Chicago Sailors Join 'Round the Island' Race

The Vincitore meets the crest of a wave during the "Round the Island" race for sailors from the Chicago, Mackinac Island, and Little Current yacht clubs. Sailors were graced with perfect weather conditions Wednesday, July 23. (Photograph courtesy of Jeff Dupre) Perfect sailing conditions marked the first annual "Round the Island" race for sailors from the Chicago, Mackinac Island, and Little Current yacht clubs.

The three fleets came together for a race around the Island to celebrate the 100th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. The 27 boats experienced ideal winds and temperatures as they made their way in Lake Huron, starting at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 23.

Coming in first overall was Program, owned by Warren Levins of Chicago, a member of both the Chicago and Mackinac Island yacht clubs. Mr. Levins and his crew finished the race in 1:06:22 elapsed time, or 58 minutes with the handicap included, earning the top spot in the ORR 2 division, as well.

Vincitore, owned by Jim Mitchell of Zurich, Switzerland, set a new record, with the fastest elapsed time of 54 minutes, or 1:06:26 in corrected time. The record was previously held by Dick Coates of Mackinac Island, said David Rowe of the Mackinac Island Yacht Club. Vincitore also won first in the ORR 1 division.

The crew of the winning yacht Program poses after the Round the Island race Wednesday, July 23. Pictured are (front, from left) Sue Levins, Ann Marie Kiener, Amanda Schleede, Jason St. Onge, Skipper Warren Levins, Max Kiener, Andy Kiener Jr., Amy St. Clair, Bob Hall, Bud Alden; (back) Commodore Jack Keck, and Dave Rowe. (Photograph courtesy of Steve Schleede) Nice Pair took the top spot in the multihull division. The boat, owned by Bruce Geffen of Ann Arbor, finished in 1:11:48 corrected time.

In the PHRF division, Killarney came in first, completing the race around Mackinac Island in 1:06:31 corrected time. Killarney is owned by Brent Murphy of Savannah, Georgia.

Melding the fleets from Mackinac, Little Current, and Chicago turned out to be a great success, Mr. Rowe said. Sailors from Chicago had completed the 333-mile race to Mackinac only a few days prior, and those from Little Current would begin the fifth annual Mackinac-Manitoulin race, a trek to Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Thursday, July 24.

"We had one terrific week of sailing," he said. "We had every kind of boat come out for this race. Everyone came together and had a good time."

This race was fun, Mr. Rowe said, as both a closing event for Chicago, an opener for Manitoulin, and a chance for Island boats to stretch their sails. The Mackinac Island Yacht Club also organizes the Pink Pony 4th of July Regatta July 5, and the Horn's Bar Labor Day Regatta August 31.

"Although we do this race twice locally, the Chicago fleet has never seen it," he said. "I had several people tell me they'd never seen the back of the Island before."