Lava Lamp Regatta hits Soap Lake

SOAP LAKE - It was hard to hear anything at Soap Lake's East Beach this weekend above the continuous whine of jet skis, with  their riders chasing dreams across the waves.

The winning racers from the Lava Lamp Regatta claimed the prize of advancing to the World Finals in Lake Havasu, Ariz.

"This is a really cool venue," racer Kevein Steere, of Woodinville, said of the buoyed course floating atop Soap Lake. "It's been a nice weekend all around."

His friend and fellow racer, Klete Kinsor, agreed.

"The water's pretty slick, but other than that it's been great," Kinsor said. "I've always loved racing jet skis, so it's cool to come to something like this."

The Regatta also drew a healthy crowd of fans to the banks to cheer on the racers. Campers filled the parking lot for people who didn't want to miss a minute of the two days of racing.

"It's been so much fun and exciting," Kathy Morey, of Puyallup, said. "Some of these riders, they really lay it on its side out there."

Morey said she and her family have been vacationing at Soap Lake since her grandfather took her there as a child.

"There's about 19 of us here from Puyallup," Morey said. "We've been visiting with friends all weekend. It's more fun when you can see a lot of people you know."

Her husband Larry also enjoyed the Regatta.

"We've learned about how the races are run, and it brings in a lot of revenue for the town, which is good too," he said.

Races began at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and continued until 4 p.m. each day. Results were released Monday.

Lava Lamp Regatta preliminary results

(Top 3 finishers only)

 All racers/freestylers on this list have now qualified to represent the Pacific Northwest in the World Finals, slated for Oct. 5-13 in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.

Veteran Ski Open: 1. Aaron Newport, 2. Mark Hintze; Master Ski Open: 1. Ron Jones, 2. Kevin Redinger, 3. Dan Masters; Junior Ski Lites 10-12: 1. Carson Hughes, 2. Gabe Hooper; Junior 13-15: 1. Alaina Fiske, 2. Tyller Effrig; Sport Modified (X2): 1. Dara Harrington, 2. Tyler Riibe, 3. Tanner Fijolek; Sport Spec (X2): 1. David Wight, 2. Dara Harrington, 3. Tyler Riibe; Endurance Ski: 1. Aaron Newport, 2. David Redinger, 3. Kevin Redinger; Novice Ski Stock: 1. Roger Friedman, 2. Wayne Hilsinger, 3. Dan Lindgren; Beginner Ski: 1. Maxson Carter, 2. Mike Morin, 3. Carson Hughes; Novice Women's Ski: 1. Morgan Jones, 2. Adrianna Carter; Runabout: 1. Dave Spice, 2. Patty Fiske, 3. Jen Effrig; Novice Ski Limited: 1. Roger Friedman, 2. Dan Lindgren, 3. Jordyn Jones; Vintage 550: 1. Mark Fischer, 2. Gabe Hooper, 3. Alaina Fiske; Pro/Am Women's Ski: 1. Lauren Jones; Expert Ski: 1. Mark Hintze, 2. Curtis Pitman, 3. Brad Storm; Pro/Am GP: 1. Aaron Newport, 2. Curtis Pitman, 3. David Redinger; Amateur Ski Open:1. Curtis Pitman, 2. Dan Lindgren; Freestyle: 1. Dan Lindgren