110th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac

(July 24, 2018) – From tragedy and big seas to flat calm and floating, the 110th Chicago Mackinac Race was a race of extremes for the 289.4 nm course from the Chicago Lighthouse, just off Navy Pier, to Mackinac Island.

After the Cruising Division start on July 20 and the Racing Division start on July 21, the 288 boat fleet was soon dealt with 20+ knots and six-to-eight foot seas as they sailed up Lake Michigan. Ultimately, 65 teams would retire. As the low moved east, the wind lightened and a weak high pressure system met the fleet in the northern part of the lake.

Il Mostro was first to finish in the Racing Division on July 22 at 7:45 pm. Broderi, the first to finish in the Cruising Division, crossed the line at 8:45 pm.

Overall winners included Brooke Robert/ Josh Kolar and their Beneteau 40.7 Broderi winning the Cruising Division with the Racing Division trophies won by Kevin and Raymond Teborek’s S&S 50 Challenge (Chicago-Mackinac Trophy) and Bill Alcott/Tom Anderson’s Santa Cruz 70 Equation (Mackinac Cup).

The race suffered a tragic loss when Jon Santarelli, a crew member aboard the Transpac 52 Imedi, fell overboard soon after the start and was not recovered. Santarelli was recognized at the today’s awards ceremony with a moment of silence.

Family ties ran strong across the top of the Divisions, Sections and first-to-finish trophies, as 10 of the 23 winning teams are registered and raced by family members.

Top honors in the Cruising Division went to CYC boat Broderi, a Beneteau 40.7 owned by Robert, Brooke and Josh Kolar.

Event details – Results – Tracker