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Old 09-16-2010, 08:18 PM
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Arrow RACE DAY VIDEO & STILLS - Gold Coast UW Grand Prix

*


Had to make it to the boat early for the race and there was an impressive sunrise. Just before
dawn there was an overcast sky that really lit up with some brilliant colors as the sun eased over the horizon.
Click photo for full sized image.




Heading out for something different, underwater dive scooter races.





So, it's not underwater but it's close!




Sun is up and it is going to be an interesting day.




*** I prepared a video of images captured with two GoPro HD cameras during the race.
One camera was in the chest mount harness while I held the other camera in my hand.
Some of Joe Marino's excellent still shots are incorporated into the video as well.




Race video shot with GoPro HD cameras ***







Loading up the boats at Jeff Torode's operation, South Florida Diving Headquarters.








Dean Vitale and Marissa of Pegasus Thrusters line up the race hardware. These Pegasus Thrusters are modular, meaning you can
mount and control one, two or even three on your dive tank. Marissa used two while Dean wore three thrusters for the race.




For those who may not know it, there was another world famous Pegasus diver propulsion device. It was conceived by underwater inventor,
photographer and author, Dimitri Rebikoff in the 1950's. It was fairly unique in those days. It used aircraft controls, a joy stick activating forward
aerilons and aft diving plane with a foot controlled rudder bar. It even carried a pressure rated instrument pod containing artificial horizon,
altimeter (depth gage), compass and more. We used a close cousin, the Remora in the early 1970's for reef surveys. You could mount
large photogrammetric cameras, cine and still cameras on the dpv. It was big but was very powerful too.




Lots of riding gear on board including these Dive X scooters modified for sit on top free diving. These were brought along by Kirk Krack,
Erin McGee and troops from Performance Freediving. They did a relay race of sorts ala breathhold around deck level
the Tracy while the SCUBA divers were finning along the bottom on the same course.




How about this tandem rig complete with diver air supply onboard? They guys came all the way down from Pennsylvania to compete.




Dave Ulloa brought some impressive UW camera gear to capture the race.







Heading out, Joe Weatherby and Dave Sirak of FormulaH2O and the Wreck Racing League tell us how the race is going to go down.
Jeff Torode met up with us offshore on another boat to complete the prerace briefing. Jeff was carrying a camera crew from
Discovery Channel Canada to capture the action.










The race layout around the wreck of MV Tracy sitting in 70 ft. of water off Pompano Beach. The current changed the day of the race,
so we started aiming northward behind the aft starboard quarter. The Tracy was sunk intentionally as an artificial reef. It is
131 ft. long with a 35 ft. beam. Adding in the departure points abeam of the vessel that makes each race lap about 420 ft..
For the three required laps of the Recreational class racers that makes 1260 ft. and for the other racing classes five laps or about
2100 ft.. We had to use 80 cft. tanks minimum and surface with at least 500 psi. The reality of air consumption in a race made
this difficult for some with a standard tank at 70 ft..




Dustin shows the Bladefish he was to race with. It was provided by Steve and Brian of the Gold Coast Dive Shop of Lauderdale By-The-Sea.
These guys also told me about this race in the first place through their active Diving Meetup Group. If you're into diving,
at a new level or after decades and looking for some interesting dives, you should look into this group. Many thanks!




An impressive and heavy tandem scooter setup operated by Mark Hughes. S




Here I am, #4 easing down to the starting line. I am riding a production Apollo AV-2 dive scooter. Photo by Joe Marino.




We're off!!!




There is Lisa Mongy of http://www.underwaterunlimited.net/ and Greg Marvin.




I think that might be Erin McGee completing a free diving lap in their relay race.




Here is an interesting shot of myself, Dean and Marissa fighting it out for the lead on lap 2 of 5 as we approach the startling line.




Dave Ulloa was smoking fast on a Silent Submersion Scooter. David runs http://www.valeofilms.com/ and
packs some impressive camera gear as wells as a zippy dive scooter. Dave won the race handily at a time of 7:34 minutes. I believe
I came in next at 7:54 minutes, he was fast!


We headed over to the Wreck of the Copanhagen off the Sea Watch Restaurant for a cool down dive and photo op. A few shots follow from dives on the Copanhagen.





A shot of the superlative shooter himself, Joe Marino. Not only did he nail some excellent images in this competition. He has done
the same on some FII free diving competitions offshore as well. Great work Joe!




Dave and crew teched out with scooter and some high end imaging gear.




This fellow slipped in from a SCI FI set, right? Looking good!




Here is a shot of myself scooter free diving with a normal complement of (too many) cameras.




Dean the winner of the first race on the Vandenberg showing off his Winner's Belt and Beer Cozy.




Dean and David facing off with their respective scooters.



It was a fun event! Looking forward to the next one off Key Largo, coordinated by my good friend Spencer Slate of Atlantis Dive Center. The next race is in memory of Slate's close friend, and world famous photographer & explorer Wes Skiles and is titled:

"Wes Skiles Memorial Shootout of Key Largo"


Hope to see you there!







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Last edited by ricki; 09-17-2010 at 03:37 PM.
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Old 09-22-2010, 10:06 PM
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The final results for the race just went up:

1. David Ulloa 7:34 ... One Silent Submerge Scooter

2. Rick Iossi 7:54 ... One Apollo Scooter

3. Dean Vitalle 8:05 ... THREE Pegasus Thrusters

3. Greg Marvin 8:05 ... One Apollo Scooter

4. Marissa Wiganowski 8:06 ... TWO Pegasus Thrusters

5. Mitch Horn 8:22 ... TWO Hollis Scooters

For five laps or around 2100 ft. in 70 ft. of water in the Modified and Expedition Classes.


and


Michael Vivona 6:22 ... Seadoo

Lisa Mongy 6:23 ... Seadoo

Dustin Clark 6:50 ... Bladefish

For three laps or about 1275 ft. in the Recreational Class.


From: http://wreckracingleague.com/?page_id=563

Scooters were broken down into three categories based upon whether it was modified (multiple thruster units), lower cost production unit (recreational class) or a moderate to high priced single thruster unit (expedition class).

David came in first traveling real fast on his Silent Submersion scooter, I came in second 20 seconds later with Dean and Greg coming in third 9 seconds after me with Marissa just a second after them. The three of us turned in the fastest over all times out of all the classes. Greg and I were on production single thruster scooters.

The concept is new, there are unforeseen challenges in many aspects of an underwater race, even finding out who completed all the laps and with what finishing time. Dave had to pour over multiple video recordings and still shots just to figure out things, which took time. I understand there will be multiple cameras recording folks as they pass the mandatory finish line. That should simply things and improve reliability over a single camera at the finish.
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Last edited by ricki; 09-23-2010 at 01:35 PM.
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Old 10-05-2010, 09:17 AM
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The Discovery Channel out of Canada came down and filmed a segment on the race for their show "Daily Planet."

Click the logo for the video clip.





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Old 05-19-2011, 02:44 PM
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They're running the first race of this season in Key West this weekend on the wreck of the Vandenberg. More at: http://wreckracingleague.com/?page_id=1819




This is the video from last year's race off Pompano.
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Old 07-22-2011, 12:55 PM
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The second annual running of this race happens next weekend! Compete or be a spectator, either way it it bound to be a memorable experience. The venue at the wreck of the Copenhagen off LBTS is under 20 ft. deep making either straight forward and a bit easier than last year's race in 70 ft.. There are to be SCUBA, free diving and Wounded Warrior races, something for everyone.

More info at:

http://www.southfloridadiving.com/ev...rand-prix.html
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Old 07-27-2011, 02:19 PM
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The race is coming in just a few days with the kick off party Friday night. The event was highlighted in the Sunsentinel:

"Underwater racing set for Sunday
Gold Coast Underwater Grand Prix more racer and spectatorfriendly

By Steve Waters, Staff Writer

4:10 p.m. EDT, July 26, 2011
Several changes have been made for the second annual Gold Coast Underwater Grand Prix that will appeal to those who race diver propulsion vehicles in the event as well to those who want to watch the competition.

The race is 9 a.m. Sunday on a course around the wreck of the Copenhagen, which is in 30 feet of water off Pompano Beach. Last year's race was in 70 feet, which made it hard on the racers and the spectators.

"We think it's going to be a lot better," said Jeff Torode of South Florida Diving Headquarters in Pompano Beach. "Last year we had issues. Some people were running low on air."

In 30 feet, racers and spectators using scuba gear will be able to stay down longer. In addition, Torode said, snorkelers will be able to watch the racing from the surface.

Also new this year is a kickoff party that is open to the public Friday night at the Wyndham Sea Gardens Resort in Pompano Beach. On Saturday, divers and snorkelers can go out on one of the practice boats leaving South Florida Diving Headquarters at 1 p.m. and take a demo ride on an underwater scooter around the race course and along a reef.

On Sunday, spectators can go out on a dive boat or on a private boat to watch the racing. Torode expects anywhere from 20 to 30 racers from as far away as California, including defending champion Dave Ulloa. Divers who have their own DPVs are welcome to compete.

"Run what you brung," Torode said. "We'll have categories for all different types of scooters, so a $400 scooter won't race against a $5,000 scooter.

"It's a great thing for people who buy scooters and then put them in the closet because they have no one to go with.""

Continued at:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/o...,4511520.story

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Old 08-08-2011, 09:04 AM
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Missed this one but here are some details about the race:

FII free divers did very well in the race. Need to learn more details about how it was run this time in shallow water.



"A huge congratulations to all the freedivers whom participated in the 2011 Gold Coast Underwater Grand Prix organized by the Underwater Wreck Racing League. Hilarious fun out there today!!!!!!!! Winners pic to come!!!!"



"GRAND PRIX FREEDIVING CATEGORY WINNERS: John and Jonathan Dickenson!! These scooter experts blasted the group with a sneaky double Apollo set up. Jonathan is an FII Instructor offering courses out of his shop, SCUBAWORKS, Jupiter. Congratulations Team Scubaworks!!!!!!!!!!!"
Above two photos and captions from FII's Facebook page.


I just spoke with Jonathan on the phone to get some more details about the free diving race. There were four teams of two free divers. Each free diver would do a lap and then change off for the next lap for a total of six runs around the course in total for both. The free diving race was held after the SCUBA diving portion. Visibility was pretty good at 40 to 50 ft. with a real strong south running current. The Dickenson's did something that I thought about doing for my first race last year. That was using two Apollo diver scooters with one held out in front while sitting on the other. This gives you two inline props with minimal drag and a good deal of speed. Jonathan said changing racers with two scooter six times was a little tricky but the speed made up for delays. They averaged about 66 seconds per lap. Way to go! I hope someone puts up some images from the free diving portion, hint!

and for the larger SCUBA scooter race:




"Divers find winning positions in underwater grand prix


By SUSAN C0CKING

A 57-year-old TV station engineer from Orlando became the first two-time winner Sunday in the fledgling sport of underwater scooter racing.

Michael Vivona won grand champion honors in the second annual Gold Coast Underwater Grand Prix, held 30 feet deep on the wreck of the SS Copenhagen off Pompano Beach.

Slightly built and wearing a compact scuba rig, Vivona powered his Dive-X Cuda to the front of a pack of 27 racers in the third lap of five to get the checkered flag from race official Natalie Oriente.

Vivona is the first competitor to win two Formula H20 events sanctioned by the Wreck Racing League, which is only a little over 1-year-old. He won grand champion honors in last year’s Wes Skiles Memorial event in Key Largo.

“I think a lot of it has to do with I’m an engineer, techy kind of person who tends to look at the details,” Vivona said. “I’m a crazy Formula 1 race fan and Formula 1 is all about being streamlined and speed.”

The field was divided into five classes: Recreational, with mostly smaller, slower diver propulsion vehicles; Expedition A and B, with larger, faster craft; Freediving, with three two-person relay teams of breath-hold divers handing off a DPV to their teammate; and Modified, which basically allowed any scooter configuration that someone could think up.

The Royal Palm Beach father-and-son team of Don Dickinson, 54, and Don Jr., 23, won the Freediving class, despite the elder Dickinson colliding with the bow of a moored boat. The Dickinsons took up the sport of breath-hold diving about four years ago at Fort Lauderdale’s Freediving Instructors International, where Don Jr. is now an instructor. Sunday marked their first Formula H20 competition.

“We loved it — it was a blast,” Don Sr., said. “If there’s [a] world circuit, we plan to be on it.”

Formula H20 veteran Mark Hughes of Flagstaff, Ariz., won the Expedition A class on his Cuda L400. Newcomer Anthony Recine of Coconut Creek took the Expedition B class. Jordan Harvell of Miami won the Recreation division.

U.S. Army veteran Brian Torres of Vero Beach, a novice racer, came in third in the Expedition B class using a donated scooter. He was one of a handful of wounded war veterans hosted by the nonprofit Divers 4 Heroes organization.

Torres, who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder and tinnitus after two tours in Iraq, has been a certified scuba diver since age 17. He gave up the sport for a while, but got back into it since leaving the Army.

“It’s not like you’re alone down there,” Torres said. “It’s very peaceful.”

While Sunday’s competition was friendly, it was hardly peaceful. Racers jockeyed for position on the starting line and traded some paint throughout the course, battling a stiff southerly current.

“Turn one looked like a WW Two smackdown,” said race director Jeff Torode of South Florida Diving Headquarters.

Said Recine: “This is the only time I’ve done diving where it’s a competitive sport. Definitely competitive, but still fun.”"

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/3...#ixzz1URiE7wUn
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Old 07-17-2012, 10:21 AM
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The race is on again this weekend off Pompano Beach!


Details are coming together rapidly, here is some tentative information to be supplemented by additional details
by race organizers later on today.

South Florida Diving Headquarters is taking dive scooter racers offshore to the wreck of the Copanhagen Sunday
morning to charge around the course. The boat leaves at 9 am so, we will likely need to be at the dock early.

There is to be a racers meeting Saturday night starting around 6:30 pm at http://www.xtremeindoorkarting.com/, an event sponsor.

The Copanhagen is a shallow wreck making things easier both for the racers in terms of air consumption/deco
and spectators to watch the action. Lots more details to come!



The race diagram from last year, it is likely to be similar this year I would guess.


IF you have a dive scooter and want to race, be sure to sign up on the website at:
http://wreckracingleague.com/?page_id=592 and attend the racer's meeting Saturday night.
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Last edited by ricki; 07-21-2012 at 09:04 AM.
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Old 07-17-2012, 11:28 PM
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DETAILS ON THE RACE ARE UP AT:

http://wreckracingleague.com/?page_id=2636
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Old 07-23-2012, 05:55 PM
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The video from the 2012 Gold Coast Underwater Grand Prix held yesterday off Pompano Beach, FL is up:




Video in 720p resolution


Video in lower resolution for slower connections
https://vimeo.com/46256455




Racers Meeting conducted by Jeff Torode of South Florida Diving Headquarters at their operation byside Hillsboro Inlet.



Joe Weatherby of the Wreck Racing League also conducts the Racers Meeting. Joe with REEFMAKERS just sunk the latest artificial reef in Florida, the "USS Mohawk," off Ft. Myers, FL along with racer Mike Campbell of Lee County Natural Resources and others.. That is Lisa Mongy seated in the foreground. It is thanks to Lisa's organizational efforts in large measure that we were able to have this event. Thank you! She also writes for DiveWire.



The sinking of USS Mohawk CGC Veterans Memorial Reef
http://casaybelresort.wordpress.com/


A rectangular course was setup over the area shown below:





Motoring down the coast to the wreck of the Copenhagen on the Aquaview. The Copenhagen is immediately seaward of the east facing second reef ledge off the north end of the Seawatch Restaurant in Lauderdale By-The-Sea, FL.




Bitchn' Mitch with ScubaNation shows full face mask appreciation. ScubaNation is a syndicated TV program focused on intriguing diving stories throughout the region. They have a ton of past episodes on their website so check it out. That is John to the right, able Grand Prix flagman and all around helper. He made a difference in the event going off smoothly and thanks! What a great experience for a 15 year old. Keep at it and have fun.




Something about the history of the S. S. Copenhagen. The wreck site was declared a State Underwater Archaeological Preserve in 1994.


"A schooner-rigged cargo steamship. Per 1 (data 60% down), 2 (brief wreck ref.), 3 (wreck data page 149 & modest wreck image), 4 & 5 (wreck listings), 6 (dive images), 7 (site plan & images, page from Czechoslovakia), 8 (Miramar, link, you now must be registered to access). 325 ft. long, speed of 10 knots. Built for 'Glasgow Shipowners Company, Ltd.' (Glen & Co. managers?), & registered Glasgow. Intended for use on North Atlantic routes. On May 27, 1900, while en route from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Havana, Cuba, in good weather & with a cargo of coal, ran aground 3 miles S of Hillsboro Inlet, Florida. Efforts were made to free the vessel, including unloading the cargo. Efforts continued until Jul. 17, 1900, when vessel was abandoned, a total loss. I read that the vessel & cargo were respectively valued at $250,000 & $12,500. Her most valuable items (engine, boilers, propeller etc.) were salvaged, including vessel's mahogany saloon table, which was used (still is, I wonder?) as a boardroom table by the 'Biscayne Yacht Club'. Crew of 26 stayed with vessel until Jun. 1st. Cause of the accident, per investigation, was the 'improper navigation' of her Captain (William S. Jones). The wreck was used for Navy fighter plane target practice during WW2. Scattered wreck remains today are in 16-31 ft. of water, 3/4 mile off Pompano Beach, Broward County, Florida. A popular dive site. The wreck would seem to be known locally also as the 'Cumberland Barge' (I wonder why). In 1994, the site was dedicated as the 5th Florida Underwater Archeological Preserve. Can you correct the above, or provide additional data? An image perhaps."
From: http://www.searlecanada.org/sunderla...erland076.html



The Copenhagen "may" have resembled aspects of the 324 ft. 3075 ton "Glenmoor" (1896) also constructed by Sir John Priestman at the Sunderland shipyard. Confirmation of this would be welcome. The Glenmoor was captured and sunk by a German U-boat off Algeria in 1915. http://www.searlecanada.org/sunderla....html#glenmoor


A summary of findings from the Board of Trade Wreck Report (1900) on the grounding and loss of the Copenhagen:

"On the 20th of May last the "Copenhagen" left Philadelphia, under the command of Mr. William S. Jones, who holds a certificate of competency as master—number 31,208—with a crew of twenty-six hands, and a cargo of 4,940 tons of coal, bound for Havana; her draught of water being 21 feet 9 inches forward and 22 feet 8 inches aft. All went well on the voyage until the 26th of May, on which date, at 2.20 a.m., Jupiter Light, on the coast of Florida, was abeam, being W. by S. 3/4 S., and found, by a four-point bearing, to be distant 1 3/4 miles, At this point the course was altered to S.S.E., by standard compass. The vessel was going full speed, making about 8 knots. The weather was fine and clear, and the sea smooth. "
Continued at:
http://www.plimsoll.org/resources/SC...orts/17906.asp



A chart of the wreckage field
http://www.museumsinthesea.com/copenhagen/index.htm



Joe Weatherby gets things organized on the wreck for the race. The race was started in the debris field of the aft section of the Copenhagen.




UPI photographer Joe Marino bringing his considerable talents to shooting the event underwater.




Bitchn' Mitch with ScubaNation switches back to his Gates video camera after giving Michael Campbell's Torpedo DPV a whirl.





The racers line up at the starting line shortly before things get going.



The race starts with respective scooter classes completing three and five laps of the course.











The finish line



All the participants in this years race and the first place winners.


You can checkout the images in Cooliris by clicking:



The results of the race follow:

"Mike Vivona Dive X Unlimited 7:11 1st
Wayne Turner Magnus Unlimited 7:15 2nd

Anthony Recine Apollo Expedition A 8:00 1st
Rick Iossi Apollo Expedition A 8:54 2nd
Kerry Dillon Silent Submerge Expedition A 10:07 3rd

Lisa Mongelia Pegasus Thruster Expedition B 10:15 1st
Kathy Kelly Torpedo 3500 Expedition B 12:45 2nd
Mike Campbell Torpedo 3500 Expedition B DNF 4 laps only

Eric Alvarez Sea Doo Recreational 6:51 1st
Kelly Friend Torpedo 2500 Recreational 7:00 2nd"



Many thanks to Jeff Torode of South Florida Diving Headquarters,
Joe Weatherby of Forumula H2O - Wreck Racing League,
and to all the volunteers, racers and sponsors.

Next race at http://wreckracingleague.com/?page_id=249]Weeki Wachee!










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Last edited by ricki; 07-25-2012 at 09:21 AM.
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