Clock vs LaMans start

[racingfan1]

When did the UIM go to the Le Mans style start , this video is 1982 and it was a clock start ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tqwhLyfjmo

[Master Oil Racing Team]

All my European UIM races were clock start. The last race of my career was in Berlin in 1981, and it was a clock start. I didn't attend another UIM race until Florida in 1993, and I am trying to think back. Seems like the World Champioship classes were Le Mans and the APBA races were clock start. I remember the clock start because Steve Litzell got his hind end chewed up by a propeller at the start when a boat launched over him. And I seem to remember Kay Harrison coming off a Le Mans start in a capsule hydro, then getting close to the first turn, blowing over. Also Jerry Drake made a great Le Mans start and won one heat. So sometime in between 1982 and 1993.

[Steve Litzell]

Back in the eighties they did both. The Oc race in Austria it was a clock start, but the next week in Berlin it was Lemans start. At theOc in 93 when I got cut, it was a Lamans start but I got run over several laps in the race as I guy Ihad just passed, came off the water and caught up to me. Weird accident for sure and my butt scares show it. I think by that time most UIM championships were Lamans start. So yea I agree by 93 and up. In the mid eighties the Ob race in Milano was Lamans and also a couple years later in England for the OD and OB race where Ralph got injured.

[Donald]

I was hoping Steve would comment on this, I could not remember the dates. My first race in Europe was at Oberhavel in 1980, it was a clock start and we started 30 C hydros at one time.
Dieter was my pit crew and he told me he would crank the engine and put me in the water with ten seconds on the clock and I should head for the first turn with full throttle. I was not first to the turn, but I was ahead of most. We did this for three heats and I finished seventh overall. I was really amazed how this Dannish hydro flew over the rough water. The next week I went to Linz, Austria with Hans Krage which was also a clock start.
My next race in Europe was in 1984 in Nottingham, UK for the 350 which was a jetty start, the next year 1985 was in Grein, Austria with Steve on the Danube river was a clock start. But the next weekend back at Oberhavel was a jetty start. My next race was in Ternopil, USSR in 1987 with a clock start, so I guess you can conclude that they were using both starts until then. After that time I believe they were all jetty starts. I must tell sometime about going to Grein and Berlin with Steve and Douglas Willey, it was a comical.

[Steve Litzell]

Careful Ralph, the Statute of limitations may not be lapsed on that one

[jrome]

Ralph if you one of those three you are going to have a good time