February 1, 2025
PRESS RELEASE
Speed On The Water
Written by Matt Trulio
Undeterred by the Hurricane Helene-forced cancelation in 2024, Ray Labadie and the other members of the Englewood Beach Waterfest organizing committee have been working diligently to return offshore racing to the Southwest Florida community. And now it’s official. the 2025 Englewood Beach Waterfest-hosted, American Power Boat Association offshore races are set for October 9-12th
The dates and sanctioning body represent a major change for the event. The Englewood Beach Waterfest has provided the platform for the Offshore Power Association for 10 years. The event also typically falls on the second full week of November, the week following the APBA Key West Worlds produced by Race World Offshore.
“The directors of Englewood Beach Waterfest directors had to make a tough decision whether to keep our 10 year relationship with OPA, which is not an APBA member,” explained Labadie. “We joined APBA this year.
As a regional event, the Englewood Beach event is not eligible for acquiring points in the APBA Offshore National Championship Series.
“We are very excited to start this new adventure,” he continued. “Since the beginning, Englewood Beach Waterfest has supported offshore racing and looks forward to our event each year.”
