LuminSea Miami Powerboat Races Canceled
With the inaugural Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix on tap this weekend and the South Florida City buzzing about it for months, the organizers of yesterday’s LuminSea Miami Powerboat Races had hoped to produce an aquatic warm-up in advance of today’s main event. But the powerboat contest, which reportedly attracted 10 boats in no less than three classes, was called off yesterday afternoon.
Backed by Cigarette Racing Team and several other sponsors, yesterday’s LuminSea Miami Powerboat Races faced one hurdle after the next before they were canceled yesterday afternoon.
The boats were in the water and ready to go by late morning, but the course was not. According to multiple observers, one of the large LuminSea course markers broke free and had to be retrieved and-reset.
The challenges continued to mount. Florida Fish and Wildlife aerial observers spotted sea turtles on the course, according event safety coordinator Shawn Steinert and others. That created another long delay.
“Marine observer delays kept pushing everything back,” said Steinert. “And then the weather kicked up.”
The day officially ended when United States Coast Guard canceled the Atlantic Ocean event in the mid-afternoon based on Small Craft Advisory status.
A channel marker and navigation technology company, LuminSea is owned John H. Ruiz, a Miami-based attorney and entrepreneur who purchased Cigarette Racing Team last year. The famed Opa-Locka, Fla., custom high-performance powerboat company was among the event’s key backers.
Late yesterday afternoon, Cigarette Racing Team chief communications officer Diana Diaz tweeted:
“Great show put on by @cigracingteam @JohnHRuiz at today’s @LuminSeaRaces before conditions forced the cancellation of the rest of the event. We appreciate all the safety crews and agencies keeping our racers safe. Looking forward to more action at the next @LuminSeaRaces.”
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