APBA Confirms Sanctions For Race World Offshore In Clearwater And Key West

[Speed on the Water]

The plot thickens, https://speedonthewater.com/in-the-news/racing/6349-apba-confirms-sanctions-for-race-world-offshore-in-clearwater-and-key-west.

[Ratickle]

Same plot, misunderstanding of what APBA does.

APBA is the US organization, authorized by the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique) which authorizes all worldwide powerboating organizations, which is authorized by IOC (International Olympic Committee) to do so. APBA is authorized to conduct powerboat events in the US and Canada. It is the sole UIM authorized (therefore IOC authorized) powerboat governing body in the US.

They have always had different organizations authorized. If you remember the heyday of offshore, there were APBA regional orgs in the Great Lakes area, the West Coast area, the Southeast area, etc. Then all of the new orgs, starting with OPT, split off and destroyed those who had tried to work together to build the sport. There are currently 10 regions in other APBA categories like the hydros, etc. where they all run their events, but come together for national events.

Anyway, OPA has the APBA contract to conduct events in the Midwest and Northeast. RWO has a APBA contract to put on events in Florida, but they do not have an exclusive to Florida so OPA and P1 can also put on events in Florida with APBA approval. Nobody has an exclusive to Florida.

If RWO had not withdrawn from the contract they had reached with P1, OPA, and the organizers of Fantasy Fest, we would be having a great event in Key West this year and would be talking about the future of the sport and its growth instead of the conversation we are currently having. And RWO had to try for an APBA authorization, if you recall their organizational hype, they were only going to allow canopied boat classes to participate. They completely failed at that because they had 11 boats in Mentor last season, and 12 boats in Dunkirk last year, (Mentor will not have another race based on what happened last year). They had to restructure their plans.

But, in short, I see no way the event in Clearwater being authorized by APBA makes any difference to the other events in Florida. No one will go to Clearwater if they are in the hunt for an OPA/P1 championship, because the OPA championship is much more important than an APBA championship, (and you get extra points for the number of boats you beat in the actual race). There is no way to be in the hunt for the APBA Hall of Champions unless you are also in the hunt for your OPA/P1 class championship.

We will see what happens in Clearwater, it may really be off. I think they will get mostly Southeast boats that would not want to miss a close event instead of hauling all the way up North.

But I don't believe Key West will be affected too much this year. There were 39 boats that participated last year in Key West, this year will probably be similar. Boats that are in the hunt for an APBA Hall of Champions induction will try to do every race that helps their point total. So they will do Key West, Englewood, and Fort Meyers.

Do I think they will have 67 boats like OPA/P1 had in Sarasota, nope and that's too bad. I doubt they will even have the 60 boats that St Clair had or 59 boats that Cocoa Beach had. It was certainly a possibility to surpass those numbers this year in Key West, if this mess had not been created.

The only thing I see that can completely ruin Key West, the SBI lawsuits. SBI may actually win a suit.

Also, I think that Fort Meyers and Englewood will be fine.

[john acosta]

alls well in offshore carry on great things on the way .

[MOBILEMERCMAN]

It's not new that more then one club operates or represents APBA. Years ago there were numerous clubs under their banner. There also used to be regional and national events.

It used to be that you had to place in a national event to even be eligible to run the worlds. It used to mean more.

[Ratickle]

alls well in offshore carry on great things on the way .

Now that's funny!!! It may win the sarcastic quote of the year award!!!!!:sifone:

[john acosta]

I know I just hate being the one to always say how it is.

Opa racers cant run up and down the coast that many times at the end of a season .

C,mon these are weekend racers ,
Class p-4 thru p-7 are the majority .they have jobs.

The spec guys are going to the big venues.

The apba points thing ? I don't know anymore if they think its worth it .

The apba hall of champions ???? of what ? It meant something once .

I just don't see a full compliment anywhere this year sorry

[Ratickle]

Yep, things were close to a major comeback, but somehow they screwed things up again.

Sure glad I didn't have an investment in Dunkirk!

[phragle]

yawn....

[john acosta]

yawn....

You just came up with the new " OFFSHORE RACING "slogan.


YYAAAWWWWWNNNNNNNN

[Ratickle]

Damn, I sure hope you're wrong.

[john acosta]

me too

[Ratickle]

Looks like Key West will have a good turnout of the SuperCats.

As long as something stupid doesn't happen in Clearwater. We shall see.

[john acosta]

super classes always support kw . they can afford it ,

as a group they have convinced the lesser ,s to stand tall follow their course ,

how many hundreds of dreamers have been left behind lol
.

[Ratickle]

Probably more like thousands?