Speed boat races return to Cumberland River this weekend

The Stanley Cup frenzy is over. The CMA fans have packed up and gone home.

What does Nashville do for an encore this weekend?

The answer is simple: Bring in the fastest boats in the world and let fans watch them race along the Cumberland River. For free.

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The Toyota Thunder on the Cumberland, part of the Formula 1 Series Powerboat Championship circuit, returns to Nashville.

After a successful inaugural race a year ago, Thunder on the Cumberland promoter Don MacLachlan has big plans for the second go-around.

"It was a fun atmosphere last year, but it was a first-time event, so people didn't really know what to expect," MacLachlan said of the race's first year. "Now that we've been through one, we can add some elements to the event. Year two is going to be great."

Powerboat racing is a unique sport. The courses constantly change, much like a motocross track. The boats — 17-foot, tunnel-hull catamarans — are designed like Indycars. MacLachlan likes to call it "NASCAR on water."

More than 20 powerboat racers will line up their boats, reaching speeds of 100 mph in 6 seconds, and try to navigate through the twists and turns of the Cumberland's tight racecourse. The course, a three-mile loop, starts from the John Siegenthaler Pedestrian Bridge and runs between the Woodland Street bridge.

"This is one of the few racecourses that's right downtown in a major city," said Chris Fairchild, a veteran powerboat racer and last year's runner-up. "And not just any major city, but downtown Nashville. This place has been buzzing for the past 10 years...it's like nothing we have all year."

Monster Energy's BMX team will perform extreme bike tricks for the crowd Saturday at noon. The Freedom Boat Club will provide free boat rides around the course in between races, as the powerboaters recharge. Later in the day, Hunter Verlander, the world's No. 1 HydroFlight athlete, will flip, dip and hover over the water in a Saturday afternoon performance. There will even be a misting station for spectators to combat the Nashville heat.

Because of the setup in Riverfront Park, where people are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs to watch in the grass, Fairchild sees this weekend as an opportunity to race in front of a stadium-like atmosphere.

"We've got the best in the world coming right here to downtown Nashville on this tight little course," Fairchild said. "I think this just ties in with everything that's been going on here."

MacLachlan, like Fairchild and many others in Nashville, has been paying attention to the events this month. The Predators' Stanley Cup run, CMA Festival and Bonnaroo have all provided publicity and entertainment for Nashville this summer, and he wants to keep the party going for another weekend.

"We want to continue to build on this momentum," MacLachlan said. "Nashville is such a great city, and it's gotten such great national exposure with CMA Fest and the Predators' run. We're just hoping to build on that this weekend."

Schedule

Saturday

11 a.m.: Gates open

11:30 a.m.: Freedom Boat Club – Free Rides Around Course

Noon.: Monster's BMX team performance

12:25 p.m.: HydroFlight performance

1-5:15 p.m.: Qualifying heats

Sunday

11a.m.: Gates open

11:15 a.m.: HydroFlight performance

11:25 a.m.: Monster's BMX team performance and free rides

around course

Noon-3 p.m.: Qualifying heats

3:25-5 p.m.: Boat race finals

5 p.m.: Awards