Bathtub races held to support Boivin

With one of their own being unable to participate this year, those involved in the annual bathtub races on Sand Bay made sure that the event would go on in his honour.
This year’s 41st running of the Canada Day event was put on by drivers Len Bedard and Ken Rousseau, with all of the proceeds raised during the course of the event going to Curtis Boivin and his family.

Boivin, who has won the bathtub races on numerous occasions, remains in a Thunder Bay hospital as he recovers from head injuries suffered in a snowmachine racing accident in December, and will be moving to Hamilton soon for further treatment.
“I have been racing in this event for six or seven years now, and I’m good friends with Curtis’ dad Al, so we just wanted to try and put the event together in honour of Curtis,” Rousseau explained.
“We decided that any of the money that would go to the racers would instead go to the Boivin family along with money that was raised at the races today,” he added.
Rousseau was the driver to beat during the course of three heat races and the 15-lap main event, as he pulled away from the rest of the four-boat field, with Bedard proving to be his closest rival.
“Everyhing went pretty good out there today,” Rousseau smiled.
“The motor was working pretty good, and the boat itself was going pretty fast.
“And the handling was excellent, which is always a key,” he added.
Rousseau is looking at taking charge of the event again next Canada Day, but he would also like to see the bathtub races grow in size in the future.
“What I would actually like to do is to start a club here,” Rousseau said.
“I would love to get some more younger people wanting to take part in this, as they can race a boat like this with the motor being under ten horsepower, plus it’s a lot of fun,” he added.