- Key west race week 2009 was sponsored by a number of companies
- Key west race week includes a ten race series for boats, with a number of different classes
- Key west race week attracts spectators and participants both
Key west race week 2009 occurred January nineteenth through the twenty third, and was a week full of great racing and other activities for everyone who attended. Keywest race week is a tradition, and has occurred for more than two decades. Whether you are a sailor or just an observer, key west race week means having a great time. Even if you do not own a boat, many of the racers are looking for crew members, so you can participate in the races anyway. Look for the race village, where notices will be posted about crew members needed and which boat captain to talk to about filling the posted position. It is impossible to miss the village, because it is the center of activity during the race series.
After the keywest race events have been finished each day, the party starts. The race village is also the place where you can buy tickets to some of the evening parties, usually held in tents, where the captains and crews hang out and drink rum based drinks and other alcoholic beverages. The Green Parrot Bar is a favorite hangout in the evenings for many sailors who visit every year to participate in the races, and stopping by for a drink will allow you to mingle with them. Key West Race Week 2009 was sponsored in part by Mount Gay Rum, and drinking and partying are a big part of the event, however all of the sponsors remind people to do so responsibly.
One big part of key west race week every year is the red Mount Gay Rum hats, red baseball caps with the company emblem on them. A small number of these caps are given each year by the co-sponsor Mount Gay Rum, and they are only given to crews who actually sail in the races. You can not find them in any store, even on the island, and they can not be found for retail sale anywhere. These hats are considered a badge of honor and respect during keywest race week, and are worn proudly. At times a pink one may be seen due to the fact that it is older and has been washed several times, yet the owner will not throw it away and still wears it. A few of these hats have been sold privately, and for top dollar, but this is frowned upon and does not happen often.
Key west race week 2009 also involved boating to watch the races. Charter boats were hired to take people out on the water for the day to view the racing boats much better. Many involved catered meals and drinks, as well as other activities. Key west race week is a week of fun and excitement, and people come from all over the world to watch and participate in the ten race series, as well as all the other fun things to see and do here. The winner of the Farr 40 class race this year, the Italian owned entry Mascalzone Latino, shows that the keywest race is well known and popular all over the world. Thousands of people flock to the island in January just to take part in this event every single year. The bars and lounges on the island are filled every night, with crews and visitors mingling and having a good time. In 2010, key west race week will be held from January eighteenth through the twenty second, so you may want to clear your calendar that week if you want to attend and have the time of your life. This is a week you will remember forever, and may want to repeat every year.
So I have never seen the Key West race … heck, I have never seen a boat race in my life and really, I think that this boat race sounds pretty interesting. I think for 2010, I will be checking it out.
Although I have only seen one boat race in my life, I loved it! It was exciting, daring, drama-filled and it definitely was filled with people! Personally, I am a people’s person so I love the fact that this boat race attracts so many visitor’s!
This year, I actually caught this race by accident and I did get to go out on the charter boat and see the right up close and personal. That is what I recommend, it was incredible! For 2010, everyone really should visit Key West for this race!