Image of the Week, Part II: The Start

Is there anything more exciting in an offshore powerboat race than the start? Between the roar of wound-up engines to the sight of flashy catamarans and V-bottoms, trailed by their own roostertails, accelerating hard and battling for the best line to the first turn, starts rule the world of offshore racing action.

In an offshore race, even an uneventful start is exhilarating. Photo courtesy/copyright Jay Nichols/Naples Image.

In fact, the same pretty much applies to all motorsports, from NASCAR to Supercross. While true racing fans appreciate dicing and lead changes, as well as more subtle elements such as out-braking and taking creative lines through turns, even first-timers love starts. It doesn’t take a racing aficionado to understand the importance of getting to the first turn first.

Plus, wild things tend to happen at the start of races, which is why photographers such as Jay Nichols, who shot this image during last weekend’s Super Boat International Super Boat Suncoast Grand Prix Festival in Sarasota, Fla., never miss them.

Whether we catch the start of an offshore race from land, air or sea—and my speedonthewater.com colleague Jason Johnson and I have watched them from all three vantage points more times than we can remember—starts never fail to produce a healthy jolt of adrenaline.

As does this Jay Nichols image.