Generation Next

Despite the fact that the race teams, offshore racing fans and the leadership of the Offshore Powerboat Association put a brave face on it, the cancellation of last weekend’s race on Lake Hopatcong in New Jersey had to be disappointing. When 30 teams show up for a race that doesn’t happen because the elements—in this case a too-high lake level thanks courtesy of torrential rains—conspire against it, there’s plenty of disappointment to go around. (The good news, of course, is that 30 teams showed up for the second race of the year, which bodes well for the 2014 OPA season.)

mullerkidsfuncat

For Chase and Jax Muller, the future of offshore racing looks bright. Photo courtesy/copyright Tim Sharkey/Sharkey Images.

Among the folks who were understandably bummed out that the races didn’t happen was photographer Tim Sharkey, who has shot OPA races, aswell as New Jersey Performance Powerboat Club events, for years and recently launched a new custom offshore racing video service. Sharkey was pumped to shoot the first race of the season in an area he truly loves—he even planned to work late into the night to get images to speedonthwater.com for the first of what will be a series of post-race wrap-ups by offshore announcer and commentator Mike Yowaiski.

Read More: Generation Next

Related Story: High Water Forces OPA To Scrub Hopatcong Race