Ocean Cup Series To Produce Five Events In 2023
Established in 2013 by veteran offshore powerboat racer Nigel Hook, the Ocean Cup Series presents opportunities for offshore powerboat racers to challenge themselves in offshore endurance racing. And that means running in open-water often far from the easy view of land-based spectators, The 2022 series included two events—the Gateway Marathon from Palm Beach, Fla., to Freeport, Bahamas and another in the Around Catalina Run based out of Huntington Beach, Calif.
But for 2023, the 10-year-old series is more than doubling its number of events with five races.
Spearheaded by veteran offshore race Nigel Hook, the Ocean Cup Series has five events on its roster this season. Photo from the 2022 Race World Offshore World Championships in Key West, Fla., by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.
Here’s a quick look at the schedule:
• May 4-7: Miami—Bimini (106 Miles)
* June 1-14: Palm Beach—Freeport, Bahamas (111 miles)
• August 17-:20: San Francisco—Farallon Islands (138 miles)
• September 14-17: San Francisco—Marina del Rey-Long Beach (435 miles)
• September 28-October—Huntington Beach, Calif.—Around Catalina Island (112 miles).
Competitors in Miami-Bimini Ocean Cup event will round the S.S. Supona shipwreck before heading back to South Florida.
The news was announced yesterday evening in an Ocean Cup Series press release.
“Ocean Cup competitions are for the bold and adventurous having the skills and desire for a man and his machine challenge in the open ocean,” the release stated. “Every team must be prepared for any and all eventualities with regard to their own safety and be prepared to be effectively on their own until help, from whatever source, can arrive. Pilots are required to hold sea survival and first-aid certificates.
Among the teams returning to Ocean Cup action is Patriotic Duty, which runs a 47-foot open-cockpit Outerlimits Offshore Powerboats sportboat in the Open Cockpit V-bottom class. (There are multiple classes in Ocean Cup competition.) The Northern Californian team’s Steve Seaton and Tony Adams have competed in two Ocean Cup events so far and plan to run a full schedule in 2023.
“We’re doing every race they have, including San Francisco to Long Beach in September,” said Seaton. “And we are raring to go.”
The Patriotic Duty team plans to run the complete Ocean Cup schedule this season. Photo by Erick Bryner copyright Fast and Loud Photography.
The Ocean Cup Series is sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association and Union Internationale Motonautique. At present, the series is seeking a title sponsor.
Visit the Ocean Cup Series website—or click here to enjoy the organization’s digital magazine—for more information.
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