The XINSURANCE Clearwater Offshore Nationals returns to Clearwater Beach, Florida, from Thursday, September 24 to Sunday, September 27, 2026, with racing on Saturday and Sunday. Presented by Visit St. Pete Clearwater, the event is free to attend, with roughly 90 offshore race boats visible from the beach and Pier 60.
Clearwater is round three of the Race World Offshore UIM World Championship Series, following Atlantic City and Michigan City, and the last stop before the season finale at Key West in November. Results here also count toward qualification for the Key West World Championships.
What Spectators Will See
Boats up to 50 feet long race a 5.0-mile course just a couple of hundred yards off Clearwater Beach, running parallel to the shore. Turn One sits roughly 100 yards off the beach’s landmark Pier 60, putting the fleet close enough to watch from the sand without binoculars.
A privately organised spectator fleet anchors just offshore of the course in an area set aside by organisers, and several tour boat operators run race-day cruises out to watch from the water. Beachfront hotels along the course typically hold their own watch parties.
Turn coordinates, most recently published by race organisers:
| Point | Latitude | Longitude |
| CW 1 | 27°58.544′ | 82°50.058′ |
| CW 1A | 27°58.538′ | 82°50.135′ |
| CW 1B | 27°58.573′ | 82°50.204′ |
| CW 2 | 28°00.407′ | 82°50.162′ |
| CW 2A | 28°00.419′ | 82°50.070′ |
| CW 2B | 28°00.359′ | 82°50.014′ |
| Start | 27°59.011′ | 82°50.064′ |
| Finish | 27°59.016′ | 82°49.982′ |
| Safety Position 1 | 27°58.613′ | 82°50.378′ |
| Safety Position 2 | 28°00.474′ | 82°50.312′ |
Coordinates are the most recently published race course data and are subject to final confirmation by race organisers. RWO’s source table lists the northern turn buoy as “CW 2B”; this appears to duplicate the label used for the southern buoy of that pair, and is presented here as CW 2 to match the course’s naming pattern elsewhere.
2026 Race Week Schedule
Race Week runs Thursday through Sunday, with the two race days on Saturday and Sunday. Local time below is Eastern.
| Thursday, September 24 | ||
| Dry Pits Open | 7:00 AM EDT | |
| Early Registration | 1:00 PM EDT | |
| Friday, September 25 | ||
| Registration | 9:00 AM EDT | |
| Race Boat Inspections (EZ Pass required) | 9:00 AM EDT | |
| Dunker/Swim Testing | 10:00 AM EDT | |
| Sunoco Fuel Truck Open | 9:00 AM EDT | |
| Saturday, September 26 (Race Day 1) | ||
| Mandatory Physicals | 7:00 AM EDT | |
| Mandatory Drivers Meeting (all drivers and throttlemen) | 8:00 AM EDT | |
| Boat Ramp & Crane Open | 8:00 AM EDT | |
| Sunoco Fuel Truck Open | 8:00 AM EDT | |
| Offshore Testing | 9:30 AM EDT | |
| Final Race Boat Inspections | 9:30 AM EDT | |
| Qualifying (Class 1, Class 2, Super Cat, Super Stock) | 12:15 PM EDT | |
| Race 1 – Bracket Classes 2, 3 & 4 and Super Stock | 12:45 PM EDT | |
| Race 2 – Class 1 and Class 2 | 2:00 PM EDT | |
| Race 3 – Super Cat & Super Vee | 2:45 PM EDT | |
| Sunday, September 27 (Race Day 2) | ||
| Mandatory Physicals (Sunday racers only) | 7:30 AM EDT | |
| Chapel Service | 8:00 AM EDT | |
| Mandatory Drivers Meeting (Sunday racers) | 8:00 AM EDT | |
| Boat Ramp & Crane Open | 8:00 AM EDT | |
| Sunoco Fuel Truck Open | 8:00 AM EDT | |
| Race 1 – Super Stock and Bracket Classes 5 & 6 | 11:00 AM EDT | |
| Race 2 – Bracket Class 7 & Vee Limited | 11:45 AM EDT | |
| Race 3 – Super Cat | 1:00 PM EDT | |
| Race 4 – Mod Vee | 1:45 PM EDT | |
| Race 5 – Class 1 & Class 2 | 3:00 PM EDT | |
| Awards Ceremony | 7:00 PM EDT | |
Times shown are Eastern Daylight Time (Clearwater local time) and are subject to change. The “Your Time” column converts automatically to your device’s local time zone.
Venue and Getting There
Racing is based at Sand Key Park, with the course running north along Clearwater Beach past Pier 60. No admission is charged at any of the race events.
Those wanting to avoid driving to the beach can take the Jolley Trolley, which runs from Pier 60 to the entrance of Sand Key Park, where the race boats are based. The trolley accepts tap-to-pay, the Flamingo Fares app, or exact cash.
A Key Stop on the Way to Key West
Clearwater sits between Michigan City and the season-closing Key West World Championships in November. Competitors need to have raced at least two of the four 2026 RWO/APBA series events to qualify for Key West, making Clearwater a final opportunity for teams who missed an earlier round.
Follow the 2026 Race World Offshore Season
Powerboat News is covering the full XINSURANCE UIM World Championship Series season, from Atlantic City through to Key West.
Race World Offshore Standings
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
