March of 2025 Shootout E-Newsletter: All Recent News in One Fell Swoop!

By Christy Wagner, Editor

The first quarter of 2025 had no shortage of excitement as pertinent information and exciting news rolled in like tidal waves on all fronts. The behind-the-scenes forward momentum for XINSURANCE Offshore (an APBA points-based, sanctioned race which will take place at the Bagnell Dam in June of 2025) and the 37th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Lieutenant Governor's Cup (Wild, Wild West unsanctioned races on the Grand Glaize Arm in August of 2025), have brought with it a windstorm of endless fun(draising) potential. While there are many moving parts to all aspects of planning events of such magnitude, there also comes a palpable need to keep the development streamlined.

Speaking of the Lieutenant (Lt.) Governor’s Cup—this nostalgic move has roots in the mid-to-late nineties where the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout was branded as the ‘Lt. Governor’s Cup’ between 1996-1998. After nearly three decades, the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Lt. Governor’s Cup is alive once again.

“In meeting with the lieutenant governor, it was clear that both the Shootout and Lt. Governor’s Office can further promote tourism within our community and state by coming together to recreate the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Lt. Governor’s Cup in 2025,” explained Shootout Executive Director Leah Martin (2021-present) while announcing the news last month. “The lieutenant governor, who also sits on the Missouri Tourism Commission, is incredibly eager and excited to help promote tourism and growth in our tri-county area and state. There is not a singular event that promotes tourism and represents the Lake of the Ozarks better than the Shootout, so we are thrilled to bring this long-since forgone tradition back to life.”

Big Bank Solutions, Small Town Attention

So many exciting updates and changes can result in confusion, at times; however, the simplicity and beauty of the Shootout’s cause and true reason for existence have remained unchanged. All proceeds raised across all events, including XINSURANCE Offshore, will be distributed across a series of 46 checks at the Shootout’s Presentation of Checks Ceremony in the Fall of 2025. Countless barrages of volunteers will still carry the 37-year-strong Shootout’s events on their backs, no matter where the host locations or races themselves might be. The Shootout will still work alongside state and local safety officials to ensure that immense fun will be had by all, and the Shootout will do its very best to ensure that the Lake of the Ozarks remains proud of its endless stream of continuous good works.

This, ladies and gentlemen of the marine racing world, is the heart of the Shootout.

In January of this year, the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Board of Directors announced that XINSURANCE Offshore was officially scheduled to occur at the 1-mile mark of the Main Channel on Saturday, June 21st, and Sunday, June 22nd, 2025. In doing so, it also named its 2025 title sponsor as XINSURANCE. Separately from the 2nd Annual XINSURANCE Offshore, the 37th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Shootout will still boast the world’s largest unsanctioned boat race during the third week of August (both events raise funds for the same charitable recipients annually, but they are two entirely different races).

Beyond our main events, these additional fundraisers help fuel the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout all season long!

XINSURANCE Offshore = June 21st and 22nd of 2025: World-Class Championship racing across multiple race classes with racers traveling from across the country and world to the shores of Central Missouri.

Here’s what’s happening all week long leading up to the XINSURANCE Offshore Race!

37th Annual Lake of the Ozarks Shootout Lieutenant Governor’s Cup = August 23rd and 24th of 2025: The world’s largest unsanctioned boat race where the fastest boat is named the Shootout’s Top Gun; viewership from six of seven continents and every state in 2024 (who will be traveling to Antarctica to clinch an all-seven-continent-viewership title in 2025?)

Here’s what’s happening all week leading up to the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout!

In March, the Shootout publicly shared the news that it had secured written, preliminary commitment for its regatta permit request for August of 2025 after months of vigilant planning and continuous communication with local and state safety officials—including members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Water Patrol Division, Missouri Parks Association, and local police and fire protection districts.

Regatta permits—especially when they pertain to races—are carefully inspected and controlled by State of Missouri public safety officials, and the Shootout itself does not typically receive its final regatta permit from said governing officials until mid-year (oftentimes, during the summer). It is the direct responsibility of State of Missouri public safety officials to ensure that all permits are issued to the appropriate applicant and without conflicting concerns in regard to public safety.

In line with community support and inclusion, the Shootout also announced last month that it would be collaborating with the ‘Support Our Troops Poker Run Presented by Big Thunder Marine’ in lieu of hosting its own annual fun run on Friday, June 20th, 2025. All proceeds from this event will support H.E.R.O.E.S. Care, a Murphy, Missouri-based not-for-profit organization whose mission is to honor our nation’s host of active-duty service members while providing unwavering support to military members and their families throughout their journey.

While continuous updates are made available to the general public, the Shootout is also actively seeking sponsorships for its many events in 2025. While many elements of the LOTO Race Guide—a compilation of the former Official Shootout Program and Lake Race Guides—are under lock and key, for now, there is great momentum for the Lake of the Ozarks’ hottest guide of the year! For real, the Shootout’s volunteers could not keep its 20+ stands stocked last summer and were reportedly one of the only LOTO-based free magazines to go through its staggering run of 10,000 copies in a three-month period of time.

Just wow.

As the Shootout’s organization evolves over time, it brings with it new opportunities for additional Lake area organizations to volunteer throughout the year. (All volunteer hours are tracked throughout each calendar year, and the proceeds raised from all Shootout events are then allocated across each volunteer organization accordingly.) With this growth in mind, the Shootout is excited to announce that it will be adding the Kiwanis Club of Ozark Coast Foundation, Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Daybreak Rotary Charity Fund of Lake Ozark, Inc., Fellowship of Christian Athletes—Football, and Lake Afterschool Science Engineering and Robotics to its list of charities in 2025.

In addition to these five new organizations, the Shootout is proud to continue to support a combined total of 46 charitable organizations across the Lake of the Ozarks, including:C.E.R.T., Camden County Sheriff’s Employees’ Association, CLYFL—Camdenton Lakers Youth Football League, Citizens Against Domestic Violence, Coffman Bend Fire Association, COMC—Patient Care Fund, Dogwood Animal Shelter, Elks Club #2517, Elks Club #2705, Elks Club #2857, FF 14-17 Fire Association, Forget-Me-Not Horse Rescue, Gravois Mills Fire Protection District, Ivy Bend Food Pantry, L.O.W.A., Lake Area Industries, Lake Ozark Fire Protection District, Lake Ozark Police Department, Lake Regional—Patient Care Fund, Lake West Chamber of Commerce, Laurie/Sunrise Beach Rotary, Livabilities, Macks Creek Booster Club, Magic Dragon Trails, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Mariah Walter Memorial Fund, Marine MESS, Mid-County Fire Protection District, Northwest Fire Protection District, Osage Beach Fire Protection District, Raising Hope, RE/MAX Lake of the Ozarks Charitable Foundation, Rocky Mount Fire Protection District, School of the Osage Upper Elementary PTA, St. Patrick’s Knights of Columbus, Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District, Sunrise Beach Police Department, Stover Project Prom, The Changing Table, Jessica & Malachi Brazil Foundation, Wonderland Camp, and, of course, the newly added Lake Afterschool Science Engineering and Robotics, Kiwanis Club of Ozark Coast Foundation, Daybreak Rotary Charity Fund of Lake Ozark, Inc., and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes—Football.