The Vineyard Race Preview

(Stamford, CT)- Labor Day weekend's Vineyard Race is a classic American yachting event. The 238.0nm course stretches from Shippan Point through the swirling currents of Plum Gut past Block Island, and on to the light tower at the entrance to Buzzard's Bay. Once reached, sailors return by leaving Block Island to starboard en route to the finish in Stamford Harbor.

Begun in 1932, it has attracted the finest sailors and fastest boats for nearly 80 years, and its intricacies and challenges bring them back time after time. Those who are successful nearly always credit local knowledge of these tricky waters and a good deal of luck.

The Vineyard Race was described in Yachting Magazine as, "The greatest distance races of the world have several things in common - a challenging course, competitive fleets and an interesting array of famous yachts. By those standards, the Stamford Yacht Club's Vineyard Race rates close to the top. Like a miniature Fastnet, the Vineyard has a combination of coastal cruising, where currents play a big role, a stretch of ocean sailing, and a mark to round - the Buzzards Bay tower - before returning. Well over a dozen J/Teams will be participating in the classic Vineyard Race as well as the shorter “Seaflower Reef Race”.

Vineyard Race
Sailing the IRC 6 Doublehanded Class is Gardner Grant’s J/120 ALIBI and Mike Greene’s J/35 LOBLOLLY. In the PHRF 8 Class is American YC’s famous YOUNG AMERICAN J/105 team- a youth team comprised of mostly under-25 age kids. In PHRF 9 Class are three J/109s- Dan Nash’s MISTRAL, John Greifzu’s GROWTH SPURT, and Cao Deambrosio & Chris Nicholls’ RHIANNON III. Joining them is Jim Farrell’s J/35 SAPPHIRE. In PHRF 10 Class is Arthur Hanlon’s J/112E DAUNTLESS and two J/120s- Brian Spears’ MADISON and Rick Oricchio’s ROCKET SCIENCE. In IRC 11 Class are Don Dwyer’s J/122 BLUE YONDER and Len Sitar’s J/44 VAMP. Sailing in PHRF 12 Class are four J/111s- John Donovan’s LIBERTAS, US Merchant Marine Academy’s BLACK DIAMOND YCC, Bill & Jackie Baxter’s FIREBALL, and Abhijeet Lele’s VARUNA. Joining that ferociously fast and competitive quartet is Kevin Kelley’s J/122 SUMMER GRACE. Finally, in IRC 13 Class is Steve Levy’s J/121 EAGLE and in IRC 14 Class is Brian Prinz’s J/145 SPECTRE.

Seaflower Reef Race
Sailing in PHRF 4 Doublehanded Class is Greg Imbruce’s J/109 JOYRIDE. In the fully-crewed PHRF 5 Class are Frank Conway’s J/105 RAPTOR, Justin Scagnelli’s J/88 ALBONDIGS, and Todd Aven’s well-traveled J/92s THIN MAN.  For complete Vineyard Race results  For more Vineyard Race sailing informationAdd to Flipboard Magazine.


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