Key West Newspaper Articles
11-18-2004, 09:59 AM
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11-22-2004, 07:37 PM
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Re: Key West Newspaper Articles
From today
Key West World Championships end with a bang
BY DANNY ALLER
Citizen Staff
KEY WEST — For the nearly 100 powerboat racers from all across the globe that attended the 2004 Key West World Championships, last Sunday was the day when most rolled into town with a bang.
And as the last racer came in late Sunday afternoon, everyone still seemed to be feeling as if that 'bang' only was the beginning.
"What a success," said Bill Spottswood, president of the local Conch Republic organization that oversaw the races, along with, for the first time in more than a decade, all three major racing bodies — the American Power Boat Association, the Offshore Racing Series and Super Boat International.
"I'm so proud of how everyone came together, the APBA, OSS AND SBI, I can't even see straight right now. From those guys, to my guys at the Conch Republic to the people in the community, this was a team effort and right now I couldn't be happier with how things went."
Spottswood wasn't alone in his praise of the races. First-year APBA president Jim Poplin was so impressed, he's already gearing up for next year.
"When the Conch Republic invited us to attend this year's World Championships, we told them we would be thrilled to participate," Poplin said. "The professional manner in which they were able to bring all three racing organizations together, and the way they maintained that level throughout the week with very few hang-ups, makes me really excited about coming back next year, and every year after that."
Elaine Motl, the CEO of OSS, whose racing body was competing in the Key West Worlds for the first time with the other two racing groups, said that while there will be things that everyone will have to sit down and discuss in the next few months on how to make next year's race even better, all in all, she gave Key West, racing fans and the Conch Republic, two thumbs up.
"We think the event went very, very well, especially since all the racers returned to the harbor safe, and with smiles on their faces," Motl said. "We've always felt Key West was one of the best places in the entire world to race, and I think that was proven this week."
Key West World Championships end with a bang
BY DANNY ALLER
Citizen Staff
KEY WEST — For the nearly 100 powerboat racers from all across the globe that attended the 2004 Key West World Championships, last Sunday was the day when most rolled into town with a bang.
And as the last racer came in late Sunday afternoon, everyone still seemed to be feeling as if that 'bang' only was the beginning.
"What a success," said Bill Spottswood, president of the local Conch Republic organization that oversaw the races, along with, for the first time in more than a decade, all three major racing bodies — the American Power Boat Association, the Offshore Racing Series and Super Boat International.
"I'm so proud of how everyone came together, the APBA, OSS AND SBI, I can't even see straight right now. From those guys, to my guys at the Conch Republic to the people in the community, this was a team effort and right now I couldn't be happier with how things went."
Spottswood wasn't alone in his praise of the races. First-year APBA president Jim Poplin was so impressed, he's already gearing up for next year.
"When the Conch Republic invited us to attend this year's World Championships, we told them we would be thrilled to participate," Poplin said. "The professional manner in which they were able to bring all three racing organizations together, and the way they maintained that level throughout the week with very few hang-ups, makes me really excited about coming back next year, and every year after that."
Elaine Motl, the CEO of OSS, whose racing body was competing in the Key West Worlds for the first time with the other two racing groups, said that while there will be things that everyone will have to sit down and discuss in the next few months on how to make next year's race even better, all in all, she gave Key West, racing fans and the Conch Republic, two thumbs up.
"We think the event went very, very well, especially since all the racers returned to the harbor safe, and with smiles on their faces," Motl said. "We've always felt Key West was one of the best places in the entire world to race, and I think that was proven this week."
11-22-2004, 07:47 PM
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Re: Key West Newspaper Articles
Boca racers are class of Superboat Stock
By Andy Newman
Special correspondent
Posted November 22 2004
KEY WEST · Boca Raton powerboat racers Mike Majhess and Gary Ballough give much of the credit for the world title they earned Sunday in the Superboat Stock class to their sponsor, Mapei building products.
"They've done a sponsorship that has lasted all year," Majhess said after he placed first in Mapei at the Key West World Championship. "For the worlds, we went ahead and bought new motors."
For large offshore racing classes, such as the Superboat Unlimited and Superboat Catamaran, big sponsors and new engines are the norm.
But most of the entries in the Stock class are privately funded, and a major sponsor is a luxury.
After placing first in the first two of three races that comprise the championship Wednesday and Saturday, Majhess and Ballough jumped out in front of their nine-boat class Sunday.
"We spent six laps worrying what would happen if we broke down, so we decided that we really didn't need to win [Sunday's] race to win the world title," Majhess said.
Mapei, a 32-foot Doug Wright-design catamaran outboard, finished second Sunday but easily won the world title.
Despite losing a propeller, after one of two engine shafts broke with less than three laps to go, David Scott of Edwardsville, Ill., and John Tomlinson of North Miami won a world championship in the Superboat Unlimited class in Bacardi Silver, edging Big Thunder Marine, owned by Robert Morgan of Gravois Mills, Mo.
"I think the good Lord was watching out for us today," said Tomlinson, who chalked up his 15th world title since 1986. "If [the shaft] would have broken a quarter-mile earlier or an eighth of a mile earlier, [Morgan] would have caught us."
Morgan, whose boat was damaged by fire on Wednesday, had repaired it well enough to race Saturday and finished less than three points behind Bacardi going into the final race, Sunday. He ended the worlds in second place.
The championship marked the first time in nine years that different U.S. offshore racing sanctioning bodies gathered at a single venue to stage a solo world championship.
Almost 100 boats representing American Power Boat Association racing, Offshore Super Series and Super Boat International Productions competed.
Results
(Class; Boat, Owner/Driver, Hometown)
Superboat Unlimited: Bacardi Silver, W. David Scott, Edwardsville, Ill.
Superboat Catamaran: Pro Marine, Todd Werner, St. Petersburg.
Superboat Vee Unlimited: Rio Roses, Mike Seebold, Toms River, N.J.
Superboat Vee Limited: Wild Ride, Larry Kostelac, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Superboat Vee: Rodriguez Group-Fountain, Michel Karsenti, France.
Superboat Limited Catamaran: In-Mocean, Jerry Sorrentino, Sun Valley, Calif.
Superboat Stock: Mapei, Gary Ballough, Boca Raton.
Factory 1: Team SB Ballard Const., Mark Kowalski, Brunswick, Ohio.
Factory 2: JBS Racing, Jeff Stevenson, Winneconne, Wis. Manufacturer
Production P1: Lightning Jacks, John Woolley, Brick, N.J. Manufacturer
Production P2: Sony, Fabio Buzzi, Italy. Manufacturer Production
P3: Wazzup, Edward Smith, Brick, N.J. Manufacturer Production
P4: Herbott/Swipes Racing, Keith Herbott, Lake Harmony, Pa. Manufacturer Production
P5: Kean University Cougars, Scott Begovich, Jupiter.
By Andy Newman
Special correspondent
Posted November 22 2004
KEY WEST · Boca Raton powerboat racers Mike Majhess and Gary Ballough give much of the credit for the world title they earned Sunday in the Superboat Stock class to their sponsor, Mapei building products.
"They've done a sponsorship that has lasted all year," Majhess said after he placed first in Mapei at the Key West World Championship. "For the worlds, we went ahead and bought new motors."
For large offshore racing classes, such as the Superboat Unlimited and Superboat Catamaran, big sponsors and new engines are the norm.
But most of the entries in the Stock class are privately funded, and a major sponsor is a luxury.
After placing first in the first two of three races that comprise the championship Wednesday and Saturday, Majhess and Ballough jumped out in front of their nine-boat class Sunday.
"We spent six laps worrying what would happen if we broke down, so we decided that we really didn't need to win [Sunday's] race to win the world title," Majhess said.
Mapei, a 32-foot Doug Wright-design catamaran outboard, finished second Sunday but easily won the world title.
Despite losing a propeller, after one of two engine shafts broke with less than three laps to go, David Scott of Edwardsville, Ill., and John Tomlinson of North Miami won a world championship in the Superboat Unlimited class in Bacardi Silver, edging Big Thunder Marine, owned by Robert Morgan of Gravois Mills, Mo.
"I think the good Lord was watching out for us today," said Tomlinson, who chalked up his 15th world title since 1986. "If [the shaft] would have broken a quarter-mile earlier or an eighth of a mile earlier, [Morgan] would have caught us."
Morgan, whose boat was damaged by fire on Wednesday, had repaired it well enough to race Saturday and finished less than three points behind Bacardi going into the final race, Sunday. He ended the worlds in second place.
The championship marked the first time in nine years that different U.S. offshore racing sanctioning bodies gathered at a single venue to stage a solo world championship.
Almost 100 boats representing American Power Boat Association racing, Offshore Super Series and Super Boat International Productions competed.
Results
(Class; Boat, Owner/Driver, Hometown)
Superboat Unlimited: Bacardi Silver, W. David Scott, Edwardsville, Ill.
Superboat Catamaran: Pro Marine, Todd Werner, St. Petersburg.
Superboat Vee Unlimited: Rio Roses, Mike Seebold, Toms River, N.J.
Superboat Vee Limited: Wild Ride, Larry Kostelac, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
Superboat Vee: Rodriguez Group-Fountain, Michel Karsenti, France.
Superboat Limited Catamaran: In-Mocean, Jerry Sorrentino, Sun Valley, Calif.
Superboat Stock: Mapei, Gary Ballough, Boca Raton.
Factory 1: Team SB Ballard Const., Mark Kowalski, Brunswick, Ohio.
Factory 2: JBS Racing, Jeff Stevenson, Winneconne, Wis. Manufacturer
Production P1: Lightning Jacks, John Woolley, Brick, N.J. Manufacturer
Production P2: Sony, Fabio Buzzi, Italy. Manufacturer Production
P3: Wazzup, Edward Smith, Brick, N.J. Manufacturer Production
P4: Herbott/Swipes Racing, Keith Herbott, Lake Harmony, Pa. Manufacturer Production
P5: Kean University Cougars, Scott Begovich, Jupiter.
11-22-2004, 07:50 PM
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Re: Key West Newspaper Articles
Super Cats claim title
BY SUSAN COCKING
[email protected]
The Super Cats stole the show Sunday while the vaunted Superboat Unlimited racers looked like walking wounded in the finals of the Budweiser Fountain Key West World Championships.
Pro Marine, driven by Todd Werner of St. Petersburg and throttled by Randy Scism of St. Louis, was crowned Super Cat world champion even though it finished second to Team Virgin Sunday. With two firsts Wednesday and Saturday, Pro Marine racked up 950 points to 885 for Team Virgin, which had a fourth and third going into Sunday's race.
Fort Lauderdale's Todd Klindworth and Tres Martin pushed Team Virgin ahead of Pro Marine in the 12th lap, averaging 96.29 miles per hour over the 104.3-mile course.
Meanwhile, the four-boat Superboat Unlimited fleet dwindled to two by the end of the race, with both the winner and runner-up limping relatively slowly across the finish line in Key West Harbor.
Bacardi Silver, throttled by John Tomlinson of Aventura and driven by Dave Scott of Edwardsville, Ill. won the world championship, but it wasn't pretty. Bacardi Silver broke a propeller shaft with 2 ½ laps to go, slowing its average speed to a mediocre 87.36 miles per hour over the 104.3-mile course. It still managed to outlast Callan Marine, which crashed down hard off a wave in the 13th lap.
Sunday's win marked the 15th world title for Tomlinson, who has throttled for numerous drivers during his racing career.
Driver Mike Majhess and throttleman Gary Ballough, both of Boca Raton, won the Superboat Stock world championship on Mapei -- their third world title.
BY SUSAN COCKING
[email protected]
The Super Cats stole the show Sunday while the vaunted Superboat Unlimited racers looked like walking wounded in the finals of the Budweiser Fountain Key West World Championships.
Pro Marine, driven by Todd Werner of St. Petersburg and throttled by Randy Scism of St. Louis, was crowned Super Cat world champion even though it finished second to Team Virgin Sunday. With two firsts Wednesday and Saturday, Pro Marine racked up 950 points to 885 for Team Virgin, which had a fourth and third going into Sunday's race.
Fort Lauderdale's Todd Klindworth and Tres Martin pushed Team Virgin ahead of Pro Marine in the 12th lap, averaging 96.29 miles per hour over the 104.3-mile course.
Meanwhile, the four-boat Superboat Unlimited fleet dwindled to two by the end of the race, with both the winner and runner-up limping relatively slowly across the finish line in Key West Harbor.
Bacardi Silver, throttled by John Tomlinson of Aventura and driven by Dave Scott of Edwardsville, Ill. won the world championship, but it wasn't pretty. Bacardi Silver broke a propeller shaft with 2 ½ laps to go, slowing its average speed to a mediocre 87.36 miles per hour over the 104.3-mile course. It still managed to outlast Callan Marine, which crashed down hard off a wave in the 13th lap.
Sunday's win marked the 15th world title for Tomlinson, who has throttled for numerous drivers during his racing career.
Driver Mike Majhess and throttleman Gary Ballough, both of Boca Raton, won the Superboat Stock world championship on Mapei -- their third world title.
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