The Worrell 1000 Race
The Worrell 1000 Race is an offshore long distance beach catamaran sailboat race that was held May 6–18, 2019 and that will be held again May 9–21, 2022. The race runs in the waters between Florida and Virginia Beach, United States. The race will cover approximately 1000 miles with overnight stops at multiple locations along the East Coast of the United States. The organizing authority for the 2022 Worrell 1000 Race will be Worrell 1000 Race Reunion Race, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, (dba Worrell 1000 Race).[1]
History
The origins of Worrell 1000 can be traced to a bet in a bar at the Worrell Bros., a Virginia Beach resort restaurant between the owners of the bar, brothers Michael and Chris Worrell.[2] The bet was that it was impossible to sail a sixteen-foot catamaran from Virginia Beach to Florida. On October 1, 1974, Michael Worrell and his crew Steve McGarrett left the Virginia Beach oceanfront with hopes of reaching Florida in one piece. Although they did not win the bet they still sailed through two hurricanes and had to make multiple boat repairs. After twenty days, they had to stop in Fort Lauderdale due to their catamaran being in poor condition.
Later, Worrell thought of turning the 954-mile journey into a regular regatta. The inaugural race, called Worrell Bros. Coastwise Race, took place in May 1976. Four teams participated in the race. For that first race, limited to 16-foot Hobie Cats, there were very few rules. The participants could sail day and night, but they were supposed to come ashore and phone the restaurant once every 24 hours. The course was flipped with the start in Fort Lauderdale and the finish in Virginia Beach, to take advantage of the prevailing winds. The only team to finish the first race was that of Worrell and crew Guerry Beatson. Two racers didn't make it past Georgia, however the boat crewed by Peter Guthrie and Alan Kramer maintained the lead through Nags Head, North Carolina. Knowing they were well ahead they pulled ashore at the Nags Head pier to take a break. In the distance they saw a sail far to the south and ran to the beach to launch their boat for the final run to Virginia Beach. However, they did not realize how steep the surf was and when they attempted to launch in the high surf it overturned the boat and it broke apart allowing Worrell and Benson to win. The inaugural race took 13 days to complete.
In 1985, the rules were changed to allow any catamaran within a 20-foot length, 8-foot beam, instead of just Hobie Cats. In 1988, the rules were changed to allow only 20-foot catamarans.
In 1988 new owners World 1000. INC., George Hazzis and V. Alfred Etheridge Jr. took over. In 1988 the name was changed to World 1000, to reflect its development into an international event drawing champion sailors from across the United States and around the World, the race is more daring than ever, holding fast to its basis premises, make the rules simple, take the best of both sailor and the equipment, and ingenuity, courage, and determination, keep the United states on the left, and go as fast as you can. Each boat in the World 1000 must be no longer than 21 1/4 feet. Must float if capsized, must solely be powered by wind and currents of the water, must be capable of safely launching from and landing the beach, must weigh more than 400 pounds.
For 2019, eligible classes were the Nacra F20 Carbon (in compliance with international Nacra F20 Carbon Class Rules dated 2011 (Revision 2018) and the Formula 18. For the 2022 event, scheduled to take place May 9 to May 21, 2022, only F18s will be allowed to compete.[3]
Michael Worrell died on June 5, 2010.[4]
Race strategy
There have been many teams who have discussed their individual strategies over the years, and for the most part - the single, best one is to "Keep the continent to your left and sail as fast as you can." The second - don't go too far offshore, even if you think the wind looks better. Many a skipper has ventured out only to find they gave up a lot of distance and fell back in the standings. Cape Hatteras can be very tricky and the famed "Atlantic Graveyard" has competitors sailing over many a lost ship on the ocean floor. Be mindful of advice from past competitors and heed all warnings given by the race committee and PRO - all of which are seasoned Worrell veterans and do their best to steer the competitors right. Don't confuse shoals with sea turtles.[5]
See also
- Hobie Hotline article 1979 Race pages 24-29
- Yachting magazine August 1980 announcing the winners for that year page 116
- Sports Illustrated article about the 1981 race
- Hobie Hotline article 1982 race pages 40-43, 47
- pdf Hobie Hotline article 1984 race pages 30-43
- Small article about the 1985 race, Yachting magazine September 1985, page 58
- MotorBoating & Sailing book August 1987 detailed article about that year's race and historical info
- Outside magazine September article about the 1998 race
References
- "The Worrell 1000 Race Official Web Site About Us Page".
- "About the Worrell 1000 Race". Worrell 1000. Retrieved May 11, 2007.
- Michael Worrell. "The Race Director Looks Back". Worrell 1000. Retrieved May 11, 2007.
- "The Virginia Pilot "Legacy"". Legacy.com.
- Phinizy, Coles (June 1, 1981). "Keep the Continent to your Left". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
External links
| Year | Boat Type | Entrants | Winner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Hobie 16 | 5 | Michael Worrell / Guerry Beatson | 24-hour continuous format; called the "Worrell Bros. Coastwise Race" |
| 1977 | Hobie 16 | 10 | Michael Worrell / Gene Landers / Tom Wickenhauser | 24-hour continuous format; called the "Worrell Bros. Coastwise Race" |
| 1978 | Hobie 16 | 7 | Michael Worrell / Gene Landers / Joe E. Lungwitz | 24-hour continuous format; called the "Worrell Bros. Coastwise Race" |
| 1979 | Hobie 16 | 9 | Team Heritage Transmission: Ron Anthony / Tom Reed / Robert Perrin | 24-hour continuous format; Shortened name to "Worrell 1000" |
| 1980 | Hobie 16 | 9 | Team Peabody's (New Zealand): Rob Perrin / Rob Jeavous / Andy Stagg | 24-hour continuous format; Total elapsed time for winner – 4 days, 11 hours, 49 minutes |
| 1981 | Hobie 16 | 11 | Team Australia; Brett Dryland / Don Wood / Rod Waterhouse | Only time in Worrell history the race was delayed (36 hours) due to 40-knot gale-force winds at the Cape |
| 1982 | Hobie 16 | 10 | Team USA: Carlton Tucker / Hobie Alter Jr. / Miles Wood | "Pit-stop" record of 8 seconds set by team Tidewater, Cape Hatteras checkpoint |
| 1983 | Hobie 16 | 10 | Team Australia; Brett Dryland / Rod Waterhouse | 1st year with overnight stops format. Last year that Ron Anthony raced – he died July of that year |
| 1984 | Hobie 16 | 10 | Team Rudee's: Dean Froome / Enrique Figueroa | The year one of the grounds crew lost their jeep when it was swept out to sea |
| 1985 | Switched to 20' & Under rule | 12 | Team Sandwich Island: Randy Smyth / Jay Glaser | 1st year open to custom & stock boats 20' length x 8' beam. The fleet included a modified Hobie 18, Nacra 5.8s, G-Cat 5.7's, Supercat 19's & 19' Stampede |
| 1986 | 20' & Under Rule | 5 | Team Dominos; Greg Richardson / Roy Seaman | Only 3 boats finish; National Geographic filmed a documentary that aired on the (then) Turner Network (National Geographic Explorers) |
| 1987 | 20' & Under Rule | 16 | Team Hall's Auto World; Roy Seaman / Al Etheridge | Only 5 boats finish that year |
| 1988 | Updated to 20' Only Rule – TWO Classes allowed; Open & Modified Production | 13 | Open Class: Team Australia; Ian Bashford / Rod Waterhouse Modified Production Class: Team Bliss; Rick Bliss / Steve Tartaglino | Last leg cancelled, Australia declared winner. Only Rick Bliss/Steve Tartaglino went on to Va Beach. Called the "World 1000" |
| 1989 | 20' Only Rule | 10 | Team Super Lube; Randy Smyth / Kevin Burnham | 2nd, Australia; 3rd, Russia; 4th, Loctite (Onsgard/Casto) 5th, Tartagliano/Najmy Only 5 finishers. Called the "World 1000" |
| 1990-1996 | No races | |||
| 1997 | 20' Only Rule | 13 | Team Chick's Beach; Randy Smyth / Jason Sneed | It's return hailed as a "production class event" Only 6 boats finish |
| 1998 | 20' Only Rule | 21 | Team Chick's Beach; Randy Smyth / Jason Sneed | Course record set: 75:17; Stood until 2002. Only 7 boats finish |
| 1999 | 20' Only Rule | 13 | Team Chick's Beach; Randy Smyth / Keith Notary | Randy wins despite an infected rope burn on his right leg |
| 2000 | Nacra Inter 20 | 19 | Team Blockade Runner; Randy Smyth / Matt Struble | Only 15 of 19 teams finish |
| 2001 | Nacra Inter 20 | 21 | Team Alexander's On The Bay; Brian Lambert / Jamie Livingston | First time an all female team participated: Ketie Pettibone & Eleanor Hay. 16 of 21 teams finish |
| 2002 | Nacra Inter 20 | 25 | Team Alexander's On The Bay; Brian Lambert / Jamie Livingston | Course record set: 71:32:55 - Still stands |
| 2003-2018 | No races | |||
| 2019 | Carbon 20/F18 | 3 | Team Australia; Rod Waterhouse / Beau White | Dubbed the "Worrell 1000 Reunion Race" after a 17-year hiatus |
| 2022 (Delayed from 2021 to 2022 due to COVID) | F18 | 13 | Team Australia; Rod Waterhouse / Chris Way | Mantra was "13 to VA Beach!" in a very rough weather year. All 13 made it through to the final leg with just one team dismasting and not making it to va beach during the last leg. |
| 2024 | F18 | 50th Anniversary Race: "Celebrating the Spark that Lit the Flame" to run in May 2024; Registration opened on 4/19/23 and the field of 15 filled within 48 hours.
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