Extreme-Class Grudge Match Shaping Up For OPA Nationals And Worlds

Given the significant structural damage sustained by the American Ethanol/Cat Can Do and Miss GEICO catamarans last week during the Super Boat International Offshore World Championships in Key West, Fla., pickings looked slim for the Offshore Powerboat Association’s Extreme class heading into the organization’s National and World Championships this weekend in Englewood Beach, Fla. In fact, it appeared that Alex And Ani might have to run solo in the organization’s most exotic class.

With three complete races during last week’s SBI World Championships under their belt, Chris and the rest of the Envy team members are gunning for Alex And Ani this weekend. Photos courtesy/copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

But the Envy and CRC/Sunlight Supply teams reportedly are headed for OPA’s final races of the 2016 season. What’s more, Envy’s Chris Cox and Alex And Ani’s Jimmy Cazzani are renewing their good-natured rivalry, with each team owner putting $10,000 into a winner-take-all pot.

Cazzani, who skipped the SBI Key West World this year for budgetary reasons, will run his 40-foot Platinum catamaran formerly owned by Cox with driver Johnny Stanch, who returned from Key West with an Superboat Extreme-Class V-bottom world title. Cox, who completed all three races in Key West for the first time last week and finished fourth overall in the Superboat Unlimited class, will run with Herb Stotler, the man responsible for the original Envy and current Alex And Ani engine programs. (Envy currently is running Mercury Racing 1650 engines.)

“Key West was awesome,” said Cox. “Now we will focus on Englewood and the rematch between Envy and Alex And Ani. After our last Clearwater race there is definitely unfinished business at hand.”

The Alex And Ani team had to skip Key West but is ready to renew its rivarly with Envy this weekend in Englewood Beach.

“Chris and I are big rivals and both very competitive,” said Cazzani. “That’s what happens when you have to ‘cocks in the hen house.’ It’s business as usual at Stotler Racing. It’s unfortunate we don’t have more opportunity to run against each other. Based on his results at Key West he’s proven his boat is fast and reliable. We’ll have our hands full but I plan on taking them to school.”

Extreme-Class Grudge Match Shaping Up For OPA Nationals And Worlds

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