Chicago-Mackinac Race Preview

(Chicago, IL)- Sailors from around the world are congregating for the world's oldest annual, and most competitive, freshwater race that starts on July 24th off the spectacular Chicago waterfront.  If you doubt the races' pre-eminence amongst experienced offshore sailors, then why's Royal Hong Kong YC's Karl Kwok and his Farr 80 BEAU GESTE and the Amway boy's (Devos'- aka owners of Quantum Sails) z86 WINDQUEST tipping the big boat scales to determine who beats yet another West Coast luminary's record, the late Roy Disney's 90 foot PYEWACKET record of 23+ hours for the race (with our buddy Stan Honey as guiding light, guru, navigator?).  A race record that even eludes Larry Ellison's 85 foot maxi USA 17 SAYONARA (still parked in Muskegon, MI!).  And, a race that even the venerable Ted Turner called "the toughest ocean race in the world" (Fastnet 1979 was easy by comparison in Ted's view)!  Again, with all those world-renowned characters who drive the headlines (and were J sailors at some point in their lives), it's no wonder that 70 J's are racing amongst the fleet of 350+ entrants, a few will be sure to leave their mark on the race and take home some silverware!

Coming back for a very rare "three-peat" is the J/122 SKYE, hoping to not only duplicate their Mac Double-handed Race win last year, but also extend their streak to a third win (having won class/fleet the previous year with a full crew).  Richie Stearns and Bill Zeiler are well-prepared, have made a few improvements to the boat and sail-handling systems and hope they can be successful again this year.  Another J/122, sailing in the ORC division will be David Askew's J/122 FLYING JENNY IV, fresh from having won IRC C Class in the Bayview Mackinac Race.

The J/105s, again, will be one of the largest one-design classes sailing the Mac Race with nineteen of them vying for class honors alongside class veteran Tom Petkus on VYTIS.   With nearly a similar sized fleet are the J/109s with fourteen boats in what promises to be hot competition for not just one-design class, but overall Mac Race ORC honors, too.  Thrown into the fray will be last year's overall Mac Race winners, George Miz, Peter Dreher, Mark Hatfield and crew sailing the J/109 VALOR.  The J/120s will have a strong class led by class leader Frank Kern from Detroit on his J/120 CARINTHIA.  Still sailing strong after 30 years are the J/35s, with a great turnout of seven boats sailing this year's Mac.  Furthermore, four J/130s are racing along with three J/30s! Watch this space...all these sailors are wiley as coyotes and can win the whole enchilada!

Other J's that will be competitive in their respective classes will the the J/124 SUFFICIENT REASON sailed by Mitch Padnos, the J/130 RENEGADE sailed by Thomas and Beth Ann Papoutsis, the J/125 JEANNINE III raced by Jack Roeser (can he repeat the success of his West Coast contemporaries?) and the two J/145s- Bill Schanen's MAIN STREET and Chris Saxton's VORTICES (which just finished the Bermuda Race!).  Also, look for the J/44 SAGITTA to do well with veterans like past Bayview YC Commodore's Jon Somes and Larry Oswald applying their collective 75+ years worth of Mac wisdom and experience to the test.  Finally, the two 30ish footers, the J/92 CYCLONE sailed by John Maddey and the newly introduced J/97 HIT GIRL sailed by Paul Stahlberg and Nikki Sullivan could be significant factors, and spoilers for overall honors, in the race if it's a "smallboat race".    You can follow every boat as they will be tracked by GPS transponder. This technology enables friends, families, and armchair sailors to follow the race as it unfolds on the web.