Qatar Race Without a Qatar Boat?
Ellstrom Racing to fly the Qatar colors with a new driver in Kip Brown, but will Kip have the opportunity to actually race in Qatar on the 2014 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing schedule?
Congratulations, Kip!
In spite of burying the lead, Unlimited Hydroplane Racing would like to first congratulate Kip Brown for his selection as the new driver for Ellstrom Racing. As Seattle Drag and Ski Association’s 1995 Rookie of the Year, Kip stormed on the scene early and continues to achieve at very high levels. More currently, he is the 2013 Detroit APBA Gold Cup champion.
You can read more about this announcement at H1 Unlimited.
All the best to Kip and Ellstrom Racing for the future!
The Lead
After burying the lead to congratulate Kip, let’s focus on the broader picture in which Ellstrom Racing and Kip Brown are integral parts. While this is exciting news for them, and of course all of us as fans, there is at least a sliver of a chance that Kip won’t be able to wear Qatar’s colors – in Qatar.
Ellstrom Racing’s Hull Status
It is really no surprise to anyone who diligently follows the sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing that Ellstrom Racing has had a hull under construction for a number of months. OK, that in itself is not a problem – it takes time to do it right and the good people on the Ellstrom Racing team know how to do it right.
We can use that fact as a basis for a provocative thought exercise. Let’s explore to what degree any delay in getting the boat race ready might have on the racing season.
Qatar as the Gold Ring
Let’s begin our thought exercise with a few assumptions:
- None of us as fans know the details of the new H1/QMSF contract. In this analysis, we’re assuming it still requires H1 to field a minimum of 10 boats.
- We also don’t know definitively if H1 still requires qualifiers to be a “National Boat” as one that competes in the full season.
- Let’s be real, folks… a Qatar boat will invariably make the trip to Doha. 🙂
Now we’re back to Ellstrom Racing’s status. Without being an Ellstrom insider, there’s no way to know exactly if they are on pace to float any boat in Madison for the Indiana Governor’s Cup July 4-6. (As fans, we all certainly hope so!)
Ready for Full Season?
The question will remain for a short while as to whether the Qatar team will be ready for Madison, and subsequently run in every other race on the schedule this season. Only Ellstrom insiders know that.
There is of course an irony surrounding the potential of the Qatar boat not running in Qatar. However, the broader question involves the entire team base. Any team in the sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing is always at risk of missing races and as a result, failing to qualify for Qatar.
Sheikh Super Supporter
Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation has been an ardent supporter of the sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing for quite some time. All of us in the sport benefit from his devotion and enthusiasm.
It would be an unfortunate turn of events if Sheikh Hassan was not able to see his Qatar colors in his own race. None of us hopes that happens, but it begs the question, “would the Sheikh continue to be as supportive in the future?”
More Questions to Beg
This thought exercise has not just posed one question, but it incites us to discuss even more. Here’s a few to consider:
- Depending on the number of boats that qualify for Qatar, should the qualification rules be loosened to enable a full fleet of 10 boats to run?
- Is Qatar a unique enough venue due to the distance from North America that the Qatar boat be given special dispensation to attend, regardless of their season’s accomplishments?
- Should we expect Sheikh Hassan and Erick Ellstrom to take a very transparent approach and put the number 96 on another hull until the new boat is ready?
- A secondary, more rhetorical question is how important is the National Points Championship to the QMSF program in general?
A Challenge
Finally, it would seem appropriate to tap the collective wisdom of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing’s Damn Smart Fans, and challenge us to create the perfect solution. I’ve done some math and it appears very unlikely that a boat skipping the first two races could prevail as the national points champion.
Can you think of a way for a boat to miss two races and still be the points leader?
Unlimited Hydroplane Racing wants to hear your thoughts. Please weigh in on any or all concepts presented here. You have your assignment.
Ready. Set. GO!
UHR Dave
I wasn’t aware of a requirement to be a national boat, only that you finish in the top 10 in points. That shouldn’t be difficult this year.
It was a requirement in the first years of the Doha race that only “national” boats (running the full domestic circuit) could qualify to go to Doha. When there were incidents such as hulls being damaged late in the domestic season that made the minimum boat count problematic, they “adjusted” and included others by invitation, with the understanding the fees paid to those “non-national” teams would be negotiated at somewhat reduced rates.
At this point, I can’t imagine ANYONE understanding Erik Ellstrom.
Everything about this long drawn out construction, by “very few individuals” is Eriks doing.
New Crew?
16, 96 hull repairs?
I would only be guessing, but at some point Shiek Hassan is going to realize that the Ellstroms are just not thinking and leading their tem as they did in the first 9 or so years.
Bummer.
Erick Ellstrom and Sheik Hassan have a long standing business relationship, going back well before unlimited hydroplanes raced in Doha. Erick has built engine case halves and props for the QMSF Offshore team for quite a while. I’m pretty sure Sheik Hassan is well aware of progress on the new hull, and the likelihood of making Madison, however that ends up. For his part, Erick is not known for skimping on resources, whether it be equipment or manpower, to get the job done. I think they have a common understanding of just how things will play out.