Worrell 1000 Race

10/11/2026

🎥 MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The 2028 Worrell 1000 Orientation is Going LIVE! ⛵️

The countdown to May 1, 2027—the day registration officially opens for the 2028 event—is on! With the holidays just around the corner, we want to arm every competitor, hopeful team, and shore crews with the critical information they need to plan their campaigns well before the New Year.

Join us on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST right here on Facebook for an exclusive, all-access interactive broadcast: "The 2028 Worrell Orientation"

Our Principal Race Officer (PRO), John Williams, will host the event and deliver an in-depth, masterclass look at what it truly takes to conquer this 1,000-mile Legacy run. Whether you're aiming to be on an F18, be a team manager or wrestle boats in the surf as ground crew, this session is for you.

John will break down a comprehensive slide deck covering:
• 📦 Logistics & Coastline Planning
• 💰 Real-World Budgeting & Campaigns
• 🌊 The Reality of Physical & Emotional Endurance
• ❓ Answers to the Most Frequently Asked Questions

💬 An Interactive Community Event

This isn't a one-way lecture. You can type your questions directly into the live chat to get answers in real time. Plus, if appropriate, John will send out direct invites for participants to join the live broadcast screen to chat face-to-face so the entire international community can benefit from the conversation!

"We did a similar orientation for the 2022 event via Zoom, but by pivoting to Facebook Live, we are throwing the doors wide open," says PRO John Williams. "Not only can the competitors get their technical answers, but our incredible fans can pull up a front-row seat too. This is truly a community-driven race, and giving our fan base a chance to embed themselves in the planning will only strengthen that legacy spirit."

🌍 Global Timing Parameters

Because the Worrell 1000 attracts elite talent from all over the world, John carefully selected this day and time to accommodate as many time zones as possible:

• 🇺🇸 USA/Canada: Early evening / Late afternoon (Saturday, Nov 21)
• 🇦🇺 Australia: ~9:00 AM Sunday morning (Sunday, Nov 22)
• 🇪🇺 Europe: We acknowledge that this late-night slot may be tough for our European friends, but don't worry—the entire broadcast will be saved and fully viewable on our page for 30 days so you won't miss a beat!

We are incredibly energized to connect with the teams, answer your questions, and fuel the fire for 2028!

👇 PLANNING TO TUNE IN? Drop a 👍 in the comments below if you’ll be joining us on November 21st and let us know where you'll be watching from! ⛵️🔥

10/03/2026

"Keep the Continent on Your Left and Go as Fast as You Can."

That was the simple, legendary advice given to the early pioneers of the Worrell 1000, and it still rings true today.

This incredible old-school documentary footage captures the absolute soul of the race. What began all the way back in 1974 as a wild barroom bet, has evolved into what has rightfully been called the Tour de France, the Super Bowl, and the World Cup of small cat sailing!

The Mike Worrell answer when a reporter asks about the weather forecast for the day (2:20) embodies the true Worrell spirit:

"To tell you the truth, I didn't really pay that much attention because our theory is it doesn't matter. We got to go." (2:28)

Storm or calm, treacherous or deceptive—when that morning Le Mans-style starting horn blows, you push into the surf and face whatever the Atlantic has to offer.

Over the years, world-class athletes, holders of Olympic medals, and World Titles have come to test their grit on this coastline. This race is a beautiful, terrifying dance of champions.

The countdown to the 2028 Legacy Run is ticking. The NOR is up, the volunteer crews are set and the beach is waiting. Are you ready to keep the continent on your left? ⛵💨
📺 Watch the incredible throwback video below and get a taste of pure Worrell history:

Worrell History

09/23/2026

They are some Worrell Warriors doing this race - Best of luck to all!

09/16/2026

🎞️ Vintage Gold & Shark Encounters: The Wild Reality of the 1987 Worrell 1000! 🦈

A massive shoutout to dedicated Worrell fan Ian Johnson all the way from Australia, who sent us two incredible photos of an original, mint-condition event program from 1987!

The '87 race kicked off during a time of absolute frenzy for the event. Just one year prior, the entire world took notice when National Geographic Explorer aired a full feature documentary on the 1986 Worrell 1000, launching the race into international stardom.

If you’ve never seen that legendary broadcast, we’ve got you covered! Check out the edited version of the original National Geographic program on YouTube right here: https://youtu.be/8MC2HG7iXbA?si=MAYIKkbtp-kMB8TI

According to an archive booklet we have, "The Odd, Strange and Curious—Memorable Moments from Past Worrell 1000 Races," 1987 was a year of absolute survival:

🦈 The Great White (and Hammerhead) North: While navigating the treacherous waters off Cape Hatteras, airline pilot Jim Pickle reported spotting a terrifying congregation of more than 150 sharks from the air. The eventual 1987 champions, Team Hall Auto World (Roy Seaman and Al Etheridge), found themselves sailing directly through the feeding ground when an 8-foot hammerhead shark aggressively slammed into their hulls, sending a massive geyser of seawater straight over Al Etheridge!

🌁 The Oregon Inlet Bridge Crash: In a harrowing incident, a thick, heavy fog rolled in, dropping visibility down to mere feet. Team Graphiti (Wayne Mooneyham and Michael Bender) were navigating blind when their 20-foot catamaran violently rammed directly into the Oregon Inlet Bridge. The impact broke their boat completely apart, requiring a rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard.

From sharks attacking hulls to blind bridge collisions in the fog—1987 proved exactly why this race is the ultimate test of human tenacity and why sailors the world over compete in it - Adrenaline Junkies? Addicted to Danger? You be the judge!

09/13/2026

So John Williams, your PRO and Beverley Simmons, your Communications Director are currently at the H16 International Championships in Ocean Springs Mississippi- covering the 2 weeks of racing for Masters, Grand Maters, Great Grand Masters and Open Series small cat sailing.

This is a great vid with some of the many, very talented racers talking about what the “Hobie Way of Life” means to them. Look closely….there are a few H16 Worrell Warriors and some from the 20’ and under era. I think all sailors have a soft spot in their soul for the sport we all love…..

Please consider liking and following their page and keeping up with the daily live feeds and sizzle reels!

08/13/2026

📸 51 Years of Worrell History in our Galleries!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in our case, it’s worth 1,000 miles of raw adrenaline, crushing surf, and pure love for the race. Whether you’ve been on the beach since the 1970s or joined our racing family during our recent revivals, we have a time machine waiting for you!

We've organized four, dedicated SmugMug galleries capturing all the epic moments of this race’s legacy. Click the links below, and prepare to go down Worrell memory lane:

The Pre-2019 Historical Archive:

See the classic boats, the vintage gear, and the early legends who laid the foundation.👉 https://beverleysimmons.smugmug.com/Worrell-1000-Historical-Photos

The 2019 Reunion Race:

Relive the electric energy of the year we brought the legacy back to life after a 17-year absence.👉 https://beverleysimmons.smugmug.com/Worrell2019ReunionRace/n-5kmmXf

The 2022 Shoreline Gauntlet:

High winds, wild finishes, and unforgettable beach launches.
👉 https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-3spj82

The 2024 50th Anniversary Race:

Our latest, historic running celebrating a half-century of offshore supremacy.👉 https://beverleysimmons.smugmug.com/Worrell-1000-2024

WE WANT YOUR PHOTOS! 🫵Our official media team captures incredible shots, but some of the best moments happen through the lenses of our fans, shore crews, and local spectators on the sand. Do you have pics or videos tucked away on your phone or computer from any of these years? Don’t let them sit unseen! We want to officially preserve them in our public galleries!

How to contribute: Slide into our DMs right now and tell us which year your photos are from. We'll reply with a special, direct upload link for that specific gallery so you can add your shots straight to the official Worrell history books. Let’s keep building the ultimate archive together!

Drop a comment below with your favorite year to watch the race!

08/06/2026

1,000 Miles. 13 Days. Endless Surf. The Sailors Get the Glory, but the Worrell Is Won on the Sand.

When a catamaran smashes through the Atlantic breakers, all eyes are on the sailors. But behind every single boat on the line is an unsung army of absolute warriors: The Ground Crew.

The Worrell 1000 is a team survival gauntlet, and it can be won or lost on the hot sand. Crew managers, drivers and beach pushers are the true lifeblood of this race. They drive hundreds of miles up the coast, surviving on zero sleep, just to track their team from beach to beach. And being a pusher? It's a high-octane, dangerous job. You push from the sand into waist-deep ocean surf, wrestling a catamaran against breaking waves, risking injury and lifting hulls with raw adrenaline just to launch your team safely into the blue. One wrong step, one shifting hull, or one hidden rudder blade, and you're getting stitched up.

Without the land teams, no one crosses the starting line - no one finishes. Who was the ultimate MVP shore crew for you? Tag them below and give them the shout-out they deserve!

08/01/2026

The Women of the Worrell: Breaking Waves & Making History

The Worrell 1000 has been known as one of the most grueling, punishing offshore catamaran races on the planet. Throughout it's history, fierce, ultra-talented women have been lining up on the beach to conquer it right alongside the men.

To sail the Worrell takes pure grit and unmatched mental toughness. The lady sailors of the Worrell have always brought that in spades, carving their names directly into its legacy:

The Hobie 16 Era (Alternating Formats): Martha Gruelle pioneered the surf line in 1977 and 1979, followed by Judy Popejoy tackling the coast in 1982.

The 20-Foot and Under Era: Meg Mosher proved she had the sand to handle the massive 20-ft platforms over the grueling 1987 and 1989 editions.

The Modern Format: Trailblazers like Dior Hubel (2000), Sue Korzeniewski (2000), and the iconic Sandra Tartaglino, who commanded the fleet in 1998, 2000, and 2001. We also saw powerhouse all-female talent like Katie Pettibone, Eleanor Hay, and Suzette Cruz lighting up the coastline in 2001.

Will we see more incredible women stepping up to challenge the Atlantic surf soon? We certainly hope so!

👇 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 👇

Who is a female sailor you absolutely hope to see tackling the surf in 2028? Tag her in the comments below! Whether she's a past Worrell veteran we need to coax back onto the beach, an F18 class champion, or a rising offshore star—let’s flood the comments with the names of the women who belong on the 2028 starting line!