Bad News from the Conch Republic

Whether Key West Race Week was a bucket-list item for you or regular relief from the winter blahs, the latest announcement from the New York-based Organizing Authority will take the wind right out of your sails.

The January 2018 KWRW has been canceled. Storm Trysail Club’s commodore Leonard Sitar and John Fisher, the event chair for the last two years, issued the following statement yesterday:

"After extensive discussion and deliberation, the Storm Trysail Club has decided not to organize and hold Key West Race Week in January 2018. Many factors led to this difficult decision. The bottom line is that, with declining participation, the event has become heavily dependent upon sponsorship, making the event unsustainable in its current format.

"Our primary sponsors remain very supportive and the Storm Trysail Club is committed to exploring alternative formats for the future that address changing conditions in our sport. The club anticipates that this could lead to another edition as soon as 2019.

"The Storm Trysail Club wishes to especially thank Quantum Sails (title sponsor for the last six years) as well as the city and community of Key West for their gracious hospitality and help in underwriting this event which has spanned the last 30 years."

Fingers crossed for 2019 — perhaps a tribute to Neptune is in order.