On a mission to get 50 for 50th

While the Pacific Northwest is a bit isolated as a sailing region, there’s plenty going on. When the long, dark, and dreary winter shifts to spring, it’s game on with Olympic medalists and hall of famers among the locals. With natural beauty abound, the dramatic coastline is set to make a statement on the 2026 racing calendar.

Back in 1976, the ‘Oregon Offshore’ was first held as a course sailing south along the rugged Pacific shore, but soon changed directions as a 193 nm race, passing by Tatoosh Island before racing down the Juan de Fuca Strait to Race Rocks, and toward the calm harbour of Victoria, Canada’s southernmost Pacific city.

The Oregon Offshore, renamed Pacific Northwest Offshore in 2020, has maintained its popularity through the decades, becoming a qualifying race for the Pacific Cup and the 2,308 nautical mile Vic-Maui International Yacht Race – both to Hawaii.

The race’s host city, previously Astoria in Oregon, is now just north of the border in Ilwaco, WA where some deeper draft boats can make harbor. In May 2026, host Portland Yacht Club is preparing for the 50th year of the Pacific Northwest Offshore, providing a challenging offshore test in their corner of the country. The race begins the morning of May 14 with a goal of 50 boats to make history.

Details: https://www.pacificnwoffshore.org/