Block Island Race Week - NoR posted and online registration available

by Dana Paxton on 14 Feb 2009
One of summer's most cherished regattas, the Storm Trysail Club's biennial Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex, is set for its 23rd running from June 21-26, 2009. The regatta, which traditionally features five days of racing in both handicap and one-design classes, will also serve as the inaugural North American championship for the J/122 class and the East Coast championship for the J/109 class. The Notice of Race and online registration are available on the official event site www.blockislandraceweek.com.

'Each year we strive to provide competitors with a world-class regatta,' said Eric Kreuter, Vice-Commodore of the Storm Trysail Club and 2009 regatta chairman. 'This year we expect to field over 180 boats competing in IRC, PHRF and one-design classes, including starts for the large J/105 class, J/80, Swan 42, J/120, Farr 30, Farr 40, Beneteau 36.7, and the J/44 classes. New this year will be a class start for Sport Boats. To help us better prepare for this year's event, we are asking potential competitors to give us an early indication of interest by beginning the online entry process as soon as possible. While they have until June 01, 2009 to complete the process and pay the entry fee, this early entry information will be very helpful to our planning.'

As the first major championship for the J/122 class, expectations from the fleet are high and eight of the 40-foot performance cruisers have indicated they will be there for the one-design start. 'I expect the competition to be intense,' said David Askew (Annapolis, Md.), owner of Flying Jenny VI. 'We had our first J/122 class event at last year's New York Yacht Club Race Week (at Newport presented by Rolex) and the racing was very close and exciting. A lot of the boats were new to their owners last year, so I expect this year to be much tougher. I'm sure many have a plan to improve their game. I know I do!'

Askew is no stranger to Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex. He won his class in 2007 in a J/120 of the same name.

'Our new J/122 Plum Crazy II was just splashed in mid-summer of 2008, and due to business travels, we did not get to race her until the AYC (Annapolis Yacht Club) Fall Series in October, where we took first in IRC,' said Andy Skibo (Ocean City, N.J.). 'So this will be the first Block Island for Plum Crazy II although we have competed at Block before in our J/105 (Plum Crazy). Block Island Race Week has always been our favorite race. Block to us is that great balance of a highly-competitive venue, great place to sail, a 'sailors' week on the island', while still retaining a balance of family fun.'

There will be four Skibos in this crew and a total of six of the original Plum Crazy crew. 'We really prefer one-design racing,' continued Skibo. 'Block Island Race Week will be our first exposure to a large J/122 fleet one-design race. To me that's the proof of a program. No debates about rating, etc. When you race one design, if you are behind, you could be doing something better. No excuses. Last, if the J/122 fleet is anything like the J/105 fleet, I look forward to a great sense of camaraderie.'

For the Farr 30 class - recently rebranded with Farr as their new title sponsor - the fleet is expected to number around 10 boats. 'The Farr 30 class next will be at the Annapolis NOOD (April) followed by the Block Island,' said Brad Kaufman (Annapolis, Md.), fleet captain for the Chesapeake Region and co-owner of Mummbles along with Tom Stout and Marc Zupan. 'The 2005 Block Island Race Week was our first time competing, although it was in our old boat, and we finished fourth. We hope to have close racing every day with the first-place boat being decided the last day of competition. Rhumb Punch from Solomons, Md. will be competing. They won the 2009 Acura Key West Race Week, first in class and hope to have a repeat.'

This will be the first trip to Block Island for the Farr 30 Turbo Duck, owned by Nick and Bodo von der Wense (Wayne, Pa.), and Bodo is expecting 'tight one-design competition and great sailing.' Also counting their boat's first trip out to 'The Block' is Scott Baker and Moise Solomon, co-owners of Kaizen. 'We both have competed before in different boats,' said Solomon (Chelmsford, Mass.). 'In the past I was second as driver of my boat, and was the tactician on a J/35 (Split Decision) that won its class and was Boat of the Week. We expect tight competition and excellent racing. The Farr 30s are very well-sailed boats, are fast and tactical. The boats are ideally suited to the range of conditions that can be expected at Block Island and are enjoyable to sail from the very light to 30+ knots. We expect a week of very competitive racing.'

Between now and June members of the Storm Trysail Club, as well as Executive Director Marcy Trenholm, will see to the thousands of details that go into producing one of sailing's best known racing weeks.

'It takes over 100 volunteers, both onshore and on the water, to achieve the high standard that racers have come to know at Block Island,' said Trenholm. 'Planning has already started, and our logistics team is preparing for what we believe will be the best regatta to date.'

All told, over 180 boats and 1500 sailors are expected to converge - as they have in odd-numbered years for over four decades - on the tiny land mass located approximately 12 miles southeast of Rhode Island. The cozy community of Block Island (only around 800 year-round residents), which can only be accessed by ferry, boat or plane, embraces the swell in population and the excitement of hosting a fun-filled week of impeccably-managed competition on the water and famously friendly revelry ashore.

The racing format for the week allows for three fleets on three different race courses. Sailors will be gunning for individual class trophies, with fleets vying for Rolex watches as overall prizes for the top-performing yachts. A traditional around-the-island distance race (with an option of a second distance race) will be included.

For those with endorsed IRC ratings, the Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week XXIII presented by Rolex is a qualifier for the US-IRC Gulf Stream Series (www.us-irc.org).

Block Island Race Week Headquarters will be located at the Oar Restaurant, in the Block Island Boat Basin on the shore of the Great Salt Pond, also known locally as New Harbor. It is there, under a giant event tent, that racing will be complemented by socializing each evening. And during the day, families of the racers will take full advantage of Block Island's island-getaway setting. There will be daily awards and the overall trophies for the week will be on Friday, June 26th.

Compliments of Rolex, daily video shows of each day's racing will be produced by Annapolis-based T2Productions and broadcast on-line each night by 9 p.m. on www.t2p.tv. The videos also will be shown each day under the 'Big Top' tent where all of Race Week's sponsors will have a presence. Sponsors are Rolex, Caithness Energy, Mt. Gay, Lewmar, Bitter End Yacht Club, Gill, Gowrie Barden & Brett, Hall Spars, Heineken, Sailing World magazine, Summit Yachts, UKHalsey Sailmakers and Vineyard Vines.

For more information, visit www.blockislandraceweek.com

About Rolex Watch U.S.A. Since Rolex Watch U.S.A. first presented timepieces to America's Cup defenders in 1958, the company has consistently recognized and encouraged excellence in every important arena of competitive sailing, including elite athlete preparation, US SAILING championships, disabled sailing, and offshore, one-design and women's events.

Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex joins other prestigious Rolex-sponsored events in 2009 including the Rolex Miami OCR, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Rolex Fastnet Race, Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, Rolex Big Boat Series, Rolex US-IRC National Championship, Rolex International Women's