where the grand winner will be crowned.

Tribute to Mathieu Daoust

On Sunday morning, a minute of engine roars was observed at 9 a.m. to honor the memory of Mathieu Daoust, who tragically passed away five years ago in Brockville.

Upcoming Events

The championships will continue with the Grand Prix Challenge in Madison, Indiana, starting on July 6. The same date marks the 150th-anniversary celebrations in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield for the Novices. All classes are expected on July 12 for the 84th Régates de Valleyfield.