Only 23 Finishers Thus Far Cross Finish Line in 2004 Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac Presented By Lands' End Business Outfitters

Three divisions claimed thus far; remaining fleet continues working its way upwind

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich., July 26, 2004 – Mackinac Island remains calm, as crews from only 23 boats have joined the end-of-race festivities. It has been a slow ride toward the finish line in the 2004 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Lands’ End Business Outfitters, the world’s longest annual freshwater race.

Overall first-to finish honors for the 96th running of the “Mac” went to Genuine Risk , a state of the art Monohull-S owned by Randall Pittman, of San Diego, Calif. He and his crew finished the race in 01:08:56:44.

Below are division finishers at time of release. Because of the handicapping system, winners of the first-to-finish honors are often not the division winners. Final scoring after the majority of the fleet has crossed the finish line will determine one Race winner in each division.

Chicago-Mackinac Trophy Division

Yet to be determined.

Multihull Division

Earth Voyager, a Form 60 owned by Ryan and Todd Howe of Rochester, New York crossed the finish line in 01:10:21:41.

Mackinac Cup

Esmeralda, a Transpac 52 owned by Makoto Uematsu of Japan crossed the finish line in 01:17:51:03.

Not only is the race running slow but thus far 17 sailboats have withdrawn and more are expected.

Finisher Pied Piper, which held the first-to-finish record until 2002 when Roy Disney’s Pyewacket set a new precedent, took second in its division (Mackinac Cup) this year. “It was very inactive for the first 36 hours,” said crew member Brian Brophy.

Slow conditions have been the predominant cause, and some crew say lack of remaining food can pose problematic. “We didn’t have lunch today and wouldn’t have had dinner,” he said before excusing himself for a roast beef sandwich.

“I was counting on at least a medium wind,” said race Chairman Rick Lillie, who had to withdraw in order to reach the finish in time to fulfill his official duties. “All will finish or withdraw by the early hours of Wednesday morning, and all boats will be accounted for.” The deadline is 24 hours after the first finisher in the boats division arrives.

Already the end is apparent. According to Dick Schweers, a race spokesman, the 45th parallel at the Manitou Islands has been broken down. About 235 boats have passed this point at press.

The public can follow the progress of the boats up Lake Michigan to Mackinac Island and the latest scoring information at www.chicagoyachtclub.org.

The Race to Mackinac is Chicago Yacht Club’s world-renowned race that challenges the endurance, speed and agility of skippers and crewmembers from around the globe each year. The 333-mile race from Chicago to Mackinac Island at the northern end of Lake Michigan is the world’s longest freshwater race and one of the most prestigious in the United States.

Racers this year are competing in one of three divisions: the Mackinac Trophy division, the Mackinac Cup division or the Multihull division. Monohulls will race in either the Mackinac Cup division or the Mackinac Trophy division and are rated under US Sailing’s Americap II™ rating rule. Based on that rating, they are assigned to a section in one of the two divisions. Contenders in the Cup division typically are larger, faster boats while Trophy division contenders are smaller, generally slower boats. Multihulls are rated under the Lake Michigan Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (LMPHRF). Both Americap II and LMPHRF are designed to help level the playing field for competitors.

Each division is scored separately and boats compete only with others in their division.

New to the race this year is the “Turbo” Section of the Mackinac Cup Division. The Turbos were carved out of Section 1 of the Mackinac Cup Division, which generally included the larger, faster boats. What sets the new Turbo Section boats apart is that they are equipped with high-tech, lightweight materials such as carbon fibers and feature new sail and hull designs, and the latest innovations such as Genuine Risk’s Canting Ballast Twin Foil technology, which replaces the conventional rudder system to enhance speed and maneuverability.

The start of the race was on Lake Michigan approximately 1.5 miles east of Chicago’s Monroe Harbor. Prior to the start, competing boats paraded for the public past Navy Pier with their ceremonial flags raised. The finish line for the race is the lighthouse on Round Island, off Mackinac Island, Michigan.

The 2004 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Lands’ End marks the 106th anniversary of the race’s founding in 1898 and the 96th running of the event. Several years passed between the first and second running of the race and the event was also suspended for a period following the United States’ entry into World War I. Two other years also did not count toward the total number of Mackinac races, as the race did not end at Mackinac Island, but rather in Harbor Springs, Mich.

The challenging conditions on Lake Michigan require the best of racing, tactics, strategy and boat speed. Participation in “The Mac” is by invitation only from Chicago Yacht Club.

About the Chicago Yacht Club

Founded in 1875 with the goal of advancing the community’s knowledge, enjoyment and participation in boating and the nautical arts, the Chicago Yacht Club remains a valuable resource for its members and for the Chicago community. The Club has been a leader for more than 75 years in teaching children and adults how to sail, and is a preeminent organizer and host of regattas, races and predicted logs in the United States.