Sarasota’s Seasonal Sporting Events to Fall For
From the folks at Visit Sarasota! Sarasota County anticipates the arrival of three new events, each with international ties, to add to its sports tourism resume within the span of the next few weeks. From Nathan Benderson Park to Sarasota Bay, our area is prepared for an action-packed October.
U.S. Dragon Boat Federation (USDBF) Club Crew National Championships
Where: Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota, FL 34235
When: September 30 – October 3, 2021
About: The 2021 Club Crew National Championships (CCNC) is the first national championship where all berths to the 2022 IDBF Club Crew World Championship (CCWC) will be awarded. The world championship will also be taking place at Nathan Benderson Park in July 2022. The CCNC will be kicked off by a traditional “Awakening Ceremony” on Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This ceremony ends the slumber and re-energizes the spirit of the dragons. The ceremony ends with the dotting of the eyes with paint to signify the awakening of the dragons. Friday through Sunday will showcase competitive dragon boat racing from around 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This year, Paradragon teams, who have paddlers with different-abilities, Breast Cancer teams and All Cancer teams will be able to compete for berths in the CCWC. The awards, berth announcements and farewell party will be held on Sunday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., depending on the race finish. The event is free for spectators and include experiences such as food vendors, a merchandise tent and a beer garden.
Florida Inline Skating Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K and 5K run
Where: Nathan Benderson Park, 5851 Nathan Benderson Cir, Sarasota, FL 34235
When: October 17, 2021
About: The Florida Inline Skating Marathon is an official part of the World Inline Cup (WIC) race circuit. The WIC President Petr Stastny expressed his excitement in bringing the WIC to North America, in addition to Europe, Asia and South America in a recent release on its website. The Florida Inline Skating Marathon organizers expect more than 200 elite skaters, as well as a handful of recreational skaters coming from all different backgrounds looking to test their skills. Age groups start at nine years old and span up to 89 years old. The purse is up to $24,000. Race proceeds will benefit Be Tri For Us, a nonprofit dedicated to helping differently-abled athletes, one race at a time.
50th Sunfish World Championships
Where: Sarasota Sailing Squadron, 1717 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236
When: October 23 – 29, 2021
About: One hundred pre-qualified world sailors will compete in the 50th Sunfish World Championship, after being postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic. The sailors hail from Peru, Chile, Guatemala, The Bahamas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Curacao, Ecuador, Bonaire, Colombia, Italy and the United States. The sailing will take place during the week, culminating in an awards banquet at the Bird Key Yacht Club. The public is encouraged to watch the action via popular spots such as The Dockside Pub on Longboat Key or spectate using their own boats.
About Visit Sarasota County
Visit Sarasota County leads and supports the tourism industry in Sarasota County by providing the highest quality, and most innovative, marketing programs and promotions to ensure the continued growth of tourism and travel from visitors around the world. It is the mission of VSC is to make Sarasota County the must experience destination on Florida’s Gulf Coast. To learn more, visit HERE.
Photos courtesy of Deposit Photos