 The fifth race of the 2025 ERCU Championship Series is the Stan Sayers Memorial, presented by Skidfin Consulting is set for Saturday, May 31, 2025, at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the fifth event of the year.
LOCATION Lake Sacajawea Park 1800 Nichols Blvd. Longview, WA 98632 CONTEXT At 52 years, the Stan Sayres Memorial is the "world’s oldest and greatest RC Scale Unlimited Race”. Started in 1974 by Roger Newton and Monte Steere, the race has been contested in Seattle Model Yacht Club and in RC Unlimiteds before finding itself a home in ERCU. The only year the race was not run was 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic caused half of the ERCU racing season to be canceled. This year's race will be a renewal to ERCU as the event will be run at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview. REGISTRATION Pre-Registration for the Stan Sayres Memorial at Lake Sacajawea is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/stan-sayres-memorial.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., FRIDAY, May 30, 2025. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. RACE OFFICIALS
WHAT TO EXPECT (All times approximate, and subject to change)
RACE FORMAT
FLIGHT SCHEDULE
HEAT DRAWS Heat draws will be completed just prior to the drivers meeting. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. No re-draws of heats will be done. STARTING CLOCK A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position. RACE DAY MORNING It will be our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m. so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. Boat owners should prepare to have time for inspections and to be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m. DRIVERS MEETING The drivers meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin at the scorer’s table within five minutes of the closing of time trials. Drivers who do not attend the drivers meeting will be scratched from the first heat regardless of whether they are pre-registered and pre-paid. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats. 2024 STAN SAYRES MEMORIAL RESULTS
INSPECTIONS In 2025, all boats will be inspected before the first race they run at. We ask that you print out the Hull Inspection Form and complete the member information at the top of page one prior to arriving at the race site. Please also remember to bring a photo of the real boat (a photo on your phone or tablet is acceptable) that your boat. VISITING DRIVERS ERCU welcomes new members to the club and visiting racers from other clubs. Rookie driver testing will be offered during the open water period as needed. The course will be closed for rookie driver tests. Visiting racers may not take home an ERCU perpetual trophy, in the event they win the race. POST-RACE CLEANUP AND AWARDS PRESENTATION Thanks to Skidfin Consulting, there will be awards at this race! Podium finishers in each class will take away hardware. There will also be a couple of special awards handed out as well. Additionally, we expect to receive our awards stickers from Thunderboat Graphics in time to hand them out after this race. Those presented will include the first four races of the season, too. Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once the race is over. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the first, second and third place finishers, winners. All members have a responsibility to help with set up and breakdown of club equipment. As a courtesy to your fellow racers, please stick around for the awards presentation whether you’ve won one or not. RESTROOMS There are public restroom facilities reasonably close on site at Lake Sacajawea Park, but we will also have a portable restroom from American SaniCan located conveniently at the pits. ELECTRICITY There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source if you will need to charge batteries during the day.  LAKEWOOD -- (Or was it Ellensburg?)
When the infamous Waughop Winds kicked up on Saturday morning, it was somewhat surprising. While the predicted torrential rainfall never materialized, what wasn't expected is that the racing conditions would so closely resemble Ellensburg. Nevertheless, everyone had to race in the same conditions and five drivers did a better job than the rest when it came time for the winner-take-all finals in each division. In fact, that had not happened since May 4, 2024 at the ERCU Governor's Cup when it was raced in Ellensburg. Mike Hughes (in his first ERCU event of the season), David Heilbrunn, Tyler McKeon, Chuck Murray and Mark Manchester each recorded race wins on Saturday at the Governor's Cup. The 1/7 scale division made a solid showing once again, with nine modern/classic boats and six vintage boats in the pits. Sadly, a few boats didn't make it through the day, but the highlight was a really great race between Heilbrunn's 2024 Goodman Real Estate and Mike McIntosh's 2023 Beacon Plumbing for a couple of laps. A total of 14 1/10 scale boats were also in the pits, and while the winds and rough water did claim a few boats during racing, we were treated to another great race between Murray and McKeon in the 1/10 classic final. Hughes' took first in 1/10 scale modern, finishing ahead of McKeon who took second in the new-to-him 2024 Bucket List Racing after finally acquiring it from Nelson Holmberg. Third place in 1/10 scale modern went to Heilbrunn's 2015 Dalton Industries. The Miss Elam of Murray and Flav-R-Pac of Holmberg both failed to finish the final. McKeon in the 1977 Anheuser Busch Natural Light survived the rough waters and a challenge from Murray and his 1976 Olympia Beer in the 1/10 scale classic final while Jerry Dunlap's Coors Light followed in third and Jim Hagan's American Speedy Printing, respectfully, followed across the finish line. Tom Markos' 1976 Atlas Van Lines, driven by Holmberg, failed to finish after winning all three preliminary heats during the day. In 1/10 vintage, Murray survived the elements with his 1964 Savair's Mist to take the race win while Paul Dunlap with the 1964 Miss Exide and Heilbrunn in the 1964 Blue Chip were unable to finish. When it came time for the big boats' finals, Heilbrunn's Goodman boat ran well and was able to stay over top of the rough water and out of trouble for five full laps to take the Governor's Cup win. Second went to Carl Lewis with his 1974 Lincoln Thrift, followed by John Havens Jr's 1976 Miss Budweiser (U-95) in third place and Denise Sjostrom with the 1990 Oh Boy! Oberto. After racing hard for the lead, McIntosh's 2023 Beacon Plumbing ended up without a finish. The 1/7 scale vintage final was another barn burner with McIntosh and Manchester getting after it. Manchester held on for the win, with his 1966 Notre Dame. McIntosh's 1967 Miss U.S. 5 took second. Third and fourth went to McKeon's 1967 Miss Lapeer and Havens' 1963 Miss U.S. 1, respectively. It was another great race for ERCU with a solid turnout of 29 boats, despite competing against a crummy weather forecast and the H1 Unlimited Spring Test session in Tri-Cities. And now, we're already less than two weeks away from the 51st running of the Stan Sayres Memorial -- the oldest trophy in RC boat racing -- which is set for Saturday, May 31 at Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview. Pre-registration is already open and can be found by clicking here. This race is presented by Skidfin Consulting of Vancouver.  The fourth race of the 2025 ERCU Championship Series is the Governor’s Cup, set for Saturday, May 17, 2025 at Waughop Lake at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood. Here is all you need to know to be prepared for the fourth event of the year.
LOCATION Waughop Lake, Fort Steilacoom Park 8714 87th Ave. SW, Lakewood, WA 98498 CONTEXT The Indiana Governor's Cup (more commonly known as the Madison Regatta) is an H1 Unlimited hydroplane boat race held annually on Independence Day weekend on the Ohio River in Madison, Indiana. Madison has hosted the Madison Regatta annually since 1951, although the race was also contested in the 1930s. The race inspired a Hollywood motion picture released in 2005, titled Madison which starred actor Mount Vernon, Wash., native Jim Caviezel. REGISTRATION Pre-Registration for the Governor’s Cup at Waughop Lake is now open. To find the pre-registration form, navigate your web browser to https://www.ercu-hydros.com/governors-cup.html, where you will find the pre-registration link in a blue box just under the race site map. You may also pre-pay your entry fees online by following the PayPal directions at the bottom of the page. Pre-registration will close at 10 p.m., FRIDAY, May 16, 2025. After that deadline, please register in person on site before 8:30 a.m. RACE OFFICIALS
WHAT TO EXPECT (All times approximate, and subject to change)
RACE FORMAT
FLIGHT SCHEDULE
HEAT DRAWS Heat draws will be completed just prior to the drivers meeting. The first heat draw will be conducted at approximately 9 a.m. and will be read verbally at the drivers meeting as a roll call. Succeeding heat draws will be conducted between flights. All heat draws will be printed and posted, and displayed on the TV screen, whenever possible. No re-draws of heats will be done. STARTING CLOCK A 1-minute 30-second clock will start as soon as all drivers are in the driving area and will not be stopped for any reason other than health or safety (including stubborn waterfowl). Please plan ahead for your upcoming heats, including getting your own spotter, and be ready when the chase boat comes back. A trailer boat shall not cross the start line less than five seconds after the start gun. Rookie drivers who have not yet earned 1,200 career points must start from the trailer position. RACE DAY MORNING It will be our intent to have the course open by 8 a.m. so that testing can commence once boats are registered for the event. Boat owners should prepare to have time for inspections and to be ready to race. The water will be open for testing until approximately 9 a.m. DRIVERS MEETING The drivers meeting is mandatory for ALL divisions and all classes and will begin at the scorer’s table within five minutes of the closing of time trials. Drivers who do not attend the drivers meeting will be scratched from the first heat regardless of whether they are pre-registered and pre-paid. Drivers arriving after the drivers meeting will not be added to the event until the draw for the second flight of heats. 2024 GOVERNOR’S CUP RESULTS
INSPECTIONS In 2025, all boats will be inspected before the first race they run at. We ask that you print out the Hull Inspection Form and complete the member information at the top of page one prior to arriving at the race site. Please also remember to bring a photo of the real boat (a photo on your phone or tablet is acceptable) that your boat. VISITING DRIVERS ERCU welcomes new members to the club and visiting racers from other clubs. Rookie driver testing will be offered during the open water period as needed. The course will be closed for rookie driver tests. Visiting racers may not take home an ERCU perpetual trophy, in the event they win the race. POST-RACE CLEANUP & AWARDS PRESENTATION Club equipment cleanup and re-packing the trailer will take priority once the race is over. Once the trailer is re-packed, awards will be presented. Awards will be given to the first, second and third place finishers, winners. All members have a responsibility to help with set up and breakdown of club equipment. As a courtesy to your fellow racers, please stick around for the awards presentation whether you’ve won one or not. RESTROOMS There are public restrooms available on site, and they are expected to be open. ELECTRICITY There is no access to electricity in the pits. It would be wise to bring a generator or other power source if you will need to charge batteries during the day.  photo by Jason Walters ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Wind. Just wind.
That was the major story of the day for the 2025 ERCU Presidents Cup at Irene Rinehart Riverfront Park. Undaunted, however, the 30 boats brought to the event by ERCU members made the best of it and completed the race day. Sustained winds of 25-35 mph, with frequent gusts above 50 mph from set up all the way through breakdown. “I’ve never seen it this bad here, and I’ve raced here a lot,” said Jason Walters who also runs with RCU. As per our normal process, the day started with 1/10 scale modern. Heat 1A featured season point leaders David Newton and Paxton Reunanen along with visiting drivers Jason Walters and Brian Perkins, with Newton taking the first heat. The second heat welcomed Chuck Murray back from his Arizona winter with the 2000 Miss Elam making its 2024 debut. Murray wasted no time in topping David Heilbrunn’s 2015 Dalton Industries and Jason Colean’s beautiful 2024 Miss Apollo. When all was said and done at the end of the day, Reunanen took the winner-take-all final, followed by Newton’s 2004 Miss Budweiser, Perkins’ 2015 Matrix Systems and Walters 2018 Oberto Beef Jerky. 1/10 scale classic featured five boats and perhaps the highest DNF percentage per capita in these conditions of all the classes. Walters took the winner-take-all final driving Reunanen’s 1983 Miss Rock KISW. Mike Walcker was second with the 1973 Red Man Too, followed by Dray Newton with the 1986 Squire Shop. Murray, with the 1976 Olympia Beer, did not finish the final. The vintage class in 1/10 scale saw six boats start the day and six boats finish the day. Reunanen’s 1960 Gale’s Roostertail claimed the winner-take-all final, while David Heilbrunn’s 1964 Blue Chip finished second, Gentleman Jim Latimer took third with the 1960 Miss Everett, Walcker stepped into drive Latimer's Miss Moses Lake in the final, finishing fourth, and Dray Newton took fifth with the 1957 Hawaii Kai III that was built by his grandfather Roger Newton. Unable to finish the final was Walters with the 1960 Miss Burien. The 1/7 scale classes also produced a high amount of action and great racing. Modern/classic was taken in a close race by Craig Mullen, driving his brand new 1971 Pay ‘n Pak. He was followed by Heilbrunn with the 2024 Goodman Real Estate. John Havens Jr., with the 1976 Miss Budweiser (U-95), was third and fourth place went to Denise Sjostrom with the 1990 Oh Boy! Oberto. The vintage class was won by Walters, driving Reunanen’s 1975 Oh Boy! Oberto. Second went to Dennis Caines, driving his always consistent 1968 Miss Eagle Electric, while holding off the 1962 $ Bill of Bobby Van den Akker, who took third. Fourth went to Havens with his 1963 Miss U.S. Next up is the fourth race of the 2025 ERCU Championship Season and will be at Lake Waughop at Fort Steilacoom Park in Lakewood, on Saturday, May 17. Pre-registration is open now by clicking here. |
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