High-speed powerboats that reach speeds of up to 160 mph are back on the bay this weekend, after Hurricanes Helene and Milton canceled the 2024 event.
The 5th annual Monster Energy St. Petersburg Powerboat P1 Grand Prix will take over the downtown waterfront from Friday through Sunday. Admission is free throughout the weekend.
The festivities begin Friday evening with a Pit Party at Albert Whitted Park. Over 50 powerboat and 30 jet ski teams will then compete for the inaugural P1 Offshore Triple Crown and AquaX National Championship, respectively.
“I would say St. Pete is one of the top venues that we race at, as far as amenities and where everything is located,” said Michelle Petro, director of operations. “We’ve always liked St. Pete. It’s one of our favorite venues to race in.”
Petro told the Catalyst that P1 is looking forward to the weather cooperating this year. St. Petersburg’s other grand prix debuted in 2021 and attracted an estimated 30,000 people despite heavy rains.
A hurricane “narrowly missed” the area in 2023, and an unprecedented storm season postponed and then cancelled the 2024 event. However, Petro stressed that an ideal location for waterborne racing compensates for the unpredictable late-summer weather.
P1 will offer “elevated” VIP viewing at the end of the St. Pete Pier, which is directly across from the start and finish line. Tickets include complimentary food, beverages and a live stream of the races.
“We typically have a lot of anchored boats around, which kind of adds to the ambience or atmosphere,” Petro said. “And St. Pete is a nice town – lots of lively restaurants and things to do.”
P1 Offshore, an international marine motorsport promoter, launched the Offshore Triple Crown in June. The innovative series pits powerboat teams from the top five classes against each other in six races for the chance to earn additional prize money.
The series kicked off in New Orleans before heading to Sheboygan, Wisconsin. St. Petersburg will host the final two races.
“It’s been a fun ride, and I think we’re going to continue it next year,” Petro said. “There are quite a few classes that are neck and neck at this point.”
Fans in St. Petersburg will benefit from the inclement weather on Lake Michigan during the race in Sheboygan. Petro said some classes were not able to compete and will make up those races this weekend.
“There’s going to be a few deciding factors in St. Pete,” she added. “So, it should be pretty exciting.”
Powerboat racers will speed around a six-mile offshore circuit and inevitably become airborne as they encounter wakes. While AquaX jet skis will navigate a shorter course with more turns, both extend west into Tampa Bay from the St. Pete Pier.
Petro said P1 would prefer racing north to south, parallel with the downtown waterfront. However, shallow water north of the Pier and Albert Whitted Airport to its south necessitated an east-to-west track.
Petro noted that the Pier District still provides an ideal viewing area, and Vinoy Park is “pretty good.” The Racer Network, formerly MAV TV, and P1’s YouTube channel and Facebook page will also live stream the action.
The Pit Party runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at Albert Whitted Park and will feature vendors, food trucks, and a performance from country music artist Andy Velo. “People can walk around and meet and greet with the teams, get some autographs and pictures and actually touch the boats, if they’d like to,” Petro said.
“We usually have quite a lot of people come through and interact quite a bit.”
She said the races have recently attracted between 15,000 and 20,000 people, slightly less than in other cities. Petro blames the weather, although the weekend forecast calls for sunny skies and relatively mild temperatures.
Net proceeds from this year’s event benefit the P1 Marine Foundation, which will provide a donation to Tampa Bay Watch during an awards ceremony Sunday. “We’re excited to be in St. Pete again,” Petro said. “We look forward to a great event.”
For more information on the event, visit the website here.
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
