Worrell 1000: An adventure for a reason

Daytona Beach, FL (May 12, 2022) – Shortly after Team Australia on May 10 sailed to the Leg 2 finish as just 1 of 4 boats to conquer the Jensen to Cocoa Beach stage of the 2022 Worrell 1000, the event Principal Race Officer John Williams came on Facebook LIVE to let the rest of the world in on what he had already told the fleet: The following day’s leg has been called. No racing – all will be trailering to Daytona.

Although the racers were collectively relieved (Mommy Nature’s foul mood was still causing havoc) – the main reason for the decision was logistics.

The Organizing Authority chose this location for the Daytona checkpoint for two reasons: The Hotel was located on a favorable area of beach that could accommodate all boats, and was adjacent to a wide, beach access point from the nearby parking lot.

Now – that last item is something that is rarely needed – especially if the racers are able to sail to the beach and launch off the beach as planned. But after the chaos on Leg 2, the Leg 3 course from Cocoa Beach to Daytona Beach would be by land.

As yesterday went on, the challenge heightened to get the retired boats trailered to the Daytona Beach checkpoint on to the beach for the following day’s Leg 4 start. The problem was where they retired was also where a private business owner denied shore teams access.

The contention was how the business maintained sole control of the beach access at that point. With the next, nearest one a mile away – and the fact that there would still be a need to cross over their “private” area of beach to get there… what to do?

Chuck Bargeron, Worrell Director of Research, Development & Logistics, had to work some magic with local authorities. No easy feat. It took all day – and well into the night – to get local law enforcement to agree to escort the four boats that did make it by way of sea to Cocoa Beach through that access point so they could trailer to Daytona with the rest of the fleet.

There were some very tense hours when we thought we may have to gather the troops and carry the four boats over the narrow boardwalk and dunes (massively overgrown with vegetation, BTW).

It’s a shame that it had to be this way – the actual time it took to get those four boats through that access point was less than an half an hour. A half hour between 1 and 2 am when all the rest of Cocoa Beach were peacefully asleep, not knowing or caring that four boats on trailers were going through, “taking up space”.

In the end, all the fleet made it to Daytona – by way of the paved ribbon – and got their boats on the beach without any hassles. The Ocean Deck Bar and Restaurant provided an awesome buffet-style dinner on our own, private pavilion.

The stress of the previous day’s events melted away amid the drinks, the nosh and the Worrell fans and past competitors who stopped by to mingle with current ones. One gal even brought vintage Worrell event t-shirts – Signed by Michael Worrell, Lee Queensbury, Rick Bliss, Sandra Tartaglino and more…..

Yep. Good folks far outnumber the bad. On to the next…….

And now, today begins the fourth stage along Florida from Daytona Beach to Jacksonville Beach.

Race details – Entry list – Results – Facebook – Photos

Schedule – 12 stages
• Day 1 – Monday 09 May 2022 – Hollywood, FL –> Jensen Beach, FL
• Day 2 – Tuesday 10 May 2022 – Jensen Beach, FL –> Cocoa Beach, FL
• Day 3 – Wednesday 11 May 2022 – Cocoa Beach, FL ->Daytona Beach, FL (CANCELLED)
• Day 4 – Thursday 12 May 2022 – Daytona Beach, FL -> Jacksonville Beach, FL
• Day 5 – Friday 13 May 2022 – Jacksonville Beach, FL –> Tybee Island, GA
• Day 6 – Saturday 14 May 2022 – Tybee Island, GA (lay day)
• Day 7 – Sunday 15 May 2022 – Tybee Island, GA –> Folly Beach, SC
• Day 8 – Monday 16 May 2022 – Folly Beach, SC -> Surfside Beach, SC
• Day 9 – Tuesday 17 May 2022 – Surfside Beach, SC –> Wrightsville Beach, NC
• Day 10 – Wednesday 18 May 2022 – Wrightsville Beach, NC -> Atlantic Beach, NC
• Day 11 – Thursday 19 May 2022 – Atlantic Beach, NC -> Hatteras, NC
• Day 12 – Friday 20 May 2022 – Hatteras, NC -> Kill Devil Hills, NC
• Day 13 – Saturday 21 May 2022 – Kill Devil Hills, NC ->Virginia Beach, VA

Source: Beverley J Simmons