The J Team Is Up To The Challenge
(Mississauga, Ontario, Canada)- For some the challenge will be making the start line due to the low water levels on Lake Ontario; for others the challenge will be the unpredictable weather they're experiencing. While most people are getting ready for a nice bar-b-que or heading up to the cottage to enjoy the first Friday in June, over 300 sailors are preparing for a very different adventure. They will leave their jobs, pack their best and warmest wet weather clothing - and of course most importantly their safety gear to get ready for the 8pm start of the 73 mile overnight yacht race known as the Susan Hood Trophy Race.The Susan Hood is the first 2010 overnight yacht race of the year on Lake Ontario, starting Friday June 4th from Port Credit Yacht Club in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. This is one of the most exciting and challenging races on the Great Lakes since this time of year tends to bring unpredictable weather. This year is no exception.
In the past it has been referred to as the Coldest Race on the Lakes, but race organizers have dubbed it the “Coolest Race on the Lakes”. Due to the cold water and warm weather patterns around the lake, storms can come in without much warning. With the wind chill factor coming across the extremely cold water, the feeling equates to being out on a damp winter night when there is seemingly never enough clothing to put on. Given the water temperature at this time of the year, attention to safety is a critical component of successfully completing the race for more than the obvious reasons! The ultimate nightmare would be to have to rescue a crew member from the frigid waters of Lake Ontario.
The race begins outside Port Credit Yacht Club in Mississauga and heads west to the Burlington weather mark, just outside Hamilton Harbour. From there it heads south to the Niagara River mark. The final leg returns to Port Credit Yacht Club in Mississauga.
Offshore yacht races depend entirely on the wind to get around the race course, which is a great thing for the environment. If people are out relaxing on a nice mild evening there is a good chance these racers will be moving very slow. A typical yacht competing in this race will average a speed of 6 knots (7 mph) or 11km/hr, which means most yachts should return to Port Credit Yacht Club sometime Saturday morning - provided the winds hold up overnight. Despite all the obstacles and unusual weather and lake conditions, interest in offshore racing has continued to grow over the last few years and this race is now used as a warm-up for the Lake Ontario 300 race, which is a 300 nautical mile race that circumnavigates Lake Ontario. This is one of the most challenging races on the lakes and is the longest annual fresh water race in the world.
How did the J Team fair in this initial challenge for Lake Ontario supremacy? The J/109s and the J/105s did very well, offshore performance and success often mean having a good, well-balanced, easy-to-sail boat over a variety of conditions that can be competitive with good club racers. True to form, the two J/109s both attained podium finishes. In IRC1, the J/109 BLUE STREAK sailed by Eckersley was second overall. In IRC2, sailing under a slightly different IRC configuration was Gainer's J/109 LIVELY, winning class quite handily. In PHRF1, Disney's J/105 THE USUAL SUSPECTS finished second, not too far off the pace to win the race. Check back here in two weeks to see how this J Team fair in the Lake Ontario 300. For more Susan Hood Race sailing information.
