Just three months ago, the newly formed Offshore Powerboat Grand Prix series was riding high on the wave of exposure created by the inaugural Qatar Cup sponsored by the Qatar Marine Sports Federation. The first event in the 2015 OPGP-sanctioned “series,” the Qatar Cup may not have been perfect, but it was a spectacular event that—for the first time in history—attracted a slew of United States-based offshore racing teams to compete in the Middle East. Yes, the QMSF footed the bill for those teams—and this journalist—to be there. But that didn’t detract from the buzz generated by two days of racing in Qatar. OPGP was off and running, and perfectly positioned to announce its rock-solid 2015 domestic schedule.

And then—nothing. Total silence.

Read More: The Silence Is Deafening

Photo courtesy.copyright Pete Boden/Shoot 2 Thrill Pix