Woods Finishes and It’s Enough to Win

George Woods of Seattle won the Miller High Life Thunderboat Regatta Sunday when his Oh Boy! Oberto hydroplane was the only one of six finalists that finished the championship heat.

In an earlier qualifying heat, the Miss Madison and Miss Circus Circus boats flipped almost simultaneously midway through the opening lap when they caught a gust of wind. Miss Madison driver Ron Snyder of New Bremen, Ohio, and Miss Circus Circus pilot John Prevost of Baton Rouge, La., were hospitalized for observation and both were listed in good condition.

Miss Madison landed upside down in pieces while Miss Circus Circus broke in half at the spine of its turbine engine when it landed upright.

The boats were traveling about 175 mph and were some 100 yards apart when they flipped, forcing the heat to be restarted.

Woods averaged 117.412 mph in the piston-powered Oh Boy! Oberto during 5 laps of the 2 1/2-mile Mission Bay saltwater course for his second victory of the year. His other victory was in the season opener at Miami, Fla., the only other saltwater course on the nine-race hydroplane circuit.

Tom D’Eath of Fair Haven, Mich., who set a course record of 156.169 mph during qualifying Friday, had a three-race victory streak snapped when his Miss Budweiser stopped running near the end of the second lap of the final heat.

The Paddock Pools boat, driven by Jerry Hopp of Snohomish, Wash., stopped running during the fourth lap, and three other boats had engine trouble that kept them from starting the race.

Defending champion Chip Hanauer, driving the Miller High Life, was unable to start a qualifying heat or the final because of water ingestion problems in the turbine engine. Such engines traditionally have problems running in salt water.

Woods was among 11 drivers who began the day competing for a spot in the final.