Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac - Karma Sailing Group wins

by Alison Vallas on 30 Jul 2014 2014 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac - For the past ten years the month of July has brought a steady stream of preparation for Karma Sailing Group, a sailboat racing program owned by Martin Sandoval and Karma Yacht Sales Co-owners Jack Buoscio and Lou Sandoval. July is an intersection of life, business and their passion for sailing as they have laid claim to regular podium visits in venerable Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac over the past decade.

'Our customer’s boats come first in preparing everything for the race' says Jack Buoscio 'it often plays out that the cobbler’s kids have the worst shoes as our boat prep goes down to the last day'. Jack and business partner Lou Sandoval are also the local Beneteau dealers in Lake Michigan so this proves a busy time of year for them.

The fruits of their labor paid off this past week as they won their section in the 106th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac. They finished the 333 mile race in 49:22:13 for a fourth overall finish in the Mackinac Trophy Division. This win marks the seventh win for Karma Sailing Group, but probably one of the most memorable as they came from behind after being called over early on the starting line. 'We clawed back most of Saturday after the OCS and losing ten minutes on the fleet' said Lou Sandoval 'It was a clear sign that we were going to have to work harder to earn this one'.

Team Karma worked the fleet up with West side of the Rhumbline to go from twelve place to first in the early hours of Sunday morning, a position they did not relinquish. 'This is one race we will be talking about for a long time' said Sandoval who has served as chairman of the Race to Mackinac.

In addition to Messrs. Buoscio and Sandoval, Team Karma includes crew members Cristina Cordero-Chadwick, Jason Veatch, Phil Toth, Steve Mathias and Seth Morrell. Karma’s name will be added to the Thomas W. Neill Memorial Trophy which is on display at Chicago Yacht Club.