Homosassa to host single raft race

Renovations to the Port Paradise Resort have canceled the race normally held in Crystal River.

By JORGE SANCHEZ

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 29, 2001

Organizers of the popular Homosassa and Crystal River raft races have opted to pare down the twin bill to a single event on the Homosassa River.

The change is only temporary, the organizers say. Next year, the Ramblin' River Raft Race, as the Crystal River event is called, will return to the waters of Kings Bay and Port Paradise Resort.

This year's event, billed as the Citrus 95.3/Country Fox 96.3 Super Raft Race, will begin at noon July 28 on the Homosassa River at K.C. Crumps Restaurant and Kibbie's Dockside on Halls River Road. This year, the raft race will be a fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Citrus County.

The Super Raft Race will be much the same as past events, said David Marcocci, station manager at Citrus 95.

"We'll have the Miss Hawaiian Tropic and the Iron Man contests beginning at noon and then the raft race," Marcocci said.

The Homosassa event features a sprint from the boat slips at K.C. Crumps up the river to Monkee Island and back again to the finish line.

Marcocci said the radio station staff that organize the annual event decided to have just one race this year because Port Paradise is undergoing renovation. A recent change of ownership at K.C. Crumps also imperiled the Homosassa race.

"Really, we've been scrambling for this and we're lucky to have been able to find a site this year to even have one," Marcocci said.

At Port Paradise Resort, owner Les Patel said the race will be welcomed back next year.

"We're putting in a new parking lot at the same time the raft race would have been held," Patel said. "With the large crowds that show up, the last thing we want is to not have enough parking. It wouldn't be right. But next year and for every year to come the race will be here. The people enjoyed the race and we want it to stay."

Patel said the resort would host a pre-race Splashdown Party on July 21.

The race attracts the young, beach-music party crowd. Last year, Port Paradise hosted thousands of swimsuit-clad young people, who danced to loud music from Citrus 95, cheered the contestants of beauty contests and practically went wild during the race.

Despite the large crowd, last year's event was trouble-free. A heavy presence of Crystal River police officers and Citrus County Sheriff's Office deputies was on hand for crowd control.

The Crystal River Raft Race was started 19 years ago by former Port Paradise owner Jim Dicks and other members of the Tourist Development Council. The event was originally started as a mid-summer tourism booster.

Citrus 95 eventually took over as the organizer, and the race also started benefiting local charities through donations of T-shirt sales and race entry fees.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright