The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust confirmed today that, under newly adopted US Sailing Safety Equipment Requirement (SER) 3.9, AIS transponders will be required for the upcoming 2026 Race.

The 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust reminded competitors that no two “Mac Races” are ever the same, delivering the kind of dynamic challenge that has made it one of the world’s most iconic offshore races and a fixture on every sailor’s bucket list.

In the early morning hours, the sleek fleet of Great Lakes 52s sailed under the Mackinac Bridge and past the iconic Round Island Lighthouse to finish at Mackinac Island, completing their 333-mile journey in the 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust.

MACKINAC ISLAND, MICH., July 20, 2025 – A slow-motion thriller is shaping up in the 333-mile Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust, with multiple section leaders within shouting distance of each other on Lake Michigan, swapping tacks and trading leads as they claw their way through the Manitou Passage and up into the Mackinac Straits.

MACKINAC ISLAND, MICH., July 20, 2025 – Whitehawk, the beautiful wooden 104-foot ketch owned by Peter Thornton, is the first boat to finish the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust, finishing Sunday at 12:51 p.m. ET / 11:51 a.m. CT for an elapsed time of 1 day, 20 hours, 31 minutes.

MACKINAC ISLAND, MICH., July 20, 2025  – Overnight and into the morning, the 285 sailboats racing in the 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust are making steady progress up Lake Michigan.

CHICAGO, July 19, 2025 – The 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust is officially underway, as the Racing Division set sail earlier today under rainy skies and light winds.

Fireworks presented by Storm Trysail Foundation to celebrate safety, seamanship, and community

CHICAGO, July 13, 2025 – The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust together with the Storm Trysail Foundation is thrilled to invite competitors, families, friends, and the general public to a celebratory fireworks display at Mackinac Island State Harbor on Tuesday, July 22 at 9:45 PM EDT.

Are you already planning your post-race stay on Mackinac Island?

Registration is officially open for the 2025 Ultra Mac, the ultimate Great Lakes challenge—an extraordinary offshore race held only once every 25 years.