One of the world’s most renowned long-distance beach catamaran races is set to return in 2028, with organizers of the Worrell 1000 announcing this week that the historic competition will resume following a four-year hiatus.
After the 2024 competition, organizers elected to pause operations to address administrative challenges and undertake a comprehensive restructuring effort aimed at securing the race’s long-term future.
“We know our community, sponsors, and media partners have been waiting for answers, and we deeply appreciate their patience during this time,” said John Williams, newly appointed board member and race officer, in a statement announcing the race’s return. “We’ve taken the needed time to work on the administrative fundamentals, and we are returning with total structural alignment, absolute transparency, and the organizational support this historic race deserves.”
Organizers said the leadership team has spent the past two years working through administrative and operational issues while developing a long-term plan for the future of the race. Officials are now reconnecting with former competitors, host communities and sponsors as preparations begin for the 2028 event.
While the 2028 route has not yet been announced, the Worrell 1000 has long been a fixture on the Outer Banks, with checkpoint stops on both Hatteras and Ocracoke islands serving as some of the race’s most anticipated destinations.
For decades, Hatteras Island was a regular stop on the grueling East Coast race, with teams landing in Frisco before continuing north around Cape Hatteras and the notorious Diamond Shoals. During the race’s 50th-anniversary edition in 2024, organizers shifted the Outer Banks layover to Ocracoke Island, where competitors traveled from Atlantic Beach on May 22 before departing the following day for Kill Devil Hills and the final leg to Virginia Beach.
The Hatteras and Ocracoke stops have traditionally attracted spectators eager to watch the colorful catamarans navigate one of the most challenging stretches of the Atlantic coastline.
The race traces its origins to a 1974 conversation between founder Mike Worrell and fellow sailors. What reportedly began as a debate over whether a catamaran could successfully race up the East Coast evolved into the inaugural Worrell Brothers Coastwise Race in 1976.
Growing rapidly in popularity, the competition became internationally known among endurance sailors. Teams race in stages between checkpoint stops along the Atlantic coastline, with the lowest cumulative elapsed time determining the winner.
The race was held annually from 1976 through 1989 before a six-year hiatus. It returned in 1997 and continued through 2002 before financial difficulties and organizational challenges sidelined the event. Following Worrell’s death in 2010, a group of former competitors and race staff revived the race in 2019, followed by additional races in 2022 and 2024.
Organizers said additional details, including the race route, registration information and logistical updates, will be announced during a future livestream on the event’s official social media channels.
