Numerous marine gatherings and races that had been scheduled for spring and summer 2020 have been canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, one that is still on the books is the Lake of the Ozarks Poker Run & Shootout, Aug. 29-30.

The 32nd annual event, which comprises the largest unsanctioned boat race in the USA, will take place for the ninth year at Captain Ron’s Bar & Grill in Sunrise Beach, MO.

Venue owner Captain Ron Duggan told Speedboat that he’s received several calls from people who are curious to know if the event has been canceled, particularly in light of the fact that the OPA Lake Race originally scheduled for May 28-30 had been removed from the schedule. But for now, LOTO is a go.

“A lot of people are really wondering whether we’re going to have our event,” Duggan said. “Of course, our event isn’t until the end of August. We also have a golf tournament coming up on May 31, which we are going to go ahead and have. We’ll obviously be practicing some social distancing, but we’ve cleared it all with the golf course, and we’re going ahead with it. And we’re good to go with all the rest of the activities for the Shootout. I’m excited to try to get some normalcy back to the lake.”

Duggan said that the message he wants to get out to the marine industry is that the Shootout is going to happen, “barring something unforeseen,” he said. “But I really don’t anticipate that happening. We have a very conservative governor and he’s very understanding of what it’s like being business.”

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