(Chicago, IL)- The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac® presented by Wintrust (CYCRTM) is excited to announce the event has been selected by US Sailing as the Double-Handed Worlds Qualifier in preparation for the 2024 Olympics. The boat selected for the US qualifier is the J/88, and the CYCRTM plans to host a special division for the Mixed Offshore Double-handed discipline, for both a one-design fleet as well as a rated ORC fleet in J/88s, in the 112th running of the race this summer.
"This is an exciting time for the USA and a great opportunity to race an Olympic class offshore boat," says Jay Kehoe, Sailing Director at the Chicago Yacht Club. "Non-mixed double-handed teams will also be able to participate, but will have to adhere to the sail rules and safety equipment, and are not eligible for the 2020 Offshore World Championships."
There will be six (6) boats available for charter and a partial inventory of safety equipment, thanks to the generosity of the local J/88 fleet. Teams chartering or bringing their own J/88 are also encouraged to participate. However, there will be restricted sail choices and specialized safety equipment that will apply to all competitors in the class.
The Team USA entry to the 2020 Offshore World Championships will be selected from one of the eligible teams competing in the Mixed Two Person division of the CYCRTM.
The 112th CYCRTM will take place July 17th and 18th, 2020. The inspection, measurement and equalization process for all boats, sails and the complete list of required safety equipment will be specified in the Notice of Race of the Chicago-Mackinac Mixed Two Person division, which will be issued later this month. Please email regattamanager@chicagoyachtclub.org if you are interested in applying for a charter boat, or if you have any other questions on this process. To learn more about the Mixed Offshore, please visit US Sailing’s website that details all of the qualifiers for the World Team. Learn more about the U.S. Sailing Olympics 2024 Doublehanded Mixed Offshore Program here.
About the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac®: "America’s Offshore Challenge™
The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac® presented by Wintrust is one of the world’s largest annual offshore races, drawing top-notch sailing talent from around America and the world. Known as ‘The Mac’ to everyone in the region, the ultimate test of Great Lakes navigation starts each July just off Chicago’s Navy Pier. Passing through some of the most beautiful coastal waters in the world on the 333-statute mile (289nm) race route, the fleet faces the storms, reefs, calms and competition that truly make it "America’s Offshore Challenge."
From Friday’s Cruising and Saturday’s Racing starting cannons to the finish line just on the other side of the iconic Mackinac Bridge, fans can follow every racer via the live Race Tracker, while keeping tabs on their favorites on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more Chicago to Mackinac Race sailing information
About the J/88 Offshore Speedster
Introduced in 2013, the J/88 is 29’ mid-size family speedster with stability, style and sailing comfort. Design highlights include a high-aspect, non-overlapping sail plan (no genoas) with a carbon fiber, double-spreader mast - deck stepped for easy rigging, tuning and keeping the main cabin dry. With more than 100+ boats worldwide and a growing fleet on Lake Michigan, the design has been extremely successful for inshore racing, family day sailing, as well as offshore shorthanded sailing. For more J/88 offshore speedster sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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