Bayview Mackinac Race - 206 boats - Beau Geste leads big boats

by Mackinac Race on 18 Jul 2010 Bayview Mackinac Race - A total of 206 sailboats in 20 classes raced in the 2010 Pure Michigan Bayview Mackinac Race that started under blue skies and a light 12 knot breeze and ended with a rainstorm and 20-knot gusts on Saturday in Lake Huron.

A storm swept in with rain and 20-knot winds for the last two starts of the largest boats around 1:40 p.m. The 80-foot Hong Kong-registered 'Beau Geste' took the start with a two-boat length lead over the 86-foot Windquest of Ada, Michigan. The Beau Geste's huge white spinnaker helped kick a strong wake from the boat as lighting strikes hit open waters near the starting line.

The Mackinac racing boats, ranging in size from 28 to 86-feet in length with approximately 2,500 sailors, set sail on two separate courses from Port Huron to Mackinac Island with the larger boats expected to finish in the early hours Monday.

The first class of boats crossed the starting line at the gun at 11:30 a.m. with a new class starting every 10 minutes until the largest class of 12 boats ranging in size from 52 to 86-feet crossed the line at 1:50. The last class for multi-hull or catamaran-style sailboats included just two boats, 'Nice Pair' and Ollie.

A total of 209 boats had registered for the race but three boats withdrew on Saturday. They were Night Moves, Camelot and MicJay. It was not immediately known whether the withdrawals were for mechanical or other reasons. As clouds rolled in during the starts the winds ranged between 9 and 14 knots giving the early classes spinnaker starts, with the multi-colored chutes heading into the open waters of Lake Huron.

'It's sunny and there is a steady breeze and most of the boats are putting up their spinnakers as they cross the starting line,' said Chairman Tom Burleson. 'It's chamber of commerce weather and the starts have been fantastic. A great start for the 86th Pure Michigan Bayview Mackinac Race.'

Among the largest boats in this year race is Windquest, an 86-foot Maxiracer owned by Doug and Dick Devos. The 80-foot sailboat 'Beau Geste' registered out of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club came all the way to Port Huron from Hong Kong to do the race.

Owner Karl C. Kwok conducted numerous media interviews by phone, satellite phone and e-mail given the intensive media interest in a boat that sailed thousands of miles to compete in the 252-nautical mile 'Cove Island' course that will take about half the fleet into Canadian waters for the course mark before they sail west to Mackinac Island.

Some 101 sail boats will follow the 'Shore Course' that hugs the Michigan coastline before sailing west to Mackinac Island. The Shore Course is some 50 miles shorter than the Cove Island course and is favored by many of the smaller boats in the race.

'We are having a beautiful day aboard with our Bayview guests, friends and crew family to watch the start,' said Lt. Commander Tim Brown, of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Hollyhock, which was anchored a few hundred yards from the race committee boats and starting line. 'We thank Bayview Yacht Club for their partnership in ensuring the safety of the racers and we look forward a successful finish at Mackinac Island.

For only the second time ever, sailing fans in Michigan and around the world are able to monitor the historic race via the michigan.org Web site with Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking technology. GPS devices have been placed on all participating race boats. Some 1 million page views per day are expected.

Also for the first time in race history the professional sports teams in Detroit, Lions football, Red Wings hockey, Pistons basketball and Detroit Tigers baseball teams each 'adopted a boat' for their fans to root for to victory. The Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association (DSBA) launched the 'Pro Team Challenge at Bayview's June 22 news conference to draw support to the sport of sailing.

'The teams have outfitted the crews with jerseys and hats and a team flag,' said Bill Harrington, marketing director for the DSBA. 'We are pleased to work with Bayview and offer a new trophy 'The Pro Team Challenge' for the overall winner of the four team boats. We encourage fans of each team to monitor their progress at www.michigan.org and root for their team sailors.'

'This race is truly 'Pure Michigan', and it attracts thousands of people to the magic of Michigan summers each and every year,' said George Zimmermann, vice president, Travel Michigan, who is racing aboard the 70-foot yacht Runaway. 'The race is based out of Detroit, starts in Port Huron and takes everyone 'Up North' to Mackinac Island, so it is a perfect fit with our highly successful Pure Michigan national advertising campaign to draw tourism to our great state.'

Zimmermann said the event draws sailors and fans from some 20 states and multiple countries that participate in the event. Based on its draw and the visits to the web site, sponsoring the event for the second year made good business sense. Last year, the three days of the Pure Michigan Bayview Mackinac Race were the three busiest days at michigan.org in the site's history.

'This race will feature sailing in the Great Lakes and showcases the natural beauty and fresh water resources that are unique to Michigan,' said Zimmermann. 'We welcome boats and racing teams from Chicago and around the world for the ultimate Pure Michigan sailing experience.'

'Bayview greatly values the association with Travel Michigan and we are excited to have Pure Michigan help us create excitement in sailing for as part of this historic regatta,' said Bruce J. Burton, Commodore, Bayview Yacht Club. 'We literally draw people from around the world to sail in Michigan waters and our sailors are Michigan's ambassadors to the world by participating in regattas on the seven seas.'

The Bayview Yacht Club web site, www.byc.com, generally draws a million page views for the race; up to 20 million page views are expected to hit the michigan.org Web site where the GPS tracking link for the 2010 race will be located, said 2010 Race Chairman Tom Burleson. GPS tracking will be offered exclusively through michigan.org.

Bayview, founded in 1915, is widely regarded as the premier sailing club in Michigan and the Midwest. The private club is located on the Detroit River near the mouth of Lake St. Clair and has more than 1,000 members. For more information: www.byc.com. The official Michigan travel information site, michigan.org, features more than 12,000 attractions, events, hotels, resorts, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses. The site highlights special travel deals for golf and other warm weather activities for all ages and interests. In 2007, 2008 and 2009, michigan.org was recognized as the most popular state tourism Web site in America.