By DETROIT — The feedback was so positive, the Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac Race is doing it again.
When the race held its 100th sailing in 2024, every boat in the fleet sailed the same course, much to the excitement and enjoyment of the competitors.
So, the 2027 race will duplicate things. Every boat will sail the same course beginning July 10, with a new route that'll take sailors from Port Huron in southern Lake Huron to a virtual gate just south of Duck Island, with the finish at Mackinac Island.
"The response in 2024 was overwhelmingly positive," said Robert Eger, 2027 Bayview Mackinac Race Chair. "People really liked it, when it was over. It was a definitely a shared experience.
"The Duck Island course keeps that spirit alive while giving our sailors a fresh set of nautical decisions. Everyone will be talking about the 108-foot lighthouse on the south end of the island that's visible for miles and if the wind blows at all from the north, we'll be able to smell the evergreens on Manitoulin Island."
The 225-nautical mile course brings the finish line closer to the race's roots, with a finish in front of Mission Point Resort on the east end of Mackinac Island.
In recent decades the fleet has been split between two courses. The larger, faster boats would race the 259-mile Cove Island Course, while the slower boats in the fleet race would tackle the 204-mile Shore Course. But competitors were getting weary of the Cove Island course, and the race committee searched for an alternative.
In 2024, to mark the 100th sailing, the record 332-boat field raced the original 204-nautical-mile course used in the 1925 race. The 2027 course isn't identical to 2024, but similar, and one that should test and satisfy crews from all the types of boats.
"We think it's a good compromise, an interesting course," Eger said.
Having the one course, said Eger, also removes a lot of challenges for race organizers and can simplify.
All competitors will continue to challenge for the two most prestigious race trophies: the J.L. Hudson Trophy (top overall finisher/winner with the best lowest corrected time) and the Canadian Club Trophy (top overall finisher).
103rd Bayview Port Huron to Mackinac Race
▶ When: Saturday, July 10, 2027
▶ Where: On Lake Huron just north of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. The race ends near the original finish in front of Mission Point Resort.
▶ Course: Single course for all entries, known as “The Duck Islands Course”. The new course has a direct distance of 225 nautical miles, finishing in front of Mission Point Resort on the east end of Mackinac Island.
▶ Did you know? The race is one of the longest consecutively run long-distance freshwater races in the country.
tkulfan@detroitnews.com
@tkulfan
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: After recent success, 2027 Bayview Port Huron Mackinac Race will return to single course race
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/recent-success-2027-bayview-port-192526135.html
