Keys Island Runners Command Islamorada Sandbar
For their sixth annual Winter Fun Run last weekend, members of the Keys Island Runners group had the famed Islamorada Sandbar to themselves save for the typical Saturday sandbar crowd. That’s because the Florida Powerboat Club Miami Boat Show Poker Run landed at Hawks Cay on Duck Key for the weekend rather than their sometime destination of Holiday Isle Resort in Islamorada. The groups played well together during the overlap years, but the extra sandbar space was welcome this time around.
Enjoying the day in an MTI 440X catamaran, this group was less than camera shy. Photos by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
According to Key Island Runners founder Daniel Garcia, III, his group brought 80 boats to popular Upper Keys hangout.
“It’s was one of our best turnouts yet,” he said. “We run in two groups, and once we got to the sandbar there had to be at least 200 boats there.”
Keys Islands Runners events always attract and eclectic mix of powerboats.
Bad weather on Saturday morning delayed the start of the approximately 22-plus-mile run sponsored by Doug Wright Powerboats till noon. Participants began their trek to the Islamorada Sandbar out of Buttonwood Sound Basin in Key Largo.
“The fastest guys, like (2023 450R Factory Stock-class world champion) Willy Cabeza in the GC Racing MTI 390X got there in nine minutes, Garcia said, then laughed. “It took me 19 minutes to get there.”
Enjoy more images from the 2024 Key Island Runner Winter Fun Run to Islamorada.
The product of event-themed shirt sales, proceeds from the event will go to a fund benefitting Key West Island Runners member Frankie Corredero, who was injured in a boating accident in September 2023.
‘We haven’t calculated everything yet, but we should be able to donate more than $5,000 to help with his rehabilitation,” Garcia explained. “We almost sold out our event shirts.”
The Saturday event had the best turnout in its six-year history.
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