Hydroplane Race Boat Catches Fire in Lake Washington

The roar of hydroplane racing returned to Lake Washington for a spring training event Thursday but nearly ended prematurely after a boat caught fire in the water.

Unlimited Light Hydroplanes Racing Association (ULHRA) teams had gathered at Stan Sayres Park boat launch in Seattle for a pre-racing season event before beginning their six-race season May 7 in Eniat. Hydroplane pilot Kayleigh Perkins Mallory, racing a red "Foster Care" team Unlimited Light craft, was returning to the dock after completing several test laps in the water between Mercer Island and Seattle when an explosion and fire occurred. North Bend resident Mallory, 23, was able to jump off the hull and swim back to shore unharmed.

"It was an engine fire, but we're not sure of the cause," said event pit boss Mark Mallory, who is also her father-in-law. "She got out OK."

Mallory is well-known in racing circles for being the first woman to drive a turbine-powered unlimited hydroplane. The fire seriously damaged the hull of her watercraft and may have been caused by a fuel line or fuel system issue.

The "Spring Training" event is meant to give several teams a chance to air-out the engines of their watercraft, left dormant for the most part since their last circuit race last October in Lake Sammamish.

The next hydroplane event on Lake Washington this year is the Albert Lee Cup race at SeaFair, scheduled for August 3-7.