Nearly 40 sailboats in five classes are expected to line up off Port Everglades for the 1 p.m. Wednesday start of the Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race, now in its 38th year. The first finishers are expected to arrive at the finish line off Fort Zachary Taylor early Thursday morning, with the bulk of the fleet trickling in the rest of the day.

Race chairman Joel Bowie expects a quick race, but not a record-breaker, amid breezes forecast to be from the southeast about 10 to 12 knots. Bowie said there are two keys to winning the 160-mile race.

“Really good navigation so you sail as direct a course as you can,” Bowie said. “And sailing hard at night. The guys that can keep that level of effort and competition at 2 in the morning, that’s the key.”

An awards ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. Friday at Kelly’s Caribbean Bar and Grill in Key West.

Bowie said he expects about 40 percent of the fleet to stick around in the Island City for Sunday’s start of Quantum Key West 2013, also known as “Key West Race Week,” which runs through Jan.25. More than 125 boats in several handicapped and one-design racing classes are slated to compete.

•  Fishing: The Miami crew of 4 Aces skippered by captain John Dudas won top angler and runner-up team honors in the Silver Sailfish Derby that concluded Saturday out of the West Palm Beach Fishing Club. Peter Adrian scored nine of 4 Aces’ 12 sailfish releases, topping runner-up Janeen Davis of Riviera Beach aboard Mako on time. Absolut Joy, skippered by Matt Rabentine of Sarasota, topped the fleet of 44 boats with 12 sails. A total of 185 sailfish were released in three days.

Susan Cocking

Paddling

Thousands of spectators are expected to be in attendance as hundreds of paddlers race through the waters of Biscayne Bay and Miami River to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters in the third annual Orange Bowl Paddle Championship presented by Jimmy Lewis at Bayside Marketplace starting at 7 a.m. Sunday.

Stand-up paddleboard racing has taken off since the first board was developed in 2006 to become one of the hottest trends in participant sports and recreation.

Professional to rookie paddlers from Miami and around the world will get an early morning pep rally with the Heat dancers before kicking off the Elite Race at 9 a.m..

There are three individual races depending on experience: 7-mile Elite, 3-mile Recreational and Sprint.

Besides supporting the community, the racers will compete for cash prizes in the Elite and Recreational races.

On-site registration is 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Sunday, and you can use a stand-up paddleboard, kayak, canoe or just about any other vessel you can paddle.

Information: orangebowlpaddle.com.

Corey W. Campbell