America’s Cup for dirtbags

Andy Jacobs and Eric Sorensen are a couple of normal guys from Pullman, Washington with a highly abnormal goal: Along with four friends on a Olson 25, they plan to start – and possibly finish – a somewhat deranged boat race that stretches 750 miles from Port Townsend, Washington, to Ketchikan, Alaska. The start date is June 14.

The Race to Alaska doesn’t have a lot of rules. The big ones are: 1) No motors on the boat, period; not even for emergencies; 2) No support teams, but racers are free to forage in hardware stores, grocery stores, and burger joints in coastal towns along the way.

The prize list isn’t very long, either. First prize is a $10,000 wad of cash nailed to a log in Ketchikan. Second place is a set of steak knives.

The R2AK, which is its shorthand name, is about as far as you can get from the stuffy world of yacht clubs, blue blazers, and racing around brightly colored buoys. Think of it as a saltwater version of the Burning Man festival. Or the Iditarod, except you can drown. – Full report

Event information – Entry list – Facebook

The 9th edition of the Race to Alaska (R2AK) in 2026 once again takes the ill-advised 750 mile course from Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK.

Stage 1: The Proving Ground – June 14 start
Port Townsend, WA to Victoria, BC (40 miles)

R2AK starts with an initial jaunt across open water, two sets of shipping lanes, and an international border. While not a race in itself, the Proving Ground is designed as a qualifier for the full race and as a stand-alone 40 mile sprint for people who just want to put their toe in.

Stage 2: To the Bitter End – June 17 start
Victoria, BC to Ketchikan, AK (710 miles)

Racers start in Victoria at high noon and continue until they reach Ketchikan—or are tapped out by the sweep boat. Unlike the 2022 and 2023 races, the western side of Vancouver Island is no longer an option as the course has returned to the original format with two waypoints at Seymour Narrows and Bella Bella.

Source: R2AK