(Stamford, CT)- Labor Day weekend's Vineyard Race is a classic American
yachting event. This 238-mile course stretches from Shippan Point
through the swirling currents of Plum Gut, past Block Island, and on to
the light tower at the entrance to Buzzard's Bay. Once reached, sailors
return by leaving Block Island to starboard en route to the finish in
Stamford Harbor.Begun in 1932, it has attracted the finest sailors and fastest boats for nearly 80 years, and its intricacies and challenges bring them back time after time. Those who are successful nearly always credit local knowledge of these tricky waters and a good deal of luck.
The Vineyard Race was described in Yachting Magazine as, "The greatest distance races of the world have several things in common - a challenging course, competitive fleets and an interesting array of famous yachts. By those standards, the Stamford Yacht Club's Vineyard Race rates close to the top. Like a miniature Fastnet, the Vineyard has a combination of coastal cruising, where currents play a big role, a stretch of open ocean sailing, and a mark to round- the Buzzards Bay tower - before returning."
The race has continuously attracted top J/teams over the years from J/29s up to J/160s. Of the 103 keelboats registered to sail this weekend, twenty-six are J/crews (representing one-quarter of the fleet)! The race has now expanded its format to accommodate the wide range of sailors in the northeast, with three races being run simultaneously. The “classic” is the “round Buzzards Bay Tower” and back. The two additions are the Cornfield Point Course (the shortest) and the Seaflower Reef Course (middle distance).
Sailing in the PHRF 2 Cornfield Point course is John Krediet’s J/97 PARTICIPANT II from Stamford, CT.In the Seaflower Reef course, Greg Imbruce’s J/109 JOYRIDE will be sailing in the PHRF 3 Doublehanded class. On the same track in PHRF 4 class will be seven other J/crews; such as Frank Conway’s J/105 RAPTOR; Chris Ercole’s J/109 SWEET CAROLINE; four J/88s (Al Minella’s ALBONDIGAS, Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION, Ken & Drew Hall’s NEVERMORE, & John Pearson’s RED SKY); and Todd Aven’s J/92 THIN MAN.
Sending it on the “classic” Vineyard Race track will be Gardner Grant’s well-traveled J/120 ALIBI, racing in IRC 5 Doublehanded class. Hoping to repeat earlier offshore success in the Ida Lewis Distance Race will be the American YC’s Young American Jr Big Boat Team, racing their J/105 YOUNG AMERICAN in PHRF 7 class. PHRF 8 class is a battle of the 35-footers, such as Chris Nicholls’ J/109 RHIANNON up against two J/35’s- Jim Farrell’s SAPPHIRE and Mike Greene’s LOBLOLLY. PHRF 9 class includes another J/109- John Greifzu’s GROWTH SPURT, along with four J/120’s (Steven Levy’s EAGLE, Brian Spears’ MADISON, another Young American Jr Big Boat crew on VAREKAI, & Greg Leonard’s HERON), and William Ingraham’s J/124 TENEBRAE. PHRF 10 class has a trio of J/111s fighting for class honors (John Donovan’s LIBERTAS, MaryEllen Tortorello’s PARTNERSHIP, & Abhijeet Lele’s VARUNA), and Kevin Kelley’s J/122 SUMMER GRACE. Finally, IRC 11 class has two J/44’s racing- Len Sitar’s VAMP and SUNY Maritime’s CHARLIE V. Follow the Vineyard Race on Facebook here For more Vineyard Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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