Bigger and Boater: Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix 2015

[Serious News]

- It's now called the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix, but longtime fans of the 31-year-old race may notice a few more changes this year.

The biggest? Racing will be held over two days, Saturday and Sunday, as opposed to one in past years.

"The old format, there would be a race at 10 a.m., and another at 1 p.m., Lucy Nicandri, executive director of Suncoast Charities for Children, said. "You pretty much have races going off every hour."

Indeed, for the 30 boats entered in the field, qualifying racing begins Saturday at 10 a.m., and runs through 3:30 p.m. These same boats will compete in Sunday's finals, with the awards ceremony to follow at 5 p.m., in front of the Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach.

Other changes include the participation of 60 jet-ski racers and open-canopy boats, the latter competing under the Powerboat P1 USA banner. A $70,000 prize purse is at stake, and the CBS Sports Network, Fox Sun Sports and MAV TV will televise the boating and jet skiing on a delay basis. Nicandri said CBS will broadcast its package, highlighting the race, downtown boat parade, block party and various Sarasota landmarks, on July 15 starting at 7 p.m.

"They're going to showcase Sarasota," she said. "It's huge exposure for Sarasota."

The extra day of racing, Virginia Haley, president of the Sarasota Convention and Visitors Bureau, said, should mean a greater economic impact to the area.

"The difference to me in the two days, especially with the Fourth being on a Saturday this year, is it's about people deciding to spend that Sunday night and not leave," she said. Haley said studies show the number of people who visit the area specifically for the race to be "very high."

This year's race will be sanctioned by Offshore Powerboat Grand Prix and not Super Boat International. Nicandri said SBI wanted a three-year commitment, and without the national or regional TV coverage being provided by CBS, Fox and MAV TV. Because Suncoast Charities only can commit year to year, Nicandri contracted with OPGP, in existence for about a year.

"All that was to bring this new group in that (Nicandri) thought was going to be bigger and better," Dena Carbonell, whose husband, John, is the president of SBI, said. "In a way, SBI is glad not to be a part of it."

But with SBI no longer sanctioning the race, boats in the Superboat Unlimited and Extreme classes, those craft approaching 50 feet and capable of running in excess of 200 mph, won't be competing in Sarasota. Instead, boats such as the 50-foot Miss GEICO will be one of about 23 racing this weekend in Marathon.

"I think there's every opportunity for (the race) to be just as good as a lot of the races in the past," Bill Glueck, a racer from Sarasota, said. The 42-year-old will have two boats in the race, a 42-foot Fountain named Twisted Metal, and a 38-foot Fountain named Black Pearl. "Obviously we're not going to be back in the glory days of almost 10-15 years ago with 80-90 boats showing up."

In addition, Nicandri said, free trolley service will bring race fans from the downtown area to Lido Beach. "Never had that," she said. "Some people may want to get out there later."

All with the hope of making the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix a success.

Off to the races
• Saturday qualifying rounds: 10 a.m. to 3:35 p.m. directly off Lido Beach, between New Pass and Big Pass.
• Sunday final round: 10 a.m. to approximately 5 p.m., directly off Lido Beach, between New Pass and Big Pass.

Entire article and Photos: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20150629/ARTICLE/150629648/2416/NEWS?p=2&tc=pg

 

[Ratickle]

"All that was to bring this new group in that (Nicandri) thought was going to be bigger and better," Dena Carbonell, whose husband, John, is the president of SBI, said. "In a way, SBI is glad not to be a part of it."

After all of the years SBI put on the Sarasota show, I'm a bit surprised she said that.

 

[Serious News]

9 ways to watch the races like a pro

Last year, Tom Becnel wrote a story with tips on how to watch the Grand Prix races in style. This year, you'll have an even better opportunity to see the action, thanks to two days of racing instead of one. The change comes with the Grand Prix's move to a different sanctioning body - Offshore Powerboat Grand Prix and Powerboat P1 USA - resulting in the inclusion of jet-skiers and open-canopy racing boats.

More events over two days means more time to join the almost 40,000-person party that hits Lido Beach every year. It also means that you'll have to plan a little better than you might have in the past. Here are our tips for watching the 2015 Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix races in style:

1. GO EARLY: Racing starts at 10 a.m. on both days, but crowds pack Lido Beach and parking becomes impossible. Some fans head out at 8 a.m., while others say 7 is a safer bet. Not only do you need to find a place to park the car, you'll need to stake claim to some sandy square-footage. Lucy Nicandri, director of the Grand Prix Festival, takes this thinking to its logical conclusion. “The beach opens at 5 a.m.,” she says, joking, but not really joking. “I would go at 5 a.m.”

2. SHARE THE BEACH: Even if you can claim a big stretch of land because you arrived early and brought plenty of gear, be reasonable and take just enough to give your party some elbow room. You don't want to be the folks who build a mcmansion surrounded cozy cottages.

3. AVOID THE BIRDS: Right now there are a number of nesting black skimmer birds massed in some parts of Lido Beach. No matter how crowded it gets, stay away from those little guys and try to avoid disturbing them with fireworks, loud music, or raucous partying. Seriously.

4. STAY HYDRATED: The classic rookie mistake is getting exhausted or dehydrated in the daytime heat. You should pack at least as much water as other drinks and alternate.

5. PACK THE RIGHT STUFF: Sunscreen, drinks and food are a given, but you'll probably also want a pavilion or umbrella for shade, towels or blankets to cover the sand, some sort of flotation device for relaxing in the Gulf as the boats go by, and probably one of those hats that hold cans of beverage dispensed via tube directly in your mouth -- just in case your raft doesn't have a cupholder.

6. NO GLASS BOTTLES: If you drink beer, buy cans - we suggest one of the many options available from our area's fine craft breweries. If you drink wine, buy it in a box, or transfer your 1989 Petrus to a plastic squeeze bottle before you leave the house. Same with cocktails.

7. MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS: You probably won't have much choice - 40,000 is a whole lot of people - so why not get chummy with the people sharing your patch of sand. Offer them a drink and they might give you a chance to show them with your epic cornhole skills.

8. LEARN THE PLAYERS: You can check out the registered race teams at sarasotapowerboatgrandprix.com, but there are better ways to brush up on the competitors. Many of the teams will be on hand for the free Fleming's Fan Fest (5-8 p.m. Thursday, July 2) - essentially a happy hour with the racers - or you can bring the kids to Meet & Greet Who's In The Driver's Seat (10-11:30 a.m. Friday, July 3).

9. DESIGNATE A DRIVER: Traditionally, the police aren't strict with ticketing illegally parked cars during race day on Lido (although that's not a guarantee), but they will keep a sharp eye out for folks who might be leaving the festivities in an impaired state. Do yourself -- and everyone else on the roads -- a favor and pick a designated driver who's willing to stay away from the adult beverages. If you're in a bind, you can take advantage of "Tow To Go." The service is designed to be used as a last resort and is offered based on availability of AAA service technicians and tow trucks during times of high call volume. Service includes confidential local ride within a 10-mile radius to a safe location. It’s free and available to both AAA members and non-members. The AAA tow truck takes the vehicle and the driver home. If you would like to use the Tow to Go program this Fourth of July weekend, the number to call is (855) 286-9246. The program is valid July 3 through 6 a.m. July 6.

http://www.ticketsarasota.com/2015/07/02/9-ways-to-watch-the-races-like-a-pro/

 

[Serious News]

Grand Prix boats: An issue of size


This year's Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix will have an extra day of racing to go along with a new television contract and a fresh race schedule.

Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix racing will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Many fans leave early in the morning for the best spots on Lido Beach. VIP viewing tickets are $106 per day. For more information, call 941-487-7904 or visit sarasotapowerboatgrandprix.org.

An hour-long TV program on the Grand Prix will air at 7 p.m. July 15 on the CBS Sports Network.

What it won't have is the very biggest class of 50-foot-long racing boats.

Thousands of casual fans might not care, but this is a big deal for some Grand Prix enthusiasts. For them, size matters. Racing is all about the biggest, loudest and fastest boats.

“If you had asked if we were going, the answer would have been yeah, yeah, yeah — we go every year,” says Jim Ziober of Venice. “But if there's no super boats, we ain't going.”

For others on the Gulf Coast, there's little difference between 40- and 50-foot racing boats, especially if they're both going more than 100 miles per hour.

“A lot of the smaller boats have the most action,” says Tara Williams of Sarasota. “They're the ones that flip. I think it's a little like NASCAR — people want to go out and see what happens.”

On Saturday and Sunday, there will be lots of boats in lots of categories. A race should start every hour. There also will be a new Aqua X class of water scooters zipping along at 70 mph.

For many of the fans who crowd Lido Beach, the Grand Prix is more of a scene than a competition. People enjoy the sun and surf, along with the sights and sounds of the races.

“It's a party that people look forward to every year,” says Sarasota's Jason Mashke. “Honestly, most of my friends don't even know who wins the races. It's more about going out and having fun.”

Perfect timing

Lucy Nicandri, festival director for the 31-year-old Grand Prix, is happy to talk about racing categories. She laughs at the idea of whether size matters.

“I guess it depends on what you mean by big boats,” she says. “We've got some 42-foot boats coming. I think a 42-foot V-hull is a big boat. And don't shortchange the little guys on Jet Skis.”

“Wait,” Nicandri says, laughing again, “I shouldn't call them little guys.”

The Sarasota Grand Prix, which is a fundraiser for Suncoast Charities for Children, used to work with Super Boat International. When that organization wanted a five-year contract, the Grand Prix moved to sanctioning bodies called Offshore Powerboat Grand Prix and Powerboat P1 USA.

This meant losing the Unlimited Powerboat class, where the fluorescent green Miss GEICO team has been a popular champion. Many of those boats will be racing at an event this weekend in Marathon.

Nicandri shrugs. The Grand Prix decided to make a change. She's hoping for record crowds with an extra day of racing this weekend.

That's why hard-core fans leave for Lido Beach at dawn, if not earlier.

“That's what I tell visitors,” Nicandri says. “Don't think you can toodle down to the beach at 9 a.m. and find a spot.”

The calendar helps this year with the Fourth of July falling on a Saturday.

“It's a perfect storm — perfect timing,” Nicandri says. “The way the 3rd, 4th and 5th line up is perfect for us. People will be off work on Friday, so the Downtown Block Party will be bigger.”

Friday Grand Prix festivities include the 6 p.m. Parade of Boats on Main Street at 6 p.m. There's also the annual swimsuit competition, a risqué crowd favorite at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. The pageant will be run by Hooters restaurants this year.

“I'm going to say it'll be very classy and organized,” Nicandri says. “Can I say that?”

Missing Geico

At the Grand Prix Fun Run last weekend, power boaters met at Marina Jack for a sunny cruise to Bradenton and back. That's when some of them learned that there will be no Unlimited Powerboat racing this weekend.

Jason Futch of Boca Grande was not pleased.

“To me, it matters,” he said. “That's what I grew up watching. The Miss Budweiser boat, Popeye's and Jesse James. You can see the difference and hear the difference with these boats. They're bigger and faster.”

There's also a sense of drama associated with the big boats. Many Sarasota fans remember when the Miss GEICO boat caught fire off Lido Key during a practice run in 2012.

Deidre Callan, a race fan from Venice, says she won't be going to this year's Grand Prix races. Why? No super boats. Of course, size matters.

“It does,” she said. “Especially with boats.”

Troy Curry of Key West went to the Fun Run last weekend and will go to the Grand Prix this weekend. One racing class will not change his plans. He's looking forward to the Fourth of July off Lido Beach.

“It's nice to see the big boats, but I'm going to be here,” Curry said. “Marathon's a lot closer to Key West, but I'm going to be here.”

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20150702/ARTICLE/150709936/2416/NEWS?p=1&tc=pg

 

[Serious News]

Paralyzed rider finds equal standing on the water

SARASOTA - On the water, the rookie is like everyone else.

The Jet Ski qualifying round is 11 a.m. to noon Saturday on Lido Beach. The next round goes from 10-11 a.m. on Sunday and the final round takes place from 3:45-4:45 p.m that day.

Of course, Anthony Radetic finds ways to compensate for his legs when he races personal watercraft in competition. Other riders hover over their seats, standing as they race, absorbing waves and water with their legs as much as their hands. Radetic's strategy relies solely on upper body strength and an iron-tight grip that withstands impact. But aside from the Velcro that gently fastens his legs and feet to his craft, Radetic is like any other competitor. There is a sweet freedom in that.

So far, nothing he has tried since the 2004 motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed tops riding water scooters, or the feeling of racing alongside a pack of competitors with his Sea-Doo RXT-X AS 260 underneath him. It took Radetic three years to accept that he would not walk again. And when he emerged from a period of depression, Radetic says he threw himself into activity. Surfing, the sport he had cherished as a kid growing up in Melbourne, lost its appeal. He returned to skydiving — but suddenly he needed a tandem partner, instead of the solo style he was accustomed to. He learned to ski and cycle, found an appreciation for two sports he had never tried and competed in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games.

None of it is quite the same as being out on the water, he says. Maybe, it's because the experience reminds him the most of the motorcycles he used to love to ride. Mostly, Radetic thinks, it's because he doesn't need a special class or a laundry list of accommodations to race water scooters.

"As a kid I always liked playing in the water. I surfed. I wind-surfed. I water-skied," Radetic, 36, said. "Water is the great equalizer out there. (After the accident) I had to get on a Jet Ski and try it out to see if I could do that. (Now) I feel equal with everyone else on the water ... except for not being able to stand up."

New breed of fans

For the first time this year, the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix Festival will feature water scooter racing. Festival organizers said they hoped the addition would be a "fresh" twist to the event and attract a new demographic of fans and racers. Professional and amateur racers, divided into classes based on the horsepower of their watercrafts, will race Saturday and Sunday in the AquaX series. Riders will take trips around a 2.4-mile course in three separate 30-minute rounds and earn points based on their finish. The driver with the most points at the end of the three races is the champion for the weekend.

“We have 60 upper-class racers racing,” said Michelle Petro, the Grand Prix race series director. “There's going to be a lot more action with that number of racers on the course.”


Entire Article and Photos: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20150701/ARTICLE/150709976/2416/misc

 

[Serious News]

Smaller event equals slower action

SARASOTA - For those without connections to a boat, or the desire to fight the crowds on Lido Beach, Sarasota's Centennial Park was the unofficial ground zero for fans of the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix.

On one side, the wet pits, where the boats headed post-race for removal from the water. And on the other, the dry pits, where they were hauled, via truck and trailer, and parked.

Wet pits, dry pits, olive pits or Brad Pitt. It was hot enough atop the Centennial Park's unforgiving concrete, and beneath Sunday's scorching sun, that everyone's pits were a little moist.

This year's Grand Prix had a new sanctioning body, two days of racing, including jet-skis, TV coverage and a $70,000 prize purse, but some of the sights remained the same. The folks working the lemonade, prime rib and funnel cakes concession stands waited for business. At one table, a pair of sunglasses went for $8, two for $15. Beneath a red inflatable Budweiser arch, a 16-ounce beer cost $4, a Gatorade $3.

Just too few people reached for their wallets, the most noticeable difference from past years. About 20 people occupied white seats under a tent. A handful more took refuge under a tree. There was no VIP tent or live music. Meanwhile, the people manning the bar infrequently emptied their tip jar.

"It's the slowest we've ever seen it," John Hernandez, a worker in the catering division for local chef Paul Mattison, said. "We were stocking up for a larger crowd." Mattison, Hernandez said, donated the liquor, and Gold Coast Eagle Distributing the beer, the proceeds from the sales of both going to Suncoast Charities for Children. Even the tips earned by bartender Angela Massey were earmarked for the charity.

So it's too bad business wasn't more brisk. An ATM was available, but according to one concessionaire, the worker who supplied it early Sunday with $20,000, checked it Sunday afternoon to find only $2,000 had been removed. Last year, the ATM had to be refilled.

"It should be a big event and should be treated as one," Steve Curtis said. He's the general manager of Offshore Powerboat Grand Prix, which sanctioned Sunday's race for the first time. Curtis also served as throttleman for driver Joe Sgro in the Outer Limits boat. "(We want) slowly to build the event up from what it used to be."

Sunday's race attracted fewer than 40 boats, but also on Sunday, Super Boat International, which formerly sanctioned the Sarasota race, held one in Marathon. The Miss GEICO boat didn't run, and only 16 boats ended up participating. Having those craft run in Sarasota would seem to benefit both SBI and OPGP.

"Overlapping never works," Curtis said. "I think it was spiteful (for SBI to stage a race).''

"It's bad that there's all this in-house fighting," Sgro said, "because we're such a limited group that we should all be together under one head." The Long Island-born Sgro had a race upcoming in the Super Vee class, and his focus was on his main competitor, Sarasota's Bill Glueck, driving Twisted Metal.

"If you race him, and if you do happen to beat him, you've done something," Sgro said. "Billy Glueck is who I have my sights on."

By then, Glueck had raced his 38-foot Fountain, named Black Pearl, and suffered mechanical disaster. On the first lap, the boat's right drive fell off, a $15,000 repair.

"When it happens, you're very disappointed," Glueck said. "But we're not upside down. We're still breathing."

Eventually, some of the smaller boats made their way to the dry pits. The Sarasota Ford boat, sponsored by Matt Buchanan, finished third. A boat from Maryland, the LSB, finished second. Yeah, the superboats didn't show this year, and Centennial Park could have been busier. But ponder the alternative.

"What are you going to do, not let Sarasota happen?" Curtis said. "Because that was the option. It's nice to partner with such a great place."

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20150705/COLUMNIST/150709833/-1/NEWS04?p=1&tc=pg

 

[Serious News]

Addition of Aqua X brings new excitement to 31st Sarasota Grand Prix

SARASOTA -- At roughly 4:45 p.m., after the sun had beaten down on Lido Key beachgoers for more than six hours on a scorching 94-degree day, more than 50 Jet Skis and WaveRunners and other personal watercrafts lined up near the southern tip of the key for the final race of the day.

It was the newest race and the main event for the final day of the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix on Sunday, so the beaches were still swarmed by an Independence Day weekend crowd.

There was a bit of complacency from the crowds about the previous few races after a day of boats shooting across the water. The P1 Aqua X final finally drew them out to the shoreline and out of their chairs. Dozens of the watercrafts fired off from the starting spot and up the coast like a stampede, disappearing into the clouds of wake.

"They put on a show," said

Marin Sanborn, the director of North American operations for Powerboat.

Nearly an hour after Aqua X began its display, Sanborn welcomed nine racers to the podium -- three for the 200, 250 and 300 brake horsepower classes -- as the first Aqua X medalists in the history of the Sarasota Grand Prix and he chose to honor them first for the historic nature of their accomplishments.

Travis Zielasko in the 200, a three-time champion already this year, Brian Baldwin in the 250 and 17-year-old Aqsa Aswar in the 300 were able to make history as the Sunday champions.

"It's pretty cool," said Aswar, whose brother, Aero, finished third in 300. "It feels like I'm special."

For 30 years, the Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix made due without Aqua X and this year the addition only provided an extra boost of enthusiasm. Jason Russo, a Bradenton resident and owner of Russo Marine Service, had a chance to show off his part of the country to a new class of competitors, which includes dozens of racers from Great Britain.

"It was really good. A lot of people watching," Aswar said. "The waves are big, rough. It's a little tough out there."

Shaun Torrente, a Miami native and Cape Coral resident, was the throttleman for the cat lite champion Smart Marine on Sunday. Usually an F1 Powerboat World Championship racer, Torrente had never competed in the offshore powerboat racing Sarasota Grand Prix but had attended the races a few times as a spectator.

On Friday night, he was in the throes of a block party he estimates had more than 50,000 guests.

Two days later he was a champion only a few hours from his home instead of across an ocean and time zones away.

"My closest race had been Portugal," Torrente said.

The Sarasota Powerboat Grand Prix for him provided familiarity like it does for so many others who spend the weekend partying with friends on the beach. He was inundated with messages from friends excited to watch him race during their usual Grand Prix weekend.

One other boat with Sarasota and Bradenton ties netted a first place finish with Watt-Ahh winning the pro-am 1. Knot Crazy claimed gold in pro-am 2. Phantom, Sailor Jerry and Outerlimits were the weekend's other winners in the cat lite, super cat and super vee races, respectively.

And for two days, thousands spent their holiday weekend watching them.

"The people just really love it," Torrente said, "and that's great."

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2015/07/06/5883210_addition-of-aqua-x-brings-new.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

 

[Serious News]

Happy return for Torrente
By JOHN LEMBO

SARASOTA - It would be stretching it to call Cape Coral and Sarasota neighboring cities.

Seen through the eyes of Shaun Torrente, however, the space between the two is about as wide as a jump-rope.

Torrente manned the throttle Sunday for Smart Marine, which won the Cat Lite division of the Sarasota Power Boat Grand Prix after taking an 11-second, first-lap lead over runner-up The Hulk.

For Torrente, this was as about as close to it gets to a homecoming. The Miami native who is now a Cape Coral resident, Torrente races all over the world with Team Qatar F1. Sunday's race was his fourth in five weeks, a journey that took him to Portugal and France. Sunday's event brought him to The Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach, where he and his teammates sprayed each other with champagne after receiving the Grand Prix's first-place trophy.

"Local racing is cool, and we love Sarasota," Torrente said. "We know a bunch of people here, and a bunch of people here from racing for years and years and years ago. It's just great. The closest race I had this year was Portugal."

Prior to his trips around the globe, Torrente was a an up-and-coming racer who cut his teeth on the Florida waters, estimating he competed about 12 times a year in the state when he was a teenager. So when he took to Facebook and announced he was participating in the Sarasota Power Boat Grand Prix for the first time in its 31-year history, the response was swift and positive.

"'You're racing in Sarasota? I'll be there,'" Torrente recalled. "It's great."

Torrente considers himself a Formula 1 guy more than an offshore guy. But he considers this past weekend's local grand prix as one of the best. He also enjoyed Sunday's choppy water.

"We got a little bit of bump finally, and it was a little rough. I like that they can't control the outside," Torrente said. "There's 60- and 70-footers out there, just plowing along, and it made it fun. And that's what offshore racing's about."

This year marked the first time jet skis were included. Travis Zielasko took first in the 200 class, Brian Baldwin won the 250 and Aqsa Aswar won the 300.

"You guys put on a show they haven't see here in 31 years," Martin Sanborn, an offshore racing announcer, said prior to announcing the winners during Sunday's award ceremony. "They'd seen the boats, but the jet skis were a different animal."

"It's pretty cool," Aswar said of taking part in the local's first-ever grand prix jet-ski races.

"I guess we're special or something," he added with a smile.

Phantom won the Vee Lite division, finishing ahead of runner-up LSB and third-place Sarasota Ford, while a pair of local teams, Watt-Ahh and Professional Plumbing, took first and second in the Pro-Am Race 1.

Another local, Knot Krazy out of North Port, won the second Pro-Am Race.

Sailor Jerry won the Super Cat and Outer Limits claimed the checkered flag in the Super Vee.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20150705/ARTICLE/150709831/-1/opinion090108

 

[Serious News]

Photos from Herald-Tribune Staff

http://galleries.heraldtribune.com/default.aspx?id=369942#/0

 

[harleyeater]

SBI has seen its better days ! The statement is sour grapes and no class. ��

 

[Ratickle]

SBI just cancelled their upcoming Pensacola race.

 

[Serious News]

Tens of thousands enjoy racing boat parade through downtown Sarasota
by Ray Collins

DOWNTOWN SARASOTA, FLA Mother Nature must be a fan of boat parades, because an ominous-looking dark sky never caused a drop of rain in downtown Sarasota. But nothing could have dampened the spirits of the estimated 35,000 people who lined the parade route--including the Halashes of Sarasota who love this annual event.

"It brings everyone together, Sarasota is a community of people from all over but we all get together for the different parades and the boat parade is really good," said John Halash.

John had a chance to see all 30 boats stream down the street...boats of all sizes..and colors. Among the racers on board was Tom Maddalena and Mark Niemann of the boat "Phantom 9.' This is Tom's first time here. His reaction?

"Very impressed, I thought Key West was the biggest parade, but this blows it away," Maddalena said.

Several state and local politicians were also present. Sarasota Mayor Willie Shaw and and members of the Sarasota City Commission rode in the parade. Several county commissioners as well--including Carolyn Mason, Charles Hines and Alan Maio. Sheriff Tom Knight and Police Chief Bernadette Dipino walked the route, waving to those lined up along the curb.

"This is wonderful to see our community come together to celebrate the 4th and the boat races this weekend," Chief Dipino said.

http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/loca...cle_e1ba5922-21f3-11e5-9624-2b1fa46672b8.html

 

[Ratickle]

I think the final count was 27 boats in Sarasota and 15 in Marathon. Plus 60 ski's in Sarasota.

Anybody know anything different?

 

[Ryan Beckley]

I think the final count was 27 boats in Sarasota and 15 in Marathon. Plus 60 ski's in Sarasota.

Anybody know anything different?

26 - Offshore boats

9 - P1 Panthers

60 - Aqua X PWCs

 

[Serious News]

Results

Pro Am
1 117 Watt-Ahh
2 224 Professional Plumbing
3 23 Black Pearl

1 428 Knot Crazy
2 44 Al-Amin Bros
3 465 JP Motorsports
4 540 Pump It
5 49 Raven
6 432 Chris Flood Perf
7 562 On Edge

SuperCat
1 33 Sailor Jerry
2 2 Peppers
3 57 Persu Cat

SuperVee
1 40 Outerlimits
2 30 Twisted Metal
3 World of Beers

Cat Lite
1 110 Smart Marine
2 1 Hulk
3 12 L.A. Marine
4 111 Tarpon Point Grille

Vee Lite
1 9 Phantom
2 3 LSB
3 12 Sarasota Ford
4 20 No Vacancy
5 32 Chris Flood Perf
6 7 Mr Technology
7 13 Smokin Joes

 

[Ryan Beckley]

I believe Chris Flood only actually raced the SVL class.

 

[Ratickle]

Thanks Ryan, nice to see you race two boats.

Enjoy?