Chicago Yacht Club today announced that the 117th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust, the largest annual offshore race in the world, will begin July 10 and 11, 2026. Entry registration will open December 2, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. CST at cycracetomackinac.com.
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.
Cruisers and Racers,
The Skippers Meetings and Weather Briefings video for the Cruising and Racing Divisions are available for replay along with the Weather Briefing Report. Sail fast, sail safe! See you on the Island.
We are starting to see boats back in the harbors and the horses have made their way to Mackinac Island, which only means one thing - it’s almost summer. We are looking forward to a fast and fun 113th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, and I wanted to share a few reminders as we are approaching some deadlines.
Racers,
In order to provide the best experience for our competitors, we will be delaying the opening of registration until February 15th. We are putting the final touches on our brand new registration system and we need a little more time. Data from past races will be imported, but competitors will have to reset their passwords prior to completing entries or crew profiles. The Notice of Race and Chicago Mackinac Safety Requirements will be published as scheduled on February 1st on the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Website.
Welcome to 2022! I hope you had the opportunity to spend time with your friends and family this holiday season. This past year was the year of “return to racing” with the 112th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust and many other events taking place. We look to build on that success this year with the 113th CYCRTM, and I have a lot of exciting news to share about the race.
Chicago Yacht Club has appointed Sam Veilleux to be the chairman of the 113th and 114th Races to Mackinac taking place in 2022 and 2023. The announcement was made at the Race to Mackinac Awards Banquet held on November 6th at Monroe Station. More than 300 competitors, members of the sailing community and honored guests were in attendance.
"The Race" is the documentary about the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac from start to finish, but more importantly, the actual experience of the race as told by the countless competitors turned "on board reporter" to help T2PTV Sailing on Demand tell the story of this 112-year-old race. The traditions, old and new, the challenge and the range of conditions explain why the families on board these boats are bonded by blood, sweat and joy.
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