Race to Mackinac: Resilience and skill

The 2026 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac once again demonstrated the scale and competitive depth that have established it as the largest annual offshore race in the world. The 333-mile course, spanning the length of Lake Michigan, challenged 250 teams with nearly the full spectrum of offshore sailing conditions, from upwind and downwind racing to heavy air, tactical light winds and powerful overnight thunderstorms. The 117th running of the race to Mackinac started on Friday, July 10.

At the top of the final standings, Jim Nachtman’s J/99 Rambler claimed the Mackinac Cup as the overall corrected-time winner among the smaller boats in the Racing Division, while Chris Duhon’s GL52 Mockingbird earned the Mackinac Trophy as the overall corrected-time winner among the division’s larger boats. Peter Thornton’s 104-foot ketch Whitehawk led the fleet to Mackinac Island, claiming line honors for the fifth consecutive year.

As the race unfolded, teams navigated rapidly changing conditions across Lake Michigan. Early upwind sailing pushed much of the fleet toward the Michigan shoreline, but the wind later shifted nearly 180 degrees, transforming the race into a downwind contest.

The dramatic shift created a complex tactical transition, rewarding teams that anticipated the changing breeze and positioned themselves to take advantage of the new conditions.

Late Sunday and into early Monday, a line of strong thunderstorms swept across northern Lake Michigan, bringing reported winds exceeding 35 knots and disrupting teams’ strategies as they raced toward the Straits of Mackinac. Several boats experienced moderate damage, including one report of a broken rudder and another of a mast failure. Despite a number of retirements, all competitors were accounted for and safe.

“This year’s race showcased everything that makes the Race to Mackinac so extraordinary,” said Race Chair Kevin Foote. “The fleet experienced incredible sailing, difficult tactical decisions, and challenging weather that demanded the very best from every crew.”

Chris Nicholson, a veteran Volvo Ocean Race Skipper and competing in the Race to Mackinac for the first time aboard the GL52 Heartbreaker, was surprised by the challenge of Lake Michigan. “It’s one of the most unusual races I’ve ever done. You try to use the experience you’ve built up everywhere else around the world, and in many ways it doesn’t help,” said Nicholson. “I reckon if I’d done 30 of them, I’d still be learning so much. It’s like multiple races packed into one. I found it an amazing and intense race.”

This year’s race also marked the introduction of the new Mixed Plus Award, recognizing top-performing teams with a maximum of 50% male sailors over the age of 18. Created to encourage broader participation by women and youth sailors across the fleet, the award reflects the Chicago Yacht Club’s continued commitment to growing offshore sailing while preserving the traditions that have defined the Race to Mackinac for more than a century.

Class and special-award winners are being recognized Tuesday during the Sailors Celebration at Mission Point Resort, including recipients of the Mackinac Cup, Mackinac Trophy, Whitehawk Trophy, Doublehanded Division, inaugural Mixed Plus Awards and Mark H. Baxter Trophy, awarded to the top-finishing first-time entry.

“Congratulations to everyone who made the journey to Mackinac Island. You’ve added another unforgettable chapter to the history of this race,” reflected Foote. “The passion this race inspires—from the sailors on the water to everyone following from shore—is what makes it so special.”

With the 117th edition complete, planning is already underway for the 118th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac, returning in July 2027.

Top trophy finishers

Mackinac Trophy (Overall Larger Boats): Mockingbird, GL52, Chris Duhon

Mackinac Cup (Overall Smaller Boats): Rambler, J/99, James Nachtman

Whitehawk Trophy (Overall Cruising Division): Sociable, Beneteau First 44, Robert Arzbaecher

Royono Trophy (First Racing Monohull to Finish): Mockingbird, GL52, Chris Duhon

Doublehanded Division: Exile, J/88, Andy Graff & Scott Eisenhardt

Multihull: Unleaded II, Bleu Marine 46, Etienne St-Laurent

Mark H. Baxter Trophy (Top-Finishing Inaugural Entries):
Whistler, J/105, Ethan Taylor (Mackinac Cup)
Captain Sluggo, Hobie 33 Mod, Tommy Henshaw (Mackinac Trophy)
Banshee-VIII, Express 37, Timothy Corkell & Anthony Corkell (Cruising Division)

Mixed-Plus Award (Top-Finishing Entry with Max 50% Male 18+):
Nyctosaur, J/105, Mark Fruin (Mackinac Cup)
Mise en Place, Beneteau Oceanis 3, Karen Harris (Cruising Division)

Event details – Results – Facebook

Source: CYC