The Greatest Yacht Race on The Lakes Just Gets Greater!

by Canadian Yachting on 4 Jul 2009 July 18th, 2009 is the start date for the 20th running of the Lake Ontario 300 (LO300). Originally started as the ultimate long distance double handed challenge, this race has grown to become one of the premier yachting events on the Great Lakes.

Open to fully crewed, double handed and for the first time, single handed yachts; the Lake Ontario 300 is the longest annually held fresh water sailing race in the world.

The course is a circumnavigation of the lake that starts at Port Credit Yacht Club, heads east and rounds Main Duck Island, then heads south to Oswego NY where it turns east along the south shore to the Niagara River mark before heading to the finish line at Port Credit Yacht Club.

Last year a record breaking 128 yachts started the race with 104 completing the challenging non-stop course in an average time of 76.5 hours. 'So far registrations for this year’s race are up 15% over last year at this time, which is a very positive sign of the growing popularity in offshore racing' states Guy Perrin, LO300 Chairman, 'with the increase in the number of sport yachts, it’s going to be another great year.'

The Lake Ontario 300 organizing committee is thrilled to have the Bell BlackBerry® team at RIM as the presenting sponsor of the 2009 Lake Ontario 300 race. 'Communication is a big part of the race strategy and we look forward to integrating BlackBerry into our race program' said Darren Gornall, LO300 sponsorship committee member.

Spectators will be able to watch this year's race with real time tracking provided by FIS Tracking. Transponders will be placed on each boat to relay coordinates to the tracking website via satellite. This exciting feature of the race allows everyone to enjoy the non-stop action on their favorite boat(s).

All yachts will be competing for the Sperry Cup, awarded to the overall winner of the race. Sperry also sponsors the pre-race breakfast for the participants and the crew shirts. Other major sponsors for the Lake Ontario 300 include, Mount Gay Rum, Gill North America, Skippers Plan Insurance, Air Canada, Scotiabank, Brickworks Communication and Pitney Bowes.

Most clubs will be entering a team into the Skippers Plan Team Challenge, which has become a race within the race and provides bragging rights to the winning club. Skippers Plan also provides winners with a donation to Junior Learn to Sail programs.

The Lake Ontario 300 is Canada’s first registered 'Clean Regatta'. This is a new program initiated by Sailors for the Sea (www.sailorsforthesea.org), an organization committed to preserving and protecting water throughout the world through environmental initiatives.

Once again the LO300 will be supporting Broad Reach Foundation as our charity benefitting disadvantaged youth. Last year’s donation of $13,000 will be exceeded in 2009 through funds raised at the race and from the participants’ initiatives.

Changes to the race for 2009 include:

Elimination of temporary race marks.
New permanent course called Main Duck Course.
Improved short course, called Scotch Bonnet Course, which will round the Scotch Bonnet Island.
Provision for small yachts to race spinnaker on the Scotch Bonnet Course.
Improved safety standards
Great Lakes Single Handed Race Society approved yachts will be allowed to race single handed.
Registration cut off date is July 6th, 2009.
New online registration system
Website: www.lo300.org

Boat Check In: July 17th

Start Date: July 18th

Location: Port Credit Yacht Club

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