Please select your home edition
Edition
North Sails Loft 57 Podcast

76th Block Island Race shortened

by Storm Trysail Club 31 May 2023 12:47 PDT June 19-23, 2023
Class 8 ORC start © Rick Bannerot, Ontheflyphoto.net

The 76th Annual Block Island Race was more of a Long Island Sound Race this year as Storm Trysail Club Race Committee decided the morning of the start to shorten the 186 nm course to 116 nm due to light winds.

While the first class did start on time at 1400 on Friday, May 26th, the wind kept dying and shifting, so the Race Committee went into a 20-minute postponement for Class 2 followed by another 20-minute AP for Class 3.

Finally, for the start of Class 4, the northeasterly wind filled in and the subsequent 5 classes were off. 55 boats competing under ORC or PHRF racing started the race with six teams retiring before the finish.

John "JT" Troy, Race Chair, said multiple discussions with experts from all areas started on Wednesday looking to try and make the best of the situation. "Despite the conditions, we were very pleased to see that 90% of the boats finished."

Just shy of 20 hours, Scott Weisman with his R/P 45 Pterodactyl crew were the first to cross the finish line (0:19:52:10). Unfortunately, they corrected out to 0:23:03:38, far off the podium but at least their heads hit the pillows back on land first.

It was Vice Commodore Andrew Weiss with his Italia 11.98 who corrected out on top of the ORC fleet (0:20:53:50) to walk away the William Tripp, Jr Memorial Trophy. His Christopher Dragon crew are long-time Long Island sound sailors but said even this one was tough for them.

"In conditions this shifty and light, we had to work really hard to find breeze and were changing sails all day and night," said Weiss. "It was an exhausting race physically and mentally."

Kevin Marks and John Fallon, winners of both the overall PHRF Terrapin Bowl and double-handed division, echoed the same sentiment after finishing in just over 24 hours in the J99 Velocity2.

"I attribute our success to my co-pilot and chief 'naviguessor' John Fallon," said Marks. " His strategic plan considered where the tidal currents would be and where the next new wind might be. We also know that pushing through and logging miles during the midnight-to-dawn period was critical to the final performance."

Where the wind might have been lacking, the awards party at Stamford Yacht Club on Sunday made up for it. The food and beverages from our friends at The Real McCoy Rum, Regatta Craft Mixers, and Harbor Point Wine and Spirits kept the sailors smiling under the sun while enjoying the live music and camaraderie.

Full list of results.

George Lauder Trophy, Best performance by a Vintage boat (25 years old +): CHARLOTTE - Richard West
Commodore's Grail Trophy, Best Performance PHRF Double-handed: VELOCITY 2 - Kevin Marks and John Fallon
Governors Race West Trophy, Best elapsed time in the ORC Fleet: PTERODACTYL - Scott Weisman
William Tripp, Jr Memorial Trophy, Best corrected time in the ORC Fleet: CHRISTOPHER DRAGON XII - Andrew and Linda Weiss
Terrapin Trophy, Best corrected time in PHRF: VELOCITY 2 - Kevin Marks and John Fallon
Governors Race East Trophy, Best elapsed time - PHRF: FIREBALL - Bill and Jackie Baxter
Gerold Abels, Best Performance ORC Double-Handed: NOT AWARDED
Roddie Williams Team Race Trophy: STC RED - Christopher Dragon XII/Cougar/Lora Ann
Tuna Trophy, Best ORC combined scores in the Edlu (40%) and the BI Race (60%): NOT AWARDED
Commodore's Trophy, To the boat that has won a handicap class by the smallest margin of time over the 2nd and 3rd place boats: ZIG ZAG - Andrew Clark
Harvey Conover Memorial Overall Trophy, awarded to the boat that haswon her class and, in the judgment of the Flag Officers and Race Committee, had the best overall performance: VELOCITY 2 - Kevin Marks and John Fallon

Related Articles

First-ever ORC North American champions crowned
Fox, Zammermoos and Teamwork win at Block Island Race Week 2025 After completing the full schedule of races - 9 in the ORC 1 class and 10 in the ORC 2 and 3 classes - three new ORC North American Champion teams have been crowned on Friday at the Storm Trysail Club's 31st biennial Block Island Race Week. Posted on 28 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 5
IHG Hotels and Resorts Race Day concludes the event Block Island Race Week's final tent party was abuzz with anticipation and excitement Friday evening, as sailors and spectators awaited the announcement of cumulative awards for the regatta's 60th anniversary. Posted on 27 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 4
Round The Island Race on Mount Gay Rum Race Day Mount Gay Rum Race Day featured everyone's favorite race of Block Island Race Week: the Regatta Craft Mixers Round The Island Race. The breaking of the recent heatwave made for a fast and furious counter-clockwise lap. Posted on 26 Jun
Tschüss 2 - Transatlantic Titans
Line Honours for Christian Zugel's Volvo 70 in the Transatlantic Race 2025 Volvo 70 Tschüss 2 (USA), owned by Christian Zugel and co-skippered by Johnny Mordaunt, has taken Line Honours in the West to East Transatlantic Race 2025 in an elapsed time of 07 Day 15 Hrs 29 Mins and 10 Secs. Posted on 26 Jun
Tight racing at ORC North American Championship
Two days of racing remain before titles awarded in three classes With three days of racing completed over 7 Windward-Leeward courses, the scorelines are filling up for all three classes competing in the first ORC North American Championship at Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week. Posted on 26 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 3
Soaring temperatures on Risk Strategies Race Day Risk Strategies Race Day at Block Island Race Week featured another day of champagne conditions and soaring temperatures. To give sailors a brief reprieve, the Race Committee called for an "early" end to racing (only 2 long races instead of 3). Posted on 25 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 2
Regatta Craft Mixers Race Day turns up the heat Regatta Craft Mixers Race Day turned up the heat at Block Island Race Week—literally. The Island was not spared from the heat wave sweeping the East Coast this week, but that did not put a stop to the action out on the water. Posted on 25 Jun
31st Block Island Race Week Day 1
The wind fills in after a short delay on North Sails Race Day Racing in the 31st Block Island Race Week got under way on Monday with the North Sails Race Day. After a one hour wind delay, the three fleets motored through "The Cut" to their respective race courses for a 12:00 p.m. start as the sea breeze filled in. Posted on 23 Jun
Inaugural ORC North American Championship Preview
Fleet is ready to race within the biennial Block Island Race Week Starting tomorrow an assembled fleet of 26 entries divided into three classes will start competing in the first-ever ORC North American Championship, embedded within the 31st edition of the Storm Trysail Club's biennial Block Island Race Week. Posted on 23 Jun
First all-women crew finish Annapolis-Newport Race
A historic milestone celebrated last week The 2025 Annapolis to Newport Race celebrated a historic milestone last week as the J/42 Allegiant became the first all-women crew to complete the legendary 475-nautical-mile offshore race. Posted on 18 Jun
North Sails Loft 57 Podcast