Clearwater Nationals Canceled
For the past several days, Larry Bleil and Rodrick Cox of Race World Offshore have been hoping that Tropical Storm Helene would take a turn away from the Clearwater, Fla., area, the site of this weekend’s races. But the storm took a turn for the worse, at least for residents in the area, and the RWO-produced Clearwater Nationals have been canceled.
“Unfortunately, we had to call it,” said Bleil, who founded the Key West, Fla.-based organization. “Pinellas County is already closing down.”
With the Clearwater Nationals canceled, the Class 1 World Championship title will go down to the wire at the final race of the regular season in St. Petersburg, Fla. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix
The Clearwater contest was slated to be the second-to-last event of both the American Power Boat Association Offshore National Championship Series and the Union Internationale Motonautique Class 1 World Championship. Competitors in both the APBA and Class 1 classes will have to wait for the Powerboat P1/P1 Offshore-produced St. Petersburg Grand Prix, set for October 18-20, to retake the racecourse.
Cox made the cancelation official in a social media post.
“Pinellas County is under a State of Local Emergency and the temporary closure of Sand Key Park in response to the forecasted impacts from Tropical Storm Helene leaves us no choice but to cancel this weekend’s Clearwater Nationals,” he explained. “The safety and well-being of our participants, spectators and staff are our utmost priority. Unfortunately, due to permitting and logistical challenges, this event will not be able to be rescheduled. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this challenging time. Please stay safe.”
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