Power Boat Fiesta Sunday, April 13th…
First of several scheduled Power Boat Poker Run events….

After years of no competitive activities for our Power Boats in Antigua & Barbuda, CMW staged the first annual Paradise Boat Sales Poker Run Challenge which took place in November 2007. Just over 20 boats participated in the event which started and ended in the beautiful Super Yacht Terminal in the Jolly Harbour Marina.

On Sunday, April 6th, 2008 Power Boating will take center stage as Carib MotorWorld.com (CMW) will be staging a grand Power Boat Fiesta event.

After staging the first annual Paradise Boat Sales Poker Run Challenge in November 2007, the participants which turned out in good numbers; were indeed excited about the return of organized activities for Power Boats to the island and for 2008 they will have lots more to look forward to through a series of Power Boating events which will be done not as heads up power boat racing but a Poker Runs.

For those of us who are not aware of what a Power Boat Poker Run is, the event as we mentioned is not a heads-up race, but more a game of chance. It’s a family and team event where boats will run along a set course around or along the island making stops at up to five (5) mapped locations to collect a sealed envelope containing a playing card. After covering the entire course, all teams then will return to the ending location where they will submit their envelopes to the event marshals who will then determine the various winners based on the hands collected.

While it does involve boats going at pretty high speed along the course at times, some vessels may also take the maximum time of three hours to run the course. As we prepare for the return of Power Boat racing in 2009, we thought that by staging several Poker Run events, it will be an ideal opportunity for power boaters to slowly get back into the skills required for participating in such events. It’s also an ideal opportunity for friends and families to have a great time through friendly competition.

Event organizers are in the final stages of planning the event, however they have set a tentative course which is expected to start from the beautiful Super Yacht Terminal in Jolly Harbour where the boats will then head our along a course making card stops along Johnson’s Point, Deep Bay, Dickenson Bay, Maiden Island eventually finishing on Runaway Bay where there will be a grand Beach Party and prize-giving function. Other activities will include a jet-ski race and lots of activities.

Spectators and boating fans are encourage to come out to Runaway Bay at our party location and see the boats as they pass along the course; returning for the ending of the event. There will be live entertainment and fun for the entire family from 10:00AM.

For the various categories in the event, there will be cash prizes of over EC$5,000.00 up for grabs compliments our major sponsor Paradise Boat Sales local agents for Mercury Outboards and Boston Whaler. Prizes include first to third best card hands, best uniformed crew, best performance and lots more.

There will be several other Power Boating events as we gear up for our grand Power Boat Regatta which is to be held in June and will feature both local and regional boats for not one but three days of events which will be held at various locations between Antigua and our sister Island Barbuda.