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Powerboat racing in florida: racing on thunderboat row, experience off-shore powerboat racing in florida in the performance boat capital of the world  .

By Terry Tomalin

Miami   - Flying across the water at 100 mph, the white stucco buildings on South Beach looked like a picket fence.

“Just don't make any sudden movements with the wheel,” warned my throttleman, Johnny Tomlinson. “Just keep it steady.”

Our 40-foot, twin-engine catamaran was capable of speeds faster than 130 mph. But Tomlinson, a Miami native considered by many to be one of the best “stick men” in offshore powerboat racing history, was barely leaning on the controls.

 The veteran had invited me to go for a test drive so I could get a feel for what it's like inside an offshore race boat. In offshore racing, the throttleman is like the quarterback on a football team, controlling not only the speed but the "trim" of the boat, or its position in the water.

On this test run, my job is to just keep the boat on course. But a driver’s skill really comes into play when you introduce other boats, such as on a crowded race course.

After a few minutes at three-quarters speed, I motion for Tomlinson to back off. I am now fully convinced that driving a race boat at 100 mph is a two-man job and that I would much rather watch that action from a chaise lounge on the beach.

Thunderboat Row Florida

Some might say that Florida could call itself the Performance Boat Capital of the World. There is more powerboat racing in Florida and poker runs than any other state or country for that matter.

Performance, muscle or “go fast” boats originated in Miami, and the state is still home of many of the top builders of performance boats in Florida and the world.

Blue-water or open-ocean powerboat racing began in South Florida in the early 1950s with the legendary, there-and-back-again, races to Bimini and other islands in the Bahamas.

In the 1960s and 1970s, North Miami’s 188 Street was home to several of the industry’s top manufacturers including Cigarette, Donzi and Apache.

In 1980s, movie stars such as Chuck Norris, Kurt Russell and Don Johnson were active on the racing circuit, bringing Florida boating and this growing motor sport international acclaim.

In cities such as Sarasota and Key West , it was not unusual to see crowds that number in the tens of thousands to turn out for these battles of man and machine.

Deck-to-deck powerboat racing in Florida

For decades, offshore powerboat racing was the realm of weekend warriors. But then in the late 1990s, the American Power Boat Association Offshore took what had formerly been a club sport, and introduced rule changes to bring it in line with professional motor sports such as NASCAR.

The streamlined classes and tight specifications made the sport more competitive. The close, “deck-to-deck,” racing proved a tremendous hit with die-hard race fans who often welcomed a new champion, week-to-week.

Spectators lined the beaches in Fort Lauderdale , Daytona, Fort Myers and Destin to the “super” cats and vee-bottoms maneuver around multi-turn courses that often saw a new leader lap to lap.

The boats, now grouped by size and horsepower, often finish just seconds apart in a race that could be nearly 200 miles long.

The introduction of new, turbine-powered boats capable of speeds that were not even dreamed of 20 years ago has upped the stakes. Miss Geico, powered by twin, Army-surplus helicopter engines, is rumored to be capable of a top speed of 200 mph. Word around the “wet pits” is that the Florida-based world-champion will be looking to set a new record before the season is over.

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Cocoa Beach

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE PARTNERS

Our 30' Activator Rage has been completely redone by the original manufacturer

We have also purchased a new boat- a 22' Activator which will be racing in Class 7

The team will be announced shortly, the true story is about how you pick yourself back up, learn and move forward.

Special thanks to @yachtmediagrou p and @thefirmracingteam  for this content.

In racing, just like in life, the true story is not about the “fall”. The true story is about how you pick yourself back up, learn and move forward. This video is about the TRUE story of the incident in Key West and how Richard @richy_boat_sales  and Julian   @j_garcia33  got back in the boat and competed in the following race. It’s about how Danny Gonzalez @marine_sealution s  worked tirelessly all day and into the night to get the boat race ready again. Pete @thefirm_pete  was supposed to race on Sunday, but the Garcia brothers were adamant about getting back in the boat, racing again, and getting passed the turn where the incident occurred. AND THEY DID!    You see those were our world championships, and although we didn’t win the race, Danny, Richard and Julian were still champions that weekend. Our Rage is a beast and she is now getting dialed in for next season. The team, although rookies in in their first season, proved they are truly professionals.  A very special thanks to Luke Bossert @lukebossert  for his amazing work. We look forward to working with you next season. To Mike and Sarah Howe @howe2live  here is the rest of the story……thanks for your great work as well.

Slide title

THE FIRM RACING TEAM accepting 2nd Place at Hooters Clearwater Offshore Nationals

Pete and Richard Jr. are ready to race!

Heading out to race at the Hooters Clearwater Offshore Nationals

ProStock V Class offshore racing is a family affair.

Peter Riveiro, a 54-year-old driver/owner  and Richard Garcia Jr., a 27-year-old throttleman have raced their 30-foot Activator Rage in two races this year in Stock V Class and had podium finishes in both races. On September 5th they took 3rd Place at St. Pete Grand Prix and 2nd Place at the Hooters Clearwater Offshore Nationals. They plan to compete at Roar Offshore National Championship at Fort Myers Beach, Florida on October 9th and at Race World Offshore Key West Championships on November 14th. Their support team makes it all happen.

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Registration Open For LuminSea Powerboat Races On Miami’s Formula 1 Weekend

Gone from the Miami area for more than a decade, offshore powerboat racing is slated to return to the South Florida city on Saturday, May 7, in advance of the following day’s inaugural Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. The event, which has been dubbed the 2022 LuminSea Offshore Powerboat Races by its organizers, will feature four contests throughout the day on an eight-mile, illuminated Atlantic Ocean course off famed South Beach.

Cigarette Racing Team is the key driver of the upcoming LuminSea Offshore Powerboat Races in Miami. Photo courtesy/copyright of the Florida Powerboat Club .

A marine lighting technology company that manufacturers illuminated channel markers, LuminSea is owned by John H. Ruiz, who purchased Cigarette Racing Team in late 2021. Among his goals since acquiring the iconic Opa-locka, Fla.-based high-performance powerboat company was returning Cigarette to the offshore racing realm. To that end, Cigarette was the presenting sponsor for the 2021 Race World Offshore -produced American Power Boat Association / Union Internationale Motonautique Offshore World Championships in Key West, Fla., and reportedly has a five-year deal with Race World Offshore and is one of the lead sponsors of the Miami Beach event.

“Powerboat racing came to life on Thunderboat Row and is still synonymous with some of the top powerboat builders in the world, including Cigarette Racing,” said Ruiz in a press release this morning. “Miami is where powerboat racing got its start, so it’s time to bring it back to our own backyard and become part of Speed Week festivities.”

Though the upcoming Miami races are not sanctioned by the APBA or the UIM—nor are they part of the APBA Offshore National Championships Series that kicks off May 19-22 in Cocoa Beach, Fla.—they are open to four classes than run under their umbrella. The first contest, which is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m., is for Stock V teams. Next up is a Production-class race followed by races in the Super Stock and Super Cat classes.

The LuminSea course is eight miles long.

According to the release, the Production-class contest should appeal to experienced high-performance powerboat owners as it offers them “the opportunity to showcase their vessels and talents on the racecourse in a staggered-start, timed event.” All brands, from Apache to Skater, are welcome. (Details are available on the event website .)

Prize money for each contest is $2,500 for first place, $1,500 for second place and $1,000 for third place. Registration for all four classes is open via the 2022 LuminSea Offshore Powerboat Races website .

For powerboat-owning fans, the organizers are offering an on-water “VIP Experience” within the racecourse for the day, as well as several land-based VIP opportunities.

In addition to Cigarette, sponsors include Chief Marine Group, Florida Yachts International, LifeWallet powered by MSP Recovery (another Ruiz-owned company), The Firm Realty Group and Top Gun Yacht Sales. Sponsorship opportunities are still available, according to the event website .

Said Stock-class offshore racer and LuminSea Offshore Powerboat Races coordinator Pete Riviero, “By being a part of Speed Week, leading up to the F1 Series, we are bringing another element to this already exciting week and providing boat enthusiasts an incredible offshore experience.”

Related stories Cigarette Racing Team Acquisition Of Doug Wright Designs Off The Table Cigarette Parts, Service And Support Department On Track Florida Powerboat Club Planning Miami Grand Prix Rally Cigarette Racing Team Signs On As Presenting Sponsor For Race World Offshore Key West Worlds

Team Defalco Joining Class 1 Ranks For 2022 Series

Race world offshore to share tech assets with powerboat p1.

Raceday Events

Opa world championships: save the date, saturday, november 16 and sunday, november 17, 2024.

2024 Race Weekend details coming soon!

Watch Our 2023 Waterfest Recap!

2023 Event Information

Sat, nov 18 & sun, nov 19, 202 3, 10 am to 4 pm.

Speed, Power and Excitement comes to Englewood, Florida! Watch thrilling offshore powerboat racing from Englewood Beach as boats gather points for the world championship races! This is the World Championships for OPA Racing (Offshore Powerboat Association) with 75+ boats running at speeds up to and over 150 miles per hour.

Saturday and Sunday, races start at approximately 10 AM, and the gate opens at 9 AM.

Race fans are encouraged to visit Waterfest Village on Englewood Beach during practice days on Friday and also all day on Saturday and Sunday.

2023 Waterfest Beach Oasis

Cantina & food court.

Come for the Races and the Family Conservation Center and enjoy the food!

Directly on the beach under tents, local restaurants will offer their Seafood and regional cuisine including many of your local favorites. Waterfest will have special fare for the children as well. Throughout the Food Court we will also have all types of traditional festival foods like funnel cakes, snow cones, popcorn, pretzels, ice cream and other delicacies you will enjoy.

What would a festival be without adult beverages*? Waterfest will have beer, wine and mixed drinks this year throughout Waterfest Village. We will also be serving our signature specially priced, “Raceday cocktail” you don’t want to miss.

*MUST be 21 or older to order, or consume alcohol. Please be prepared to present a valid ID. No service without ID.

2023 Family Conservation Center

Expand your family’s marine life education and conservation efforts. Bring the whole family to The Family Conservation Center at Englewood Beach during the Englewood Beach Waterfest, Nov. 18 & 19, 2023.

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Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, United States, northwest of Tampa and St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico, and to the southeast lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 107,000 Clearwater is the county seat of Pinellas County and is the smallest of the three principal cities in the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater metropolitan area, most commonly referred to as the Tampa Bay Area.

The Clearwater race is an APBA National Points event run by Race World Offshore. In 2024 racing will take place between September 27th - 29th.

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Tom Brady, Marc Anthony to compete in international speedboat races. Info about E1 Series

E1 series 'race to hong kong' features 7 events around the world. tom brady has team brady, and marc anthony has team miami..

The international E1 Series, or electric powerboat races, are coming up, and two (very recognizable) celebrities from Florida will compete.

Tom Brady, the GOAT of pro football , and Grammy Award-winning singer Marc Anthony each have a team in the electric speedboat races, Team Brady and Team Miami, respectively.

"How can you be so powerful and elegant and sexy at the same time?" In an Instagram video , that's how Anthony described the RaceBird, the sleek, futuristic electric powerboats in the E1 Series. "Racing's been around forever. E1 is bringing the electric revolution to the water. It's a new fight. It's a new challenge. I'm bringing electric racing to Miami. Get ready. I'm not playing."

Brady brought his trademark winning attitude to promote his team: "We race to win," the seven-time NFL Super Bowl champion said in an Instagram Reel. "We're here to write history and become champions on the water."

The inaugural world championship E1 Series features seven races and runs February to November. Aside from Brady and Anthony , there are six other teams (see below). And it looks as if the trashtalk has already started: "To be competing against the biggest names, I'm most looking forward to competing with their egos," Anthony said on Instagram. "All of us are competitive, handling pressure. I've dominated it over the years, but so hasTom Brady, so has (Steve) Aoki, so has (Rafael) Nadal, so has Checo (Sergio Perez)."

Here's what we know.

What is the E1 Series, electric powerboat races?

It's the world's first all-electric raceboat championship. According to its site: " E1 is the first electric raceboat championship sanctioned by the Union Internationale Motonautique, the world governing body of powerboating. E1 holds an exclusive license with the UIM to promote a racing series on the water powered solely by electric. The championship was established to create a new, competitive on-water racing proposition based on clean technologies to protect our waters and coastal areas."

Is Tom Brady part of the E1 Series, electric speedboat races?

Tom Brady, who retired in 2023 after a storied career in the NFL with the New England Patriots and later the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, runs Team Brady in the E1 Series.

Who are the E1 Series pilots for Team Brady?

The pilots for Team Brady are offshore powerboat champion Sam Coleman and Emma Kimiläinen.

Is Marc Anthony part of the E1 Series, electric powerboat races for 2024?

Grammy-winning singer Marc Anthony runs Team Miami in the E1 Series. The Team Miami RaceBird sports Miami Dolphin colors.

"When I partnered with the Miami Dolphins, you start with the possibility: How can we grow this? I see E1 the same way," Anthony said in an Instagram Reel. "I have a tool set to sort of mind that side of the store, and I'm interested in finding a way that the race experience is as eventful as possible."

Who are the pilots for Marc Anthony and Team Miami in E1 Series electric powerboat races?

The pilots for Marc Anthony and Team Miami are powerboat racers Anna Glennon and Erik Stark . Anthony praised the pair on social and described what he looks for in members of his team: "That they could fight through anything. When second places pi**** you off and you're not going to speak for a week. That kind of fire. ... I'm going to do everything in my power to put them in that headspace."

Who are the E1 Series electric powerboat race teams for 2024?

• Team Brazil with Marcelo Claure, businessman
• Team Miami with Marc Anthony
• Team Brady with Tom Brady
• Team Blue Rising with Virat Kohli, Indian cricket player
• Aoki Racing with Steve Aoki, American record producer
• Team Drogba with Didier Drogba, champion football/futbol ? player
• Team Nadal with Rafael Nadal, Spanish tennis player
• Team Mexico with Sergio "Checo" Perez, Mexican race driver

When are the E1 Series powerboat races? Where are the E1 Series races being held in 2024?

Here's where and when the E1 Series electric powerboat races will be held:

• Feb. 2 and 3, 2024: Jeddah, a city in Saudi Arabia
• May 11 and 12, 2024: Venice, Italy
• June 1 and 2, 2024: Puerto Banus in Spain
• June 29 and 30, 2024: Geneva, Switzerland
• July 26 and 27, 2024: Monaco
• Sept. 7 and 8, 2024: Rotterdam, the Netherlands
• Nov. 9 and 10, 2024: Hong Kong

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on  Twitter  or Instagram at  @byjensangalang . Support local journalism.  Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper .