Catalina Ski Race Saturday in Long Beach will feature 60 teams

Touted as the world’s greatest ski race, the aual trek from Long Beach to Catalina and back — the Catalina Ski Race — is this Saturday.

The now 68-year-old aual tradition features water and jet skiers from around the world racing about a 62-mile stretch of ocean. The ski race begins at 8:53 a.m.

“It’s an ideal location for an event like this,” director John Krieger said. “The services are superior to anywhere else in the area.”

One of those likely less experienced than most and one of the few women competitors is Long Beach native Tatum Molina. (There are about six women in this year’s race.) The 24-year-old said she just started water skiing in February.

“It’s pretty random,” Molina said. “It was taco Tuesday and someone mentioned it.”

She said soon after, she met her team — Angry Bird Racing — with driver Abe Andrus and observer Andy Klee, and immediately went to Marine Stadium. She mentioned a navigator could be added before race day.

“I didn’t really have a choice,” Molina said. “I opened my mouth and said I could do it.”

Molina said she’d never skied before and the wakeboarding she’d done since about age 8 didn’t help. But, she was raised in a sporty family, she said. In no time, Molina said she was classified in the women’s intermediate group for the Catalina race.

“I wasn’t able to get up on two skis at first,” Molina said. “It’s easier to have one board.”

Now, Molina said she trains three or four days per week at the stadium and makes weekly treks to Catalina, and made two trips last weekend. She’s also competed in a few other races at Lake Elsinore, Calif.; and Lake Havasu and Parker Canyon Lake, Ariz.

Molina will compete in the race with about 60 teams Saturday. The groups start between Island White and Island Grissom, small oil islands off Long Beach’s shore, and finish just off the Queen Mary ste. That includes more than 20 classes of races, from novice to expert, and two starting times: one for boats 24 feet long or smaller and one for boats between 24 and 43 feet long. The smaller boats will begin seven minutes before the large boats.

Krieger said racers attend a safety meeting prior to the event.

“There will be no surprises out on the water,” Krieger said.

The best viewing for the start will be at Bluff Park for the start and the Queen Mary for the finish, he said.

A trophy presentation will be at 4 p.m. on the patio at the Hotel Maya, 700 Queensway Drive.

For more information, visit www.catalinaskirace.net.

Emily Thoton is a reporter with Gazette Newspapers. She can be reached at [email protected].

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