High Class at High Tide

When it comes to speed, poor people have for years preferred meth, the Sandra Bullock movie, and NASCAR, while the rich go for Adderall, the William S. Burroughs Jr. novel, and boat racing. It's not that the better-off don't appreciate feats of four-wheeled acceleration; it's just that they don't want to sit in giant concrete stadiums with those people. But recently the poor have caught on to this whole boat racing thing; they call it “aqua-NASCAR.” There are two aquatic races in town this week, so if Lord Ricoton III heads to one and thinks the collars are a little too blue, he can hop in his Bentley and head to the other.

The first is Star World Sailing Championship 2008, in which more than 110 teams will compete, some hoping to qualify for the Olympics. It takes place at the Coral Reef Yacht Club and runs through the April 18. The first competitive race is today, with a poolside cocktail party afterward at 4:30 p.m. Visit www.starworlds2008.com. The second is the Super Boat Miami Grand Prix, featuring powerboats in all classes. The vessels are available to view today at Watson Island, and the actual racing goes down Sunday, April 13, starting at 11 a.m., off of Miami Beach. Visit www.superboat.
Fri., April 11, 2008