After three years of enduring evil water on Lake Erie, last year the Erie Poker Run finally got the relatively tame conditions that Elite Poker Runs LLC head Anthony Scioli, the organizer of the Pennsylvania-based event, envisioned when he first pictured the Erie Basin as the perfect venue for a go-fast boating event. But with 20 high-performance boats signed up so far and registration still open, Scioli is looking for 10 more entries to round out the fifth annual Erie happening June 21-23.

“All we need is good weather—so much of this event, and all boating events for that matter, depends on the weather, “ he said. “But we already have some very impressive boats headed to Erie.”

A new sponsor for the event, Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats will be represented during the weekend. In addition to a 52-foot Outerlimits sportboat owned by Dave and Nicole Weschler of locally based title sponsor Empire Landscaping, Snow and Construction Service, Erie Poker Run newcomer Jason Lindemann—the co-host of this weekend’s Four Horsemen Poker Run—is bringing his 50-foot Outerlimits catamaran, which is now named Sweetwater and was the Bristol, R.I., custom boat company’s first foray into the go-fast catamaran market. (Lindeman named his boat for Sweetwater Performance Center, the full-service marina that he owns and serves as part of the host venue for the Four Horsemen event.)

Lindemann won’t be the only notable first-timer to the Erie happening. The owner of new Erie sponsor McLaren of Boston, Danny DeSantis is bringing his Skater Powerboats 388 catamaran—and a few exotic automobiles—to the event. (DeSantis’ 38-footer was featured in the January/February 2018 Speed On The Water digital magazine issue.)

Locally based and owned by David and Nicole Weschler, Empire Landscaping, Snow and Construction Service is returning to the Erie Poker Run as the event’s title sponsor—and the Weschler’s will run their beautiful 52-foot Outerlimits sporboat. 

While Scioli is bringing back veteran high-performance powerboat photographer Jeff Helmkamp, who captured the event last year, to shoot still images from a helicopter during the poker, he is placing more emphasis on video this time around.

“We will produce tons of video this year,” he said. “I have an excellent video guy coming from Miami. It’s going to be great.”

Scioli said he will cap registration at 30 boats. Interested persons can click here to register for the Erie Poker Run.

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