With his unmatched success and record-breaking achievements, it came as a surprise to powerboat racing fans worldwide when Steve Curtis announced that he would not be racing in the 2023 edition of Key West. As the GOAT of offshore powerboat racing, his absence was felt by enthusiasts and competitors alike.
While speaking to Powerboatracingworld.com, Curtis explained the team’s decision, stating, “We basically decided not to race Key West this year. Personally, I love the event, but as a team, we decided not to race.” While he didn’t go into details about the reasons behind the decision, speculations ran rampant among fans, wondering if it was due to technical issues, strategic planning, or other factors in social media.
However, Curtis quickly shifted his focus to the future. “I am now excited to see the new Class 1 World Championship calendar,” he revealed. “I hope that we can get back over to race a few events in Europe.” The announcement will for sure spark excitment among his supporters, eager to witness Curtis returning to his winning ways on international waters.
Powerboat racing enthusiasts eagerly awaited the launch of the 2024 calendar by PowerboatP1. Curtis’s remark has only increased the curiosity surrounding P1´s future plans. Would Mr Curtis continue dominating the sport? Only time would tell.
In the meantime, fans reminisced about Curtis’s remarkable career. Starting at the young age of 21, he had already made history by becoming the youngest Class 1 champion and the first Briton to claim the title in Key West, Florida, in 1985. From there, his journey was a continuous stream of triumphs, accumulating over 20 World Championships, European Championships, and Middle East Championships throughout his illustrious 33-year career.
One particular accomplishment that stood out was his world record for the fastest propeller-driven watercraft, reaching a mind-boggling speed of 244mph in 2014 at the Lake of the Ozarks Top Gun Shootout. This feat cemented his status as a legend in the sport and solidified his place as the GOAT of offshore powerboat racing.
Curtis’s partnership with Huski Racing had also been a fruitful one. In their inaugural season of racing in 2021, they claimed the APBA World Championship, with Curtis as the throttleman and Carlos de Quesada as the driver. The victory marked a significant milestone for the team, and lets hope its the beginning of an extraordinary journey.
Class1.com posted on Facebook tuesday night :
Six of our UIM Class 1 World Championship teams will battle it out this week at the 2023 Key West Offshore World Championship.
https://raceworldoffshore.com/key-west