So Rat, now that RWO has parted ways with the APBA, what does that mean to us fans other than more of the same when it pertains to offshore boats racing? Seems like this segregation of sanctioning bodies has been going on for decades.
It is currently very complicated. I'm not sure what the final outcome will be.
Here is the short story of the season. RWO had 5 races plus the Worlds, none with purses, two were cancelled.
PRO had 2 races, none with purses, one was cancelled
P1 had 5 races, 3 with purses, one was cancelled, but it wasn't a purse race.
RWO and PRO have joined together to make the new group. I may fill you in with the entire story in a couple days, but we have to figure out where the World Championships will be now so I'm on the phone non-stop. Three different locations want it.
It does seem like every 4 to 7 years something like this happens in only offshore. Just when things start moving forward, get the new TV deal, 4 races with prize purses of $40,000 each, prizes for National Champions in one class of over $100,000, class 1 guys like Myric and Tyler going to Monte Carlo to get their World Championship awards, etc. Then some rich guy comes along and sees a way to be a king making promises, and the lemmings follow, so the momentum goes down the tubes....
That these guys are willing to do that makes me disgusted. That the racers seem to fall for it again and again surprises me. We will see how it shakes out.