WATCH: $300,000 Hydroplane Flips at Bayfair

The three-day, high-speed boat racing event runs through Sunday on Mission Bay

A hydroplane participating in the annual San Diego Bayfair flipped during a qualifying session Friday on Mission Bay, going from 170 miles per hour to zero in a matter of seconds, event organizers confirmed.

The U-18 Bucket List Racing hydroplane was involved in the accident on the water just before 1 p.m. The driver, 64-year-old Kelly Stocklin, was able to climb out of the overturned boat and was taken to a hospital for evaluation as a precaution, organizers said.

Bayfair organizers said the wind on the racecourse had picked up slightly at the time of the crash, but no other accidents were reported on the water.

John O'Brien, who does radio communications for the U-18 team, said they were doing a timing run and had just made some adjustments to the vessel.

In fact, the boat was going the fastest it had gone in three years, he said.

"Perfect storm. He hit a roller from one side. Boat lifted up on the left side and blew over about one and a half times and did a pirouette," said O'Brien.

He said every portion of the boat has damage to it, and there is no insurance in this sport. If it's a total loss, the team is out $300,000, according to O'Brien. The boat has been pulled from the competition.

Stocklin, the driver from Washington, will be held overnight at the hospital as he is evaluated. "Our concern right now is with Kelly Stocklin and his wife," said O'Brien.

He explained that despite the high-intesity of the races, no one has died in at least 12 years. The last death, O'Brien said, was in San Diego.

"There's been a lot of safety precautions done with these boats," he said, "with the cockpits being made out of Kevlar and carbon graphite like a bulletproof vest. It's an F-16 fighter pilot canopy that is part of the boat."

The U-18 is one of 11 H1 Unlimited hydroplanes racing at the 51st annual high-octane event, which continues through Sunday on East Vacation Island, Crown Point and Fiesta Island.

More than 80 teams are from around the world will race on the bay in front of more than 85,000 spectators throughout the weekend. This includes 10 Grand Prix West hydroplanes as well as dozens of boats in smaller classes.
 

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