Worrell 1000 sailboat race returns this year with a checkpoint in Cocoa Beach
After last being held in 2019, the Worrell 1000 Race will make its return in May with one of the checkpoints in Cocoa Beach.
The Worrell 1000 is an offshore long-distance beach catamaran sailboat race held in in the Atlantic waters between Florida and Virginia Beach, Virginia.
The race will cover approximately 1,000 miles with overnight stops at multiple locations along the East Coast of the United States.
The event is named after Michael Worrell and the first official race was held in 1974. It was held again in 1976, and went uninterrupted until 1989. No races were held from 1990-96, but went again from 1997-2002. It then went on hiatus again from 2003-18.
In 2012 Robert Feldman, Neil Wilson and Bill Phitnos came together to build a plan on how to get the race back up and running.
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Seven years later, the race resumed and there were plans to hold it aga in 2020 but with the emergence of the pandemic, it was cancelled.
Now, in 2022, the race is back on track and will start in Hollywood, Florida, on May 9 and end on May 21 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. There are several checkpoints along the coast of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
The stop in Cocoa Beach will be on May 10 and sailors will depart from there on May 11.
"It's a very unique race being that is very close to shore," Feldman said. "You get to see the beautiful coast line and get a close view of the space center from the water."
The teams are timed based on their splits from checkpoint to checkpoint and whichever team finishes with the fastest lap time wins.
While knowing how unkind the waters can get, Feldman emphasized that teams are not penalized for stopping to help a fellow sailor who may need assistance.
"This race has a long history of the sailor spirit and sailors helping sailors," Feldman said. "It can be challenging but the risk is what makes it more fun."
There will be 16 teams competing in this year's race. Rockledge resident Alan Kramer was one of the sailors in the very first race and he is excited that one of the checkpoints is so close to home.
"I'm incredibly excited. In years past I kept telling my wife we needed to drive down to south Florida to greet everyone," Kramer said. "This year we will be there to greet everyone at the checkpoint."
Feldman, Kramer, and many other sailing fans are happy that this race is back on.
Regardless of which place sailors finish in Feldman made it clear how big of an accomplishment it is just to compete in the race.
"When you mention to other sailors that you sailed the Worrell 1000 their eyes widen because they know how difficult the race is," Feldman said. "There is a sense of accomplishment for just sailing and finishing the race."
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Worrell 1000 sailboat race returns in 2022, will stop in Cocoa Beach
