A successful entrepreneur, Russell “Rusty” Rahm is also a champion powerboat racer who achieved the stunning feat of winning (along with the Wake Effects racing team) powerboat racing’s Triple Crown in his rookie year in 2016. Rusty Rahm’s Wake Effects team is based in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, where the famed Lake of the Ozarks Shootout is held every year.
Now officially known as the Lake Rescue Shootout, the event began in 1988 when many local boaters raced to see who had the fastest boat. Today it is the largest unsanctioned U.S. boat race, with an average of 100,000 spectators watching approximately 100 boats of all shapes and sizes racing in around 60 categories. Some racers even come from outside the United States. The turbine-powered catamaran, Spirit of Qatar, set a speed record of 244 mph in the 2014 race.
At one point, a barge participated in the event, but the category was canceled the following year, as it was deemed too slow. The event is held in the latter part of August, with many fun and charity-related activities occurring before the 2-day race, which takes place on a Saturday and Sunday. To date, the event has raised over $1 million, which has been donated to fire districts and charities in the area.
