Kenny Mungle and Lee Lockwood in the 388 Skater Gone Again while photographers in a Sikorsky S76 helicopter give chase.
The Texas Outlaw Challenge moves its shootout to the lake, making for a safer— and better—event.
T
he 2017 edition of the Texas Outlaw Challenge was an unqualified success, bolstered by the relocation
of the event’s Shootout from the open waters of Galveston Bay to the more protected waters of Clear Lake. The move came after years of campaigning by event organizer Paul Robinson, who needed seven separate cities to approve the change. “This relocation will build our next ten years,” Robinson told Speedboat. “It took nine years of trust and safety for the seven mayors and seven city councils to agree. They said, ‘We now understand, and any support we can give you to build the event, you have it.’ ” Participants of this year’s Shootout responded with an enthusiastic “thumbs up,” Robinson said. However, this year’s Challenge endured a genuine scare when Tropical Storm Cindy approached the Gulf states and actually made landfall in Louisiana, raising the concerns of some participants. Fortunately, “it didn’t stop anyone,” Robinson said. “We were able to maneuver around the weather. It turned out perfect. A few people caught five minutes of sprinkle; that’s about all.” For next year, Robinson said that complimentary Entry Gold Tickets will be mailed out to “Original Outlaws”—previously registered participants—who can redeem their complimentary registration simply by arranging for two additional boats that have never been to the event to pre-register, in addition to their own. “It’s Texas Outlaw Challenge’s way of super-sizing its next decade,” Robinson said. “We plan to triple our attendance!” Robinson gives thanks to the cities of Seabrook and Kemah, his sponsors, and neighbor Kenny Armstrong, who throws a massive party for the Outlaws. speedboat.com
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