Key West Boat Races: 2022 World Offshore Championships
Last Updated on November 3, 2023 by Boatsetter Team
Key West Offshore World Championship might be best described as the Indy 500 of powerboat racing, and it truly is a festival of speed on the water. Slated for Sunday through Sunday, Nov. 6-13, the 41st annual event in Key West, Florida, features three days of racing action pitting the top U.S. and international powerboat teams competing for a world championship title in multiple classes.
Here’s what to expect at the 2022 Key West Boat Races:
- When: November 6-13, 2022
- Where: Key West, Florida; Truman Waterfront, Duval Street, Mallory Square
- What: Four races scheduled per day (Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday), featuring boats from multiple classes.
- Enhance your Race Week Experience with a boat rental: Explore Boats in Key West
Between race days fans can view the boats and teams up close in the Truman Waterfront Race Village and view the teams testing on the water. Nightly social events for race teams and fans include multiple concerts, a traditional Duval Street party with race boats on display, and a Sunday night awards ceremony.
Explore All Available Boat Rentals in Key West, FL
Event Schedule
Kickoff Parade
The week kicks off with the ‘World’s Fastest Boat Parade’ of race boats down the island’s famed Duval Street beginning at 4pm Sunday, Nov. 6.
Race Schedule
The excitement builds throughout the week with racing action scheduled for: Wednesday, Nov. 9; Friday, Nov. 11; and Sunday, Nov. 13. Four races are scheduled per day featuring boats from multiple classes.
- Chief among them are the hotly contested Super Cat and Class 1, whose boats can reach up to 140 and 160 mph, respectively, on a 4.4-mile-per-lap course that features both rough and calm water conditions.
- Teams accumulate points in each race toward the championship, so the drama builds throughout the week.
Duval & Greene Powerboat Street Party
Starting on Friday at 7 p.m., the intersection of Duval Street and Greene Street will be blocked off to cars, and instead filled with powerboats hauled in and parked on their trailers right in the middle of the streets. Come up close and personal with these massive race boats, and snap a picture with one!
Boats and Boots Concert
The anticipated entertainment highlight is Saturday night’s Boats and Boots concert with country star Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry fame; musician/PGA golfer John Daly, and headliner Brian Kelley, who co-founded the renowned duo Florida Georgia Line.
Viewing Areas: Where to Watch the Races
The racing series provides an unparalleled experience for spectators. Boats can come within 50 yards of the Truman Waterfront grandstand area, providing fans with breathtaking displays of speed and power.
- Fans can observe the action on race days from several areas on the Truman Waterfront including a VIP grandstand and hospitality tent with a water shuttle transportation service.
- Other popular viewing areas include Key West’s Mallory Square and harborfront hotels.
Tickets
Tickets and information on all-inclusive VIP spectator packages for the Truman Waterfront grandstand and hospitality tent are available at Key West Offshore World Championship.
- General-admission tickets are $25 for a single day or $53 for a three-day pass.
- Admission is free for kids 12 and under and for veterans and active military with a proper ID.
Own a Boat? Let your boat pay for itself. List, rent, earn — Only at Boatsetter.
Charles Plueddeman is a self-employed writer and photographer based in Wisconsin. A staff editor and contributor to Boating Magazine since 1986, he is the author of its “Off My Dock” column. In the marine realm he specializes in engine technology and trailerable boats. His editorial work has appeared in many national publications, including Popular Mechanics, Men’s Journal, Playboy, Popular Science, Cycle World, and Harley-Davidson Enthuisast.
