Qatar Team Targets Shootout Top Gun Trophy and Record

After testing its turbine-powered 50-foot Mystic Powerboats catamaran at the end of last week (check out the video below), the Qatar Team has high hopes for the upcoming Lake of the Ozarks Shootout, which takes place for the 26th time August 23-24 at Captain Ron’s in Sunrise Beach, Mo.

The Qatar Team’s turbine-powered Mystic is the favorite to win the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Top Gun trophy. Photo courtesy QMSF

Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor Al-Thani and British throttleman Steve Curtis are planning to attempt to break the top-speed record of 224 mph, which was set last year by Bill Tomlinson and Ken Kehoe at the helm of Tomlinson’s My Way, another turbine-powered Mystic.

The team, which runs under the auspices of the Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), has put the finishing touches on its exciting and powerful T-55 turbine-powered raceboat, Al Adaa’am 96, and the QMSF president and Curtis are confident that they can challenge the impressive 224-mph record.

“When we started our turbine project we set our targets on running various events and races,” said Sheikh Hassan, who arrives in the U.S. this week to make his final preparations for the world renowned Shootout. “We have been following closely the progress of My Way for some time and we saw the boat at several runs as well as last year running 224 mph. It was only natural at the end of 2013 that we adjusted our race program for our team to include the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout and hopefully set a better speed ourselves.

“I am delighted that the boat is ready and is on its way to the lake,” he continued. “We missed the early races in Super Boat International competition to make sure that it was running as we wanted it. We have made some changes and added some more safety features.”

Sheikh Hassan hopes that the team will be able to carry out some test runs on Friday, but admits that the maximum top speed is the only target for the weekend’s racing.

“The course is one mile in length and we have to enter the gate at 40 mph and exit the course at our maximum speed, whatever that may be,” he added. “I hope that we can be close to the magical number of 224. I know My Way had several runs before setting that number last year. We hope we don’t need to make several runs to reach the target. I hope that Steve and the rest of the crew will deliver the magic touch and we can win the Top Gun trophy on our first run!”

Qatar Team Targets Shootout Top Gun Trophy and Record

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