I just posted this on the Great Texas website and thought I would put it up here too.....

I am saddened by this news. Very saddened.

I tried to call Mike and was told that he is not feeling well today. I hope maybe I can speak with him soon.

Everyone that has sailed the Great Texas owes Mike Worrell a great deal of gratitude. If it were not for Mike, the Great Texas simply would not exist. I want to repeat this. If it were not for Mike, the Great Texas simply would not exist.

Mike made some mistakes that he has paid dearly for but we must not forget the major contributions that he has made to this sport. Too many people have dwelled on the negatives and lost focus on the great contributions he has made to this sport.

The Worrell 1000 was the absolute pennacle of extreme sailing in the sport of catamaran sailing. It tested your sailing skills, endurance, toughness, organization skills, and guts in a crazy two week adventure up the east coast. For anyone that is in the brotherhood of sailing the Worrell 1000, they will never ever forget the feeling of accomplishment when finishing this race. There is only one Worrell 1000 and it was the crazy vision and driving force of Mike Worrell that made it happen.

After sailing the race three times, he inspired me to dream about a similar type of race in Texas. Mike was always very, very supportive of the Great Texas. He licensed the Worrell rules to us for $1 as the starting point of the Great Texas rules. Each year, I would talk with him after the race and he would always tell me how much he enjoyed following the race on-line. For this support, everyone that sails the Great Texas must be grateful.

Please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Steve Piche
Founder, Great Texas Catamaran Race
Worrell 1000 Finisher in 2001 and 2002
Worrell 1000 near finisher in 1998 (thanks to the Marines for the helicopter ride off Cape Fear)