(Chicago, IL)- "The Mac", as it's affectionately known, kicks off
Saturday, July 13, 2013 with 3,000 sailors competing in this world-class
sporting event. Although the Mac remains primarily an amateur event,
the race has a proven track record of attracting some of the finest
sailing talent in the sport. Sailors from 15 different U.S. states as
well as Ontario, Switzerland, and as far off as Hong Kong, are preparing
for the race of a lifetime – the 289nm Chicago to Mackinac, presented
by Veuve Clicquot.Gathering along Chicago's waterfront are some of the world's better sailors and certainly a remarkably strong contingent of J sailors from across the lakes. Three J/One-Design classes are represented- J/105s, J/109s and J/111s. Plus, there are J/Teams spread throughout the Double-handed and handicap classes, many who've proven time and again they're not only champions in their own classes and divisions, but quite a few who've won the Mackinac Island races overall!
Starting
with the one-design classes, it will be interesting to see if the J/111
class can repeat their outstanding performance in the 2012 Mac Race,
where most of the class swept the top spots overall. There are eleven
J/111s including all the top contenders from last year. Amongst the top
teams from Chicago, you have several winners of recent regattas,
including Paul Stahlberg's MENTAL, IMPULSE (Dr George Miz, Peter Dreher,
Mark Hatfield), KASHMIR (the Mayer, Henderson, Brummel team-- the 2012
class and overall winner), Tom McIntosh's MISTY, Tom Edman/ Steve
Dabrowski's NIGHTHAWK, Len Siegal's LUCKY DUBIE, Bill Smith's WOOTON and
Rick Witzel's ROWDY. From Milwaukee, Wisconsin is the team of
HOBGOBLIN led by Rick Hobbs. From Michigan is 2011 double Mac Race
winner NO SURPRISE sailed by Great Lakes racing legend Dave Irish.
Finally, Henry Brauer's FLEETWING, recent winner at New York YC's Annual
Regatta in the J/111 class will be participating as "virgin" Mac
racers!For you armchair sailors, the Chicago YC has again contracted with one of the world's leading offshore sailboat tracking companies- Yellowbrick Tracking. You can find that on the Chicago-Mac website. For more Chicago Mackinac Race sailing information
