Interest builds for inaugural Point Roberts Race Week

When Whidbey Island Race Week moves to its new home and name of Point Roberts Race Week in 2020, the inaugural event on July 13-17 will be bringing along historic hardware to Point Roberts, WA.

In addition to hosting the Corsair Nationals and the International 6 Metre North Americans, Point Roberts Race Week has been chosen by the Pacific Coast Yachting Association to award the coveted Carr Trophy to a One Design class at the event this summer.

Point Roberts Race Week was singled out because of the reputation of its new Principal Race Officer, John Abel and his race management team, combined with Race Week’s history, the new venue, fleet potential and capability to offer a truly regional competition in the Pacific Northwest that includes boats from Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.

This excerpt is from the Deed of Gift:
Among the many trophies offered in yachting competition, only a few recognize the indispensable values and virtues of the championship crew, while at the same time recognizing the organizational ability and talent of the captain. It is the purpose of this Trophy to recognize the essential team relationship between captain and crew. It is part of the purpose of this Trophy to recognized the crew, not only by virtue of their performance, but to include their names and specific identities in the annual bequest of the Trophy. This Trophy shall be known as the Jesse L. Carr Perpetual Captain and Crew Trophy.

“The Carr regatta grew from the Pacific Coast Championship Regatta(s) that began in 1923,” explained Larry Mayne, current Commodore of the Pacific Coast Yachting Association. “By 1958, there were so many fleets and venues involved, that the Jesse L. Carr Regatta was born. Since 1958, the venue for the regatta has rotated between the four Pacific Coast Yacht Associations districts.”

The four Pacific Coast Yacht Association districts are the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington and British Columbia), Northern California (Point Conception to Oregon), Los Angeles (Point Conception to and including Newport Harbor), and San Diego (South of Newport Harbor).

“Over the years,” continued Mayne, “the Pacific Northwest District sailors have hosted and won the Carr in 1960, 1964, 1975, 1976, 1986, 1999, and so on. The One Design fleets have ranged in size from 18-feet to well over 50-feet and crews of two to twenty. The Jesse L. Carr Regatta is conducted in conjunction with a carefully chosen sailing regatta and is intended to recognize the achievement of a sailing crew, participating in a one-design portion of a larger regatta.”

The Deed of Gift was amended in September of 2014 to eliminate the minimum age requirements of the Captain to qualify for the Carr Trophy. In the coming days, the Deed of Gift will be posted on the event website and an amendment made to the Notice of Race.

Event information – Race details – Entry list – Facebook

Background:
After 37 years in Oak Harbor, Washington, it was announced in March 2019 that the event would change venues to Point Roberts, Washington where the event had the capacity to grow. Whidbey Island Race Week has since been rebranded as Point Roberts Race Week and will offer a 5-day big boat race experience. The Point Roberts Marina offers a full-service deep water marina that can accommodate boats up to 52’ LOA. The mission is to grow the sport of sailboat racing in the region by providing the most qualified race management team in a venue that can offer compelling buoy and distance racing possibilities.