The 118th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac returns July 16–17, 2027, with registration opening December 1. Race organizers also announced the new Whitehawk Division, honoring longtime competitor Peter Thornton as participation in the cruising fleet continues to grow.
This summer, PlanetSail founder and sailing journalist Matt Sheahan joined us in Chicago to experience the 2026 Race to Mackinac firsthand and share the story of the Mac Race with sailors around the world.
From the start off Chicago to 333 miles of offshore racing on Lake Michigan, the new film explores the scale, challenge, people and traditions that make the Race to Mackinac unlike any other offshore race.
The 117th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust once again demonstrated the scale and competitive depth that have established it as the largest annual offshore race in the world. The 333-mile course–spanning the length of Lake Michigan–challenged 250 teams with nearly the full spectrum of offshore sailing conditions, from upwind and downwind racing to heavy air, tactical light winds and powerful overnight thunderstorms.
All competitors are safe following a strong line of thunderstorms that swept across the fleet in northern Lake Michigan overnight during the 117th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust.
Sailors reported winds exceeding 35 knots as the storm moved through, with winds causing several teams to experience moderate damage, including one report of a broken rudder and another of a mast failure.
Peter Thornton’s 104-foot ketch, Whitehawk, claimed line honors for the fourth year in a row, finishing the 117th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Presented by Wintrust at 3:31 p.m. ET / 2:31 p.m. CT on Sunday with an elapsed time of 1 day, 23 hours, 11 minutes.
It marks the fourth consecutive year that Whitehawk has been the first boat to complete the 333-statute-mile race from Chicago to Mackinac Island.
CHICAGO, July 14, 2024 – Sanford Burris, William and Ward Kinney’s Maverick team will be etched in Mac Race history as the new race record holder for the fastest Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust in 22 years, earning the honor from Roy E. Disney and Pyewacket.
CHICAGO, July 13, 2024 – The 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust is shaping up to be one of the fastest races in years, and the 250 boats underway are enjoying a ‘magic carpet ride’ thanks to the southerly, downwind sailing conditions that will carry them to up Mackinac Island, Mich., over the next 24 - 48 hours.
Looking to continue its growth, in 2024 the Race is breaking new ground, celebrating first-time competitors. The initiative – created by The 115th CYC Race to Mackinac Committee– is designed to identify potential barriers to entry and then create new incentives to assist first-time racers getting to the starting line. This new program includes waiving partial entry fees for new competitors to help offset the cost of required safety equipment, and having designated celebratory events and souvenirs post-race.
Be sure to kit up your crew and grab your favorites while supplies last! Team One Newport has returned to provide the official gear for the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. Team logos can be added to gear for an additional cost and the Team One Newport Team will be onsite at Monroe Street during Race Week for any of your last minute needs.
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!
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.
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.
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