This browser does not support the Video element.
Race to Mackinac sets sail this weekend
The world’s longest freshwater sailing race sets sail this weekend.
CHICAGO - It is the pinnacle sailing event of the season. The Race to Mackinac is the longest annual freshwater sailing race in the world — and sets sail this weekend!
What we know:
This marks the 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust, where fierce competition meets cherished tradition.
The Chicago Yacht Club, meanwhile, is celebrating its 150th anniversary, marking a momentous milestone.
Sailors and skippers from across the country have descended on the Windy City to embark on the 289-nautical mile trip where they will test their skills against Lake Michigan's wind and waves.
"On the Great Lakes, you can kind of get anything," said Lindsey Duda, owner & skipper, Sin Duda! "It's an adventure."
Duda's boat, Sin Duda! will be among the fleet of nearly 300 boats in this year's race from Chicago to Mackinac Island. It started with the cruising division on Friday, followed by the racing divisions on Saturday.
The racing group includes the Trophy Division, the Cup Division, and: "Multi-hulls, so catamarans, trimarans, and those are a sight to see because those are fast and slick and we're glad to have them back," explained Kevin Foote, vice chair, Race to Mackinac.
Crews will travel 289 nautical miles, or 333 regular miles, which can take between 40-60 hours.
"For the first time ever, we have what we're calling the 'Lakeshore Legacy Mark,' the 'Skyline Sprint,'" Foote said.
Instead of heading off shore straightaway, the boats will hug the shoreline up to Montrose Harbor, offering an exciting new view for those watching.
What they're saying:
Many participants return year after year, but the race welcomes brand new sailors, too.
"When I was about 15 I had the opportunity to do my first Mac and loved it," Duda said.
Like Duda, who is emarking on her 23rd Race to Mackinac, Dean Hord and Timmy Carter are getting an early start.
Hord is 14 years old and will be starting 8th grade this fall, while Carter is 15 and will soon be a sophomore in high school.
"These past five days, we've been prepping the boat, getting it ready," Hord said.
Hord is tackling his first race, while it will be Carter's second sailing on 'Defiance.'
Carter started sailing when he was 8 years old during a Chicago Park District summer camp.
"I've been doing it ever since, just found a love for it," Carter said.
That resounding love for the water, the wind, and the waves runs even deeper than the trophies and titles.
"The race is special, the finish is special, the people here are special," Duda said. "Year after year, you run into these people and it's like family at this point."
What's next:
A sendoff party for crew members was held on Friday night at the Chicago Yacht Club.
On Saturday, the 'Parade of Boats' will begin at 10 a.m. on the east end of Navy Pier, where spectators can watch boats set sail for Mackinac Island.
The racing division will get underway beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday and continue every 10 minutes until the last section departs at approximately 3 p.m. To signal the start of each section, a cannon will be fired.
If you can't make it to the lakefront this weekend, you can still keep tabs on the Race to Mackinac using this interactive online map.
The Source: FOX 32's Kasey Chronis reported on this story.