Record-setting Bayview Mac Race

J/Teams Excel Across Five Divisions!
(Port Huron, MI)- Racing for the 93rd Bell’s Beer Bayview Mackinac Race concluded when the last team of 191 to complete the race finished on Monday, July 24. The celebrations, however, continued through Tuesday for more than 5,000 sailors, their family members and friends gathered on the grounds of Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel for a prize giving and party that included live music and the awarding of special trophies as well as Larry Bell’s announcement of a two-year extension of title sponsorship for Bell’s Brewery.

After the start on Saturday, July 22, there were 123 teams competing on the 254 nautical-mile Cove Island course and 82 teams racing on the shorter 204 nm Shore Course. With rain and several storms to encounter, some boats retired, but for most, the race was extraordinarily fast and satisfying, even accounting for one record-breaking performance.

As one sailor noted, this was the fastest “Bayview Mac” they had ever logged, a Volvo 70 set a course record in 21 hours! "We were never off the breeze all the way to Cove Island. I can’t ever remember going upwind (for 140 miles) that long, or getting that wet. Saturday was torrential rain. After getting around Cove Island, it became a fun, fast downwind course. We ran into storms, but thankfully, you could see them coming. They really blasted us, so we took down the spinnaker. Then, the last 15 miles the wind died!”

First to finish in the J/fleet was the J/120 PROOF sailed by Mike Fozo & Robin Kendrick, completing the longer Cove Island course in just over 33 hours.  As a result, PROOF won Class C (all J/120s) quite handily.  Those crew members included Al McNally, Tom Vern, Sara Atkinson, Joshua Mankowski, Bill Miller, Steven Harthorn, Wally Cross, and Brad Restum. Taking 2nd place in class was Henry Mistele’s NIGHT MOVES, with crew of Nancy Kuspa, Steve Falcone, Tom Dawson, Jeff Mueller, Eric Petersen, Cynthia Ross, Kurt Hohn, John & Johnny Hughes, and Peter Siek.  Rounding out the podium in 3rd place was Geoff Brieden & Jeff Clark’s SCOUT with crew of Tom Enders, Brian Francis, Matt Malley, Stephen Beskange, Kevin Lewand, Jerry Bresser, Greg Engels, Brian Wagner.

In Class D was a battle of the 35+ footers in the J/stable, with the J/105s winning on handicap, followed by a gaggle of J/111s and J/109s.  The J/105 crews were tough, sweeping the top two spots and placing 3 of the top 4 in class!  Winning was Mark DenUyl’s GOOD LOOKIN’ with crew of Brennan Churchill, Brock & Bryson DenUyl, Kevin Irland, John Anter, and Ron Churchill.  Taking 2nd place was the Chicago to Mackinac Race winning crew- Mark Symonds’ PTERODACTYL, with crew of Robert Bailey, John Quinlan, Kevin Morin, Michael Morin, Thac Nguyen, and Duane Rose.  Fourth in class was the J/105 WIND SHADOW sailed by skipper Jim Murphy with crew of Daniel Burleson, Dan Gidcumb, Lauri Ellias, Mike Hendrie and Ruth Barrett. Finally, rounding out the top five was Don Hudak’s J/111 CAPERS, with crew of Chad Atzemis, Eric Jackett, George Miller, Todd Imbler, Al Buescher, and Brian Epp.

Class F saw Dick & Dan Synowiec’s J/33 SHENANIGAN take 6th place overall with crew of Chris McCardell, Rob & Ian Reimel, Jody Kjoller, and Brian Smith.

The Level 35 Class G had a record-setting eleven J/35s in the race.  Not surprisingly, the winner was Bill Wildner’s J/35 MR BILL’s WILD RIDE!  For this year’s race, Bill only had along a few crew, such as Colleen Wildner, Jim Kostoff, Tom Kopp, Mike Zanella, Kent Schwandt, John Jamieson, Rob Rabine, Tim Schley and Eric Westen- where do you put all those people on a J/35??  Taking third place was Ed & John Bayer’s J/35 FALCON (Ed became a Grand Ram- 50 years!).  The FALCON crew included Brian Beaudet, Max Merget, Mike Welch, Mary Allen, Fred Blackmer, Ron Rossio, William Blackmer, and Mark Allen.

Finally, in the Class I- Cruising division, Gary Gonzalez’s J/42 DOS MAS won their class with relative ease! Their crew included Ilja Vreeken, Eric Messerly, Mark Pytell, Bill Bishop, Geoff Vernon, Brett Dodds,
Henry & Charles Gonzalez, James Lieder, Lynn Pytell.

Sailing the shorter “Shore Course” that goes from the start and straight up the Michigan shoreline to Mackinac Island were two J/crews. In Class N, Don King’s classic J/30 CONUNDRUM took 4th place, with crew of Mark Elliot, Kevin Meiselbach, Tom Cadotte, Brian Hawkins, and Tyler Johnson.  For more Bayview Mackinac Race sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.


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