(Chicago, IL)- Chicago Yacht Club will be hosting the 23rd annual Verve
Cup Offshore Regatta over the August 7th to 9th weekend. The event
features a three-day offshore regatta, as well as a one-day Distance
Race. This three-day event attracts over 175 yachts to the beautiful
Chicago lakefront. During the regatta, Chicago YC will welcome over
2,500 racers, spouses and guests at their Monroe St harbor clubhouse.
These participants are treated to three days of top quality racing,
followed by food, entertainment and camaraderie that are second to none.The Midwest J/teams range from one-design classes (J/105, J/109, J/111) to offshore ORR handicap classes. The six boat J/105 class features most all of the top Chicago area teams, including Gyt & Tom Petkus’s VYTIS, Clark Pellet’s SEALARK, Mike Sheppard’s FLYING PIG, Jon Weglarz’s THE ASYLUM and Sandy Curtiss’s ROCKING HORSE.
The
J/109s have a lean but tough fleet this year. Nevertheless, Kevin
Saedi’s MOMENTUS, David Gustman’s NORTHSTAR, Peter Priede’s FULL TILT,
and Doug & Betsy Evans’ TIME OUT will figure out quickly who’s at
the top of that “pecking order”.The J/111s are ponying up with seven boats on the starling, including principal Chicago players like WOOTON (Bill Smith), KASHMIR (Brummel/ Henderson/ Mayer), IMPULSE (Miz/ Dreher/ Hatfield), and Brad Faber’s UTAH. Dan Kitchens’ SKULL CRACKER hopes to be a factor as does San Diego YC sailor Bennet Greenwald’s PERSEVERANCE (recent winner of PHRF 2 at Storm Trysail’s Block Island Race Week).
The offshore world has a range of J/Teams competing. In the ORR Distance Race 1 group we find Frank Giampoli’s J/120 JAHAZI racing against everything from a 36 ft Beneteau cruiser to a Farr 39 footer and a turbo’d Mumm 36! Should be an interesting outcome!
In the ORR Distance Race 1 group is perhaps an even more diverse group of boats. This fleet includes the J/100 BARRACUDA sailed by David Hughes from Chicago YC and the J/133 RENEGADE skippered by Tom Papoutsis from Columbia YC.
The ORR Distance Race 2 group has the J/88 RAMBLER skippered by Benjamin Wilson (Chicago-Mackinac Race class winner) and two J/105s- GLOBAL NOMADS (Michael Hettel) and GANGBUSTERS (Mark Gannon); plus one J/120- Frank Giampoli’s JAHAZI. For more Verve Cup Offshore sailing information
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