I’ve always maintained that total unification of offshore racing is probably not possible unless one group sells out to the other. Nor have I thought that unification was needed for the sport to grow. What is needed within our sport is harmony and respect. Nothing more.

So here’s the deal, we all know this past year’s world Championships were a meaningless cluster Fu*c. I’d like to propose that everyone (APBA, SBI, OSS) work together to bring a jointly sanctioned World Championship to Key West in 2004. Right now SBI has the date set and the permits approved. SBI has already proposed an invitation to APBA and an invite to OSS cannot be far behind. OPA has already accepted the invitation and will race with SBI in Key West so why not everyone else too.

A joint World Championship will crown a true World Champion in all the classes. This year the rulebooks have become very close to being the same so classes should line up nicely. Those are the details to be worked out. If everyone puts the pressure on the sport’s leaders to make this happen, then it can. Make your voice heard and call your sanctioning body if you support this baby step toward unification.

There are forces in place working to make this happen. Please be one of them to bring 200 race boats and 100 poker runners to Key West during November 7 – 14 2004.

that would be very cool. hope it comes together. i know i will be there for sure either way. key west is the greatest venue for the worlds bar none

In my VERY humble opinion unification will always be a pipe dream due in one part to the huge ego's in boating, and also due to the difficulty's in appeasing all the party's involved (Racers, Spectators, Sponsors, Promoters and venue controllers). Alwiess truly believed he ran APBA like a business, but in efforts to treat one of these groups like a customer he relegated the rest of them to being just a product, and that may be all thats possible. Maybe Too Old is right about this only being a hobby.

Baby steps folks, I'm just talking about the Worlds. The rest I doubt is possible.

One Worlds....


Yes, I already have rooms and scooters reserved

RonP,

Good idea. Remember about 8 or 9 years ago that's the way it was?! Let's hope this happens as it will be a great step forward!

Shane

I have to agree with Too Old....

If Kevin Brown, from The Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix that is produced by The Suncoast Foundation for the Handicapped, Inc., SORA, and the Steering Committee can approach the Sarasota Offshore Showdown group and propose combining races, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. Whoever would have believed that?

It was 1994.........147 boats! I was there
This would be the 10 year anniversary for the greatest single World's in KW again!