By GARRETT VALENZUELA
Sparks Tribune
SPARKS — Racers who lined the north shore of the Sparks Marina continually peeked up to spectators wrapped around the railing overlooking the water.
Spectators sprawled on the grass above the beach intently and listened to the announcer explaining the rules and techniques of American Power Boat Association (APBA) racing. Powerboat racing began in the Reno-Sparks area in 1963 when enthusiasts would gather at Paradise Pond, formerly Teglia Pond — near the drive-in movie theater in Sparks — for the Governor’s Cup, which remained there until the 1980s when the pond was restructured. After more than a 20-year absence, boaters launched their watercraft Saturday morning for hydroplane racing, sponsored by the Northern California Outboard Association and the East Bay Boat Club.