Referred to as the world’s premier water ski race, the 70th Annual Catalina Ski Race will be this Saturday, July 21 at the Queen Mary! During this event, novice and expert skiers from all over the world will come together to race the 62-mile route to Avalon from the Queen Mary and back. What makes this race so popular is not only the number of participants involved, but the fact that it is the only open-ocean ski race regularly scheduled anywhere in the world! This race has earned its place on the world stage because of its rich history, the quality of competition, and the challenge of the open ocean.

The race will start between Oil Island White and Island Grissom, inside Long Beach Harbor. There will be two different starting categories: boats that are 24 feet long or smaller will start at 8:53 a.m. sharp and boats between 24 and 43 feet will start at 9 a.m. If you want to get a good view of the race, the best spot for the start would be from Bluff Park and at the Queen Mary for the finish.

This year, the Hotel Maya will be the host hotel and headquarters for the race festivities. There will be pre-race events and activities beginning Friday and wrapping up on Sunday, so make sure to visit The Hotel Maya to be a part of the excitement and energy. Everyone is welcome to stay and enjoy the after-party with a band and DJ alternating until 11 p.m.

For more information on the Catalina Ski Race, visit: http://www.catalinaskirace.net/