story by
Brett Bayne •
photography by
Todd Taylor and Ray Lee
The celebrated Texas blowout returns with both barrels blazing.
TEXAS OUTLAW CHALLENGE I
t was a great Covid comeback,” says organizer Paul Robinson of the 2021 edition of the Texas Outlaw Challenge, which unfortunately took last year off because
of the pandemic. But with the landscape gradually changing, it was time for the gunslingers to return to the proverbial saddle, and that’s just what they did. “People were ready,” Robinson says, adding that “we had 150 boats, which was a good comeback jumper.” But as he points out, the event didn’t merely attract a lot of boats—there was also a lot of actual boating going on. “The community and the industry supported the event more than ever this year, which was a real positive. We had a great helicopter coverage and got some awesome aerial shots of most of the boats.” Early arrivals began trickling in to the area on Wednesday, June 28, for a Shooter Pre-Party, but the main event officially kicked off on Thursday with the Stampede Street Party in the Kemah Downtown area. Bars, bands, boat displays and miscellaneous craziness permeated the streets as a lot of awesome creations whet attendees’ appetites
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S P E E D B O A T | September/October 2021
for the on-water fun (see Page 24 for Street Party coverage). A mandatory driver’s meeting at 9 a.m. set the stage for a 10:30 a.m. Return of the Champions Shootout Competition, followed by Day #1 of the Gunslinger Poker Run from noon to 5 p.m. Friday night brought the tradition Outlaw Pirate Party and Miss Outlaw Bikini Contest at Barge 295, one of the real highlights of the event. Saturday brought Day #2 of the Gunslinger Poker Run, followed by the Outlaws to the Max / Casino Night grande finale and awards presentation, at which a record number of awards were given away. “We did a lot more boating this year, due to social distancing,” Robinson says. “It was just the right thing to do. And people enjoyed the additional boating, and our new stops.” This year, the poker run added two new poker-hand stops—Marina Bay Harbor Marina and Pier 6—for a total of nine stops. (Pier 6 is a new waterfront marina and oyster restaurant in the coastal town of San Leon, where participants enjoyed good food and drinks.) Robinson gives a huge shout-out sponsor Marine Max, as well as to the City of Seabrook. “Their support has been indispensible.” speedboat.com
