(Chicago, IL)- On Friday through Sunday, August 11 to 13, the Chicago YC
will host the 25th annual Verve Cup Offshore Regatta. This event will
feature three days of offshore buoy racing and a separate one-day
distance race. Annually, this event hosts over 100 yachts ranging in
size from 25-70 feet, and carry crews from 4-20 racers. During this
regatta, the Chicago Yacht Club looks forward to welcoming more than
2,000 racers, family members and friends to its award-winning lakefront
Monroe Station Clubhouse.For this three-day regatta, boats will sail either in a handicap section or in a one-design section. Brag flags and prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in each section. The winner in what is determined to be the most competitive section by formula will be awarded the perpetual Verve Cup Trophy. The Verve Cup trophy dates back to 1893 and is the Chicago Yacht Club’s oldest trophy.
Likewise, for the Saturday, August 12, 2017, Distance Race, brag flags and prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in each of the four handicap sections and the first place winner in the fleet determined by handicap will be awarded the 8 Mile Buoy Trophy.
The Verve Cup Distance Race Awards will be given out during the Saturday Sundowner Party, and the three day Verve Cup Regatta Awards, including the Verve Cup Overall winner, will be given out during the Sunday Awards Party.
Thirty of the ninety-five boats racing (about 33% of the fleet) are J/crews. Four one-design classes are sailing- J/88s, J/105s, J109s, and J/111s.
The J/88 class has been enjoying close competition all year, including the recent Chicago to Mackinac Race. Sailing in the regatta are Andy Graff’s EXILE, Ben Wilson’s RAMBLER, and Tim Wade’s WINDSONG.
The J/105s have most of their top Chicago area crews participating, such as Clark Pellet’s SEALARK, Vanessa Gates’ STRIKING, Jon Weglarz’s THE ASYLUM, and Gyt Petkus’ VYTIS.
The seven-boat J/109 class has the Chicago to Mackinac Race winner sailing- Bob Evans’ GOAT RODEO. He will be up against strong around-the-cans teams, such as Peter Priede’s FULL TILT, David Gustman’s NORTHSTAR, Jim Mitchell & Bruce Danly’s TOA (the Overall ORR Chicago Mackinac Race winner), and Jack Toliver’s VANDA III (also a past Chicago Mackinac Race winner)! Tough fleet!
Finally, the J/111s will have all of their top teams racing, past Mackinac Race winners, Verve Cup winners, Chicago NOOD winners and so forth. The racing promises to be fast and fun! Several teams have the potential to be at the top of the leaderboard, like the trio on KASHMIR (Karl Brummel, Steve Henderson, & Mike Mayer), Kevin Saedi & Raman Yousefi’s MOMENTUS, Rich Witzel’s ROWDY, Dan Kitchens’ SKULL CRACKER and Tom Dickson’s WARLOCK.
The sole J carrying the flag in the ORR Division is Rick Stage’s J/35 ALPHA PUPPY. For more Verve Cup Offshore sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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