Spectacular crash of Kansas City racing boat results in worldwide attention, but no critical injury

A Kansas City crew was lucky to escape with a few broken bones after their Freedom One Racing speedboat flipped and somersaulted in a frightening crash during a race in Nevada over the weekend.

Video of the Skater racing boat’s 200-mph liftoff, cartwheel and plunge in high winds at the Desert Storm Shootout in Lake Havasu City on Saturday went viral, though both crew members somehow avoided serious injury.

The injuries were more than just bumps and bruises, however.

“One of the drivers suffered a broken collarbone and some banged-up ribs, while the other had a ‘semi-fractured’ knee,” a news report said.

Freedom One Racing, based in Kansas City, Missouri, took home the “King of the Desert” title despite the crash, and even donated $20,000 to Havasu-area charitable causes, as is custom for Freedom One, reports say.

“It was a pretty horrific blow over,” another Freedom One crew member told the media.

“The boat went at least 60 to 70 feet in the air, probably one of the craziest blow overs I’ve seen in this sport. This was probably the wildest one I’ve ever seen, the way the boat took off. I mean it flew, it seemed like forever.”

The crew member said the racing boat “has a safety capsule for a reason. We were confident that the capsule was going to do its job, but you never really know. Seeing something that horrific, the possibilities are endless.”

Freedom One may have had heaven looking down on it; the operation is purely for the joy of the sport and the benefit of charity.

“Based in Kansas City, they’re a nonprofit operation,” reports Fox4 Kansas City. “The boat is powered by private donations, the crew is entirely volunteer and every dollar they raise – from race winnings, merchandise sales, and sponsorships – is donated to charity.”

 

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