Gratton Memorial Fun Run Poised For Another Big Turnout – Speed on the Water

Even though the official unwrapping of Christmas presents is two days away—or just one day off if you’re one of those impatient heathens who opens them on Christmas Eve—it’s not too early to commit to heading to the Joey Gratton Memorial New Year’s Day Fun Run in Sarasota, Fla. And for those inclined to join Fort Myers Offshore, it’s worth noting that the nonprofit scholarship fundraising outfit will host its annual Holiday Run from the Sanibel to Punta Gorda on December 30.

Celebrating its 12th anniversary in January, the Joey Gratton Memorial New Year’s Day Fun Run has built a loyal following of participants from around the country such as New Jersey’s Chris and Quinn LaMorte. Photos from the 2019 event by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

The Gratton event, which runs from Sarasota to Bradenton for lunch at Caddy’s restaurant, requires no registration so “official” boat counts are tricky for organizer Ryan Beckley of the locally based Kinetic Animation graphics shop. But for the past few years, Beckley and other longtime participants have estimated the fleet to be in the 100-boat range.

“It’s already looking to be big again this year,” he said.

New Jersey’s Chris LaMorte is among the Gratton-event regulars who’ll be there this time around. LaMorte and his wife, Quinn, have been coming to the event from their home in New Jersey since 2012, the year it was named to honor local offshore racer Joey Gratton, who died in a racing incident at the 2011 Super Boat International World Championships in Key West, Fla.

Members of the Gratton family typically attend the event celebrating their patriarch.

“We had to miss it last year because of everything going on following the birth of our son, Lucas, we but we are returning with this year and will run our 36-foot Skater,” LaMorte said. “The Gratton run has become a tradition for us since we got married on New Year’s Eve in 2015 and made it down to do the run on New Year’s Day.

“We’ve met some great friends there over the years,” he added.

Speedonthewater.com chief photographer Pete Boden will shoot the Gratton and Fort Myers Offshore happenings, as will also hold his annual photo session off Longboat Key on December 31.