Race to Mackinac News

Registration for the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac opens February 1st

Posted Jan 29, 2024

At noon (12:00 p.m. CST) on Thursday, February 1, automatic invitations for the 115th CYC Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust will be sent out and invited competitors will be able to register their entry. Remember that your docking preference for Mackinac Island, St. Ignace, or Straits State Harbor are honored as best as possible according to entry and payment order, so enter soon!

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What’s New in 2024?

Posted Jan 08, 2024

As we look forward to warmer temperatures and this year’s race, we plan to begin sharing a series of updates regarding changes to the competition we think you’d like to hear about. If you are new to the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, and interested in learning more about how to enter the race, please visit our new FAQ page. 

Read on for recent updates to the 2024 race and remember that official race changes will be made when the new NOR and CMSR documents are available on February 1, 2024, when registration opens at noon (12:00 pm CT). 

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That’s a wrap! 114th Race to Mackinac is in the books

Posted Jul 25, 2023

CHICAGO and MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich., July 25, 2023 – Another successful Race to Mackinac is in the books, with today’s award ceremony taking place on the great lawn of Mission Point Resort. The race known as ‘America’s Offshore Challenge,’ delivered a spectacular race yet again with its mix of squalls, calms and most of all, new memories for the 240 teams competing.

For the Mackinac Cup, awarded this year to the large racing boats overall winner, first-timer Final Final won Section 2 and the Cup. Owner Jon Desmond of Cohasset, Mass., admitted they had more than a few moments of angst when early on in the race they made a tactical decision to split from the fleet. 

“We had this moment where it was like, ‘you realize we have just separated from the teams that have how many Macs under their belt’?” he said. The decision paid off, and the East-coast based Mills 41 is already planning its return to defend the victory. 

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Light-air woes stall the fleet

Posted Jul 24, 2023

CHICAGO and MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich., July 24, 2023 – The dreaded “light and variable” wind forecast has descended upon the boats still racing in the 114th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust, stalling the fleet in northern Lake Michigan. 

As of 3 pm EDT, there are 155 of 240 boats still on the race course, reporting boat speeds of 0.00 to five knots according to the YB Tracker. Just two of the 103 boats in the Chicago-Mackinac Trophy section (boats under 40 feet) have been able to finish, and with a bleak forecast for the afternoon, this year’s edition is quickly turning into a test of patience, and potential food and water rationing. 

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Whitehawk claims line honors for 114th Race to Mackinac

Posted Jul 23, 2023

CHICAGO and MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich., July 23, 2023 – Racing into the Mackinac Straits, the majestic 104-foot ketch Whitehawk had every sail raised and every trick out of the bag to overtake Eagle One, the sleek 65-foot cruising boat that had led the entire fleet since the start. Trailing Eagle One for 288 nautical miles, it took until the final mile for Peter Thornton’s Whitehawk to overtake and clinch line honors of the 114th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust.

Eagle One, owned by Tim Lariviere of Grosse Pointe, Mich. and his crew of predominantly Bayview Yacht Club past commodores, credited Thornton for a well-sailed race and earned victory. This is Thornton’s second consecutive line honors with Whitehawk.

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‘Cruising’ into the 114th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust: First boats are underway

Posted Jul 21, 2023

It’s been a full day of boat preparations for the 230 sailboats competing in the 114th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust. Now, registration is complete, the skippers meeting attended, and for the Cruising Division – the race to Mackinac Island has already begun.

The race, known as America’s Offshore Challenge™, begins in front of Chicago’s magnificent skyline and finishes 289 nautical miles (333 statute miles) north on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, at Michigan’s iconic Mackinac Island. 

A growing division in the Race, the Cruising boats set sail a day ahead of the faster race boats to allow more time to finish. The Cruising boats range from the magnificent 104-foot Whitehawk to family cruising boats trying their hand at the race known as America’s Offshore Challenge. 

Forecasters predict this to be a light-air race and according to the live race tracker HERE, the Cruising fleet is slowly making its way up Lake Michigan. Light and variable winds are expected overnight.

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JUNE LETTER FROM THE RACE CHAIR

Posted Jun 04, 2023

We are very excited to announce that Harken, PredictWind and Team One Newport are returning as sponsors for this year’s race. We are also very happy to welcome Noble Oak as the official bourbon of the 114th Race to Mackinac. Read on for more updates on the Mac Store at Team One Newport, shore bag delivery service and return from Mac bus tickets. 

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April Letter from the Race Chair

Posted Apr 20, 2023

Team Challenge for the Point Betsie Trophy 
Applications are now open for the Team Challenge for the Point Betsie Trophy. In order to compete, teams of three monohull boats join together to race against other three-boat teams. The team of boats with the best combined percentage placement in their divisions will prevail. To be eligible, teams must be formed from boats racing in at least two of the three monohull divisions and may have no more than one cruising division boat. Additionally, a boat may only participate on one team. Completed applications are due no later than July 1st. 

Read on for more information on our major new trophy: The Whitehawk Trophy, lodging partners and upcoming events. 

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March Letter from the Race Chair

Posted Mar 08, 2023

As of March 1st we’ve received over 215 entries to the 114th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust. The committee is continually reviewing and processing new requests for invitations, so we do expect this number to grow. If you know of anyone who is interested in racing, and has not yet submitted their request or accepted their invitation, please encourage them to do so early. 

Read on for important updates for ORC, lodging and upcoming events.

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Registration Opens Wednesday, February 1st for the 114th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust

Posted Jan 30, 2023

This is a friendly reminder that registration will open this Wednesday, February 1st on the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac (CYCRTM) website. Race documents, including the Notice of Race (NOR) and the official Chicago-Mackinac Safety Requirements will also be posted on the CYCRTM website on this date.

Skippers who entered a boat and competed (Invited Competitors) in at least one Mac Race since 2018 can expect to receive an invitation via email. If you have not competed recently or wish to change your boat or division, a Request for Invitation or Request for Change may be made at the race web site. If you do not receive an invitation and expected one, or have any other questions, please reach out to regattamanager@cycracetomackinac.com.

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