Independence Cup on Lake Michigan

The 2017 Independence Cup, a four-day adaptive sailing regatta from July 27-30 on Lake Michigan, was one for the history books. Sunny days, steady winds and big waves made for perfect sailing conditions and competitive racing in Chicago, IL.

Disabled racing legends Bob Jones from Seattle and Ken Kelly from British Columbia, once again lead the doublehanded Freedom 20 fleet. Over the past twenty years, Bob and Ken have competed together in dozens of disabled sailing regattas throughout the world. They found their sailing groove in Chicago, however, in the Freedom 20 class of boats.

“Thanks to the Judd Goldman program, we finally discovered a boat that allowed us to move comfortably and reach equipment,” says Jones. “Now, every spring we share the now familiar phrase, ‘See you in Chicago, buddy.’”

In the triplehanded Sonar fleet, silver medalist in the Rio Paralympic games and former Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Program racer, Rick Doerr, won the race, followed closely by Chicagoan Bridget Bodo, who fought valiantly for second place.

The singlehanded 2.4mR fleet was lead in all races by Julia Dorsett, a world-class sailor from eastern Pennsylvania.

The Independence Cup, the largest disabled sailing event in the U.S., is held in downtown Chicago at Burnham Harbor. For 27 years, the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation has been helping people achieve self-esteem and independence through sailing.

Foundation details – Event information – Results

Source: Mary Ann O’Rourke