(Block Island, RI)- The Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week, the
granddaddy of the club's broad regatta portfolio, is scheduled from
June 18th to 23rd. Founded in 1965 and heading for its 27th running,
the Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week is a great biennial
tradition of New England summers and one of the oldest race weeks in the
U.S.Racing on Block Island Sound in late June, as the season changes from spring to summer, often brings ideal conditions, with a gentle breeze in the morning building to a challenging seabreeze in the afternoon. Many who sailed the regatta in 2015 completed 11 races over five days, including a gearbustin' Around Block Island Race (25+ kts and sunny!), amid some of the finest weather ever to grace the regatta.
If you have not given this amazing week consideration on your “bucket list” of activities, you should! In addition to the many fantastic social activities ashore, like six parties at the Storm Trysail Tent at the famous “The Oar Restaurant”, there is the amazing race organization provided by the army of STC Race Committee volunteers that operate the four buoy courses offshore.
For veteran sailing teams, “race week” is a bit of a “siren song” that arises each spring when flowers bloom and the “honey-do” garden list has gotten a bit too long; especially when it means digging in too much dirt, sweating bullets, or doing back-breaking chores like spreading mulch! Suddenly, enjoying a famously cold, delicious “mudslide” on the picnic benches outside under the rows of umbrellas at The Oar sounds like a fantastic idea!
Not
surprisingly, the J/Navy will be participating in large numbers, with a
veritable armada showing up in the harbor and the marinas. Currently,
64 of the 143 yachts entered (~45%) are J/Crews! Come one, come all!
Let’s hope at least a dozen more J/teams jump into the fun, frolic and
great sailing off Block Island and enjoy yet another famous Round Block
Race!There are two North American Championships taking place during the event: the J/109s already have twenty (yes, 20!) entries ready do battle off the famous sandy bluffs and there are seven (7) J/44s sailing in one-design configuration (class sails). In addition, there are already a half-dozen J/88s competing for their East Coast Championship, with the hope that 2-3 more teams show up to join in the fun. Finally, the J/105s will be racing for their New England Championship and thirteen (13) boats entered already with up to a half-dozen more expected.
In the offshore handicap-racing world, there are great teams entered already, with hopefully more joining them in the near future! There are five J/111s, six J/29s, three J/122s, two J/24s, two J/80s, a J/125, and a J/120 competing in IRC/ ORC/ PHRF handicap divisions.
Get organized and look into participating in this year’s 27th edition of the STC Block Island Race Week! Learn more and get registered here! Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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