Nationals in Panama City Beach
09-16-2008 | 08:49 AM
#1
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Nationals in Panama City Beach
I want to update everyone on what's happening here in Panama City Beach for the National Championships. Various City and County groups have teamed with local businesses to form a sports marketing group to promote and support sporting events at the beach. The first thing to appear on their plate is the SBI National Championships and in the short time that this group has been formed (approx. 5 weeks) I can see that these people are very serious and aggressive about making this a first class event. They have already expressed their desire to make this a dedicated yearly event with all the bells and whistles that they can use for marketing to bring people in for a fun family weekend.
So far, we've moved the dry pits to Pier Park, which is a huge (1 mil. sf) outdoor, town center styled shopping center - - - right on the beach!! There are numerous shops, boutiques, restaurants, bars, a 16 screen movie theater, etc. all within a couple hundred yards of where our boats will be. I encourage everyone to bring their family if possible - - there's plenty to do! Did I mention the beach is right across the street???!!! We've also shifted the race course a little bit so that the West end of it is directly across from the pits. Two local TV stations (ABC and NBC) will be doing live interviews and one is looking at televising the race - - using Stan as the announcer. Also, Bobbye and John Kenyon will be here for HOTBOAT and I believe someone from Powerboat is coming as well. Some of the local car clubs will be there and there is probably going to be a volleyball tournament right next to the pits.
Bottom line: these people are really trying to make this a great event for everyone and they're in it for years to come. Boat parades, big name concerts, etc. are already being talked about for next year. Let's show these guys what we can do and what we're about: FAMILY, RACING and FUN !!!
Thanks everyone and I hope to see you at the Nationals!! If anyone has questions feel free to cantact me.
Alan
So far, we've moved the dry pits to Pier Park, which is a huge (1 mil. sf) outdoor, town center styled shopping center - - - right on the beach!! There are numerous shops, boutiques, restaurants, bars, a 16 screen movie theater, etc. all within a couple hundred yards of where our boats will be. I encourage everyone to bring their family if possible - - there's plenty to do! Did I mention the beach is right across the street???!!! We've also shifted the race course a little bit so that the West end of it is directly across from the pits. Two local TV stations (ABC and NBC) will be doing live interviews and one is looking at televising the race - - using Stan as the announcer. Also, Bobbye and John Kenyon will be here for HOTBOAT and I believe someone from Powerboat is coming as well. Some of the local car clubs will be there and there is probably going to be a volleyball tournament right next to the pits.
Bottom line: these people are really trying to make this a great event for everyone and they're in it for years to come. Boat parades, big name concerts, etc. are already being talked about for next year. Let's show these guys what we can do and what we're about: FAMILY, RACING and FUN !!!
Thanks everyone and I hope to see you at the Nationals!! If anyone has questions feel free to cantact me.
Alan
09-16-2008 | 09:22 AM
#4
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,339
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From: Florida
Alan,
Sounds great I've checked the web site a few times, and looks like they r doing some great work.Panama has always been a great place to race and sounds like it is only getting better.
Count us in we'll be there see you in a few days.
Sounds great I've checked the web site a few times, and looks like they r doing some great work.Panama has always been a great place to race and sounds like it is only getting better.
Count us in we'll be there see you in a few days.
09-16-2008 | 10:46 AM
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From: Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Alan
09-17-2008 | 07:42 AM
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Here's the press release that just went out:
Contact:
Dana Lent
Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau
*Ph. 850-233-5070
HIGH-SPEED ADVENTURE AT SEA:
Panama City Beach, Fla., Hosts
2008 Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race Oct. 3 – 5, 2008
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (September 16, 2008) – The tranquil waters of the Gulf of Mexico make way for high-speed adventure for the nation’s largest powerboat race. Catch the 2008 Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race, Fri., Oct. 3 – Sun., Oct. 5, in Panama City Beach, Fla.
You’ll see the biggest, fastest powerboats and top drivers in the U.S. race to claim the National Championship title.
This premier super boat event draws the 23 leading teams across the country for a six-mile race through emerald-green seas at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. With boat parades, awards, parties and more, it’s an action-packed weekend for the entire family.
The Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race is the culmination of the Super Boat Grand Prix national series. Winning teams will compete for the international title in the Super Boat World Championships, Nov. 2 – 9, 2008, in Key West, Fla.
The Super Boat Grand Prix is sanctioned by Super Boat International Productions, Inc., as the leading series in the extreme sport of professional powerboat racing. Now in its 18th year, the Grand Prix attracts top-ranking competitors and enthusiasts across the country for 10 events along America’s East Coast, from Miami Beach to the Hudson River.
In Panama City Beach, the National and Florida Championship Race promises to get the heart pumping during three days of high-speed fun (see schedule below for days, times and locations). Land lovers will enjoy plenty of onshore action. Take an up-close look at some of the world’s fastest and largest powerboats, and meet their owners and racing teams in the Dry Pit Area of the Race Village, located in Pier Park on Front Beach Road in the center of town. The Mayor’s Welcome Party kicks off the event festivities, Fri. 7:00 p.m. On Sunday, all competition boats will begin the entry into the water starting at 11:00 a.m. from the marina at Marina Landing Condominiums on the northwest side of St. Andrews Bay and cruises out to the Gulf of Mexico.
On Sunday, spectators line the pristine shoreline of Panama City Beach for prime viewing of the main racing events, starting at 12:00 noon.
Competitors will maneuver the six-mile rectangular Official Offshore Race Course between the Dan Russell City Pier and the M.B. Miller County Pier.
During the event, the 50-foot Super Boats slice across the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, propelled by up to four engines that allow them to reach speeds upwards of 200 miles per hour in less than a minute.
The winners of each race will go on to compete for the international title in the world’s largest powerboat race, the 2007 World Championship Race.
The 2008 Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race event is presented by the Bay Area Sports Association, Inc. (BASA). A collaboration of local community and corporate partnerships, the not-for-profit organization was established to encourage, support and promote recreational, amateur, Olympic and professional sports activities within the Greater Panama City area. BASA also supports charitable initiatives through local events to raise funds for youth sports in Bay County. In line with this mission, participating Panama City Beach restaurants will donate ten percent of all food and beverage sales on Sunday’s Race Day to the association.
A full schedule of Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race activities can be found online at www.superboat.com and as listed below:
Panama City Beach Event Schedule
Friday, October 3, 2008
• 9:00am – 5:00pm - Registration/Information at Race Village, Pier Park East • 7:00pm – Mayor’s Welcome Party at Sharky’s Seafood Restaurant, Front Beach Road
Saturday, October 4, 2008
• 9:00am – Mandatory Drivers’ Meeting at Pier Park East • 10:00am – 5:00pm – Registration/Information at Race Village, Pier Park East • 9:00am – 5:00pm - Dry Pits at Pier Park East • 10:00am – 5:00pm - Testing & Launching, location TBA • 10:00am – 5:00pm – Practice runs on official offshore course, Front Beach Road between County Pier and City Pier • 7:00pm – 9:00pm - Racers’ Party at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant, Pier Park
Sunday, October 5, 2008
• 7:30am – 8:30am - Physicals: Pier Park East • 8:00am – 5:00pm - Launching/ Recovery, location TBA • 9:00am - Mandatory Drivers’ Meeting at Pier Park East • 10:00am - Pilots Briefing at Panama City – Bay County International Airport • 11:00am – Wet Pits. All boats will enter the water at Marina Landing Condominiums on Northwest side of Hathaway Bridge/U.S. Hwy 98, St. Andrews Bay.
• 12:00pm - Start of Race, start and finish line at Sharky’s Seafood Restaurant, Front Beach Road • 5:00pm - Awards Ceremony at Sharky’s Seafood Restaurant, Front Beach Road
For more information, visit www.superboat.com or call 1-800-PCBEACH or visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.
About Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach boasts 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordering the clear, emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay. The Northwest Florida destination enjoys recognition as a top U.S. beach from Condé Nast Traveler, USA Today, The Travel Channel, Southern Living, Dr.
Beach and the Clean Beaches Council. Family attractions, championship golf courses, sporting events, delectable dining, predictably sunny weather and a vast number of recreational activities draw visitors to this seaside destination annually. For more information, call 1-800-PCBEACH or 850-233-6503, or visit the official Web site of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.
# # #
EVENT/CALENDAR ITEM
October 3 – 5, 2008
Panama City Beach Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race, Pier Park East, Pier Park Drive and Panama City Beach Parkway. It’s adrenaline pumping on emerald-green waters at the nation’s top super boat racing event. Boat parades, awards and parties are all part of the action. For information visit www.superboat.com or 1-800-PCBEACH or www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.
Contact:
Dana Lent
Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau
*Ph. 850-233-5070
HIGH-SPEED ADVENTURE AT SEA:
Panama City Beach, Fla., Hosts
2008 Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race Oct. 3 – 5, 2008
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (September 16, 2008) – The tranquil waters of the Gulf of Mexico make way for high-speed adventure for the nation’s largest powerboat race. Catch the 2008 Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race, Fri., Oct. 3 – Sun., Oct. 5, in Panama City Beach, Fla.
You’ll see the biggest, fastest powerboats and top drivers in the U.S. race to claim the National Championship title.
This premier super boat event draws the 23 leading teams across the country for a six-mile race through emerald-green seas at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. With boat parades, awards, parties and more, it’s an action-packed weekend for the entire family.
The Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race is the culmination of the Super Boat Grand Prix national series. Winning teams will compete for the international title in the Super Boat World Championships, Nov. 2 – 9, 2008, in Key West, Fla.
The Super Boat Grand Prix is sanctioned by Super Boat International Productions, Inc., as the leading series in the extreme sport of professional powerboat racing. Now in its 18th year, the Grand Prix attracts top-ranking competitors and enthusiasts across the country for 10 events along America’s East Coast, from Miami Beach to the Hudson River.
In Panama City Beach, the National and Florida Championship Race promises to get the heart pumping during three days of high-speed fun (see schedule below for days, times and locations). Land lovers will enjoy plenty of onshore action. Take an up-close look at some of the world’s fastest and largest powerboats, and meet their owners and racing teams in the Dry Pit Area of the Race Village, located in Pier Park on Front Beach Road in the center of town. The Mayor’s Welcome Party kicks off the event festivities, Fri. 7:00 p.m. On Sunday, all competition boats will begin the entry into the water starting at 11:00 a.m. from the marina at Marina Landing Condominiums on the northwest side of St. Andrews Bay and cruises out to the Gulf of Mexico.
On Sunday, spectators line the pristine shoreline of Panama City Beach for prime viewing of the main racing events, starting at 12:00 noon.
Competitors will maneuver the six-mile rectangular Official Offshore Race Course between the Dan Russell City Pier and the M.B. Miller County Pier.
During the event, the 50-foot Super Boats slice across the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, propelled by up to four engines that allow them to reach speeds upwards of 200 miles per hour in less than a minute.
The winners of each race will go on to compete for the international title in the world’s largest powerboat race, the 2007 World Championship Race.
The 2008 Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race event is presented by the Bay Area Sports Association, Inc. (BASA). A collaboration of local community and corporate partnerships, the not-for-profit organization was established to encourage, support and promote recreational, amateur, Olympic and professional sports activities within the Greater Panama City area. BASA also supports charitable initiatives through local events to raise funds for youth sports in Bay County. In line with this mission, participating Panama City Beach restaurants will donate ten percent of all food and beverage sales on Sunday’s Race Day to the association.
A full schedule of Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race activities can be found online at www.superboat.com and as listed below:
Panama City Beach Event Schedule
Friday, October 3, 2008
• 9:00am – 5:00pm - Registration/Information at Race Village, Pier Park East • 7:00pm – Mayor’s Welcome Party at Sharky’s Seafood Restaurant, Front Beach Road
Saturday, October 4, 2008
• 9:00am – Mandatory Drivers’ Meeting at Pier Park East • 10:00am – 5:00pm – Registration/Information at Race Village, Pier Park East • 9:00am – 5:00pm - Dry Pits at Pier Park East • 10:00am – 5:00pm - Testing & Launching, location TBA • 10:00am – 5:00pm – Practice runs on official offshore course, Front Beach Road between County Pier and City Pier • 7:00pm – 9:00pm - Racers’ Party at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant, Pier Park
Sunday, October 5, 2008
• 7:30am – 8:30am - Physicals: Pier Park East • 8:00am – 5:00pm - Launching/ Recovery, location TBA • 9:00am - Mandatory Drivers’ Meeting at Pier Park East • 10:00am - Pilots Briefing at Panama City – Bay County International Airport • 11:00am – Wet Pits. All boats will enter the water at Marina Landing Condominiums on Northwest side of Hathaway Bridge/U.S. Hwy 98, St. Andrews Bay.
• 12:00pm - Start of Race, start and finish line at Sharky’s Seafood Restaurant, Front Beach Road • 5:00pm - Awards Ceremony at Sharky’s Seafood Restaurant, Front Beach Road
For more information, visit www.superboat.com or call 1-800-PCBEACH or visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.
About Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach boasts 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordering the clear, emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay. The Northwest Florida destination enjoys recognition as a top U.S. beach from Condé Nast Traveler, USA Today, The Travel Channel, Southern Living, Dr.
Beach and the Clean Beaches Council. Family attractions, championship golf courses, sporting events, delectable dining, predictably sunny weather and a vast number of recreational activities draw visitors to this seaside destination annually. For more information, call 1-800-PCBEACH or 850-233-6503, or visit the official Web site of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau, http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.
# # #
EVENT/CALENDAR ITEM
October 3 – 5, 2008
Panama City Beach Super Boat National and Florida Championship Race, Pier Park East, Pier Park Drive and Panama City Beach Parkway. It’s adrenaline pumping on emerald-green waters at the nation’s top super boat racing event. Boat parades, awards and parties are all part of the action. For information visit www.superboat.com or 1-800-PCBEACH or www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.
