2025 Ida Lewis Distance Race Preview - Diverse fleet readies to blend skill and endurance
by Barby MacGowan 10 Aug 06:29 PDT
August 14-15, 2025
Low Profile © Stephen R Cloutier
With registration open until August 11, 36 teams has officially signed up for the highly anticipated 2025 Ida Lewis Distance Race, scheduled for its 20th edition August 14-15.
Showcasing one of the most diverse fleets in recent years, the roster includes 10 ORC, seven doublehanded, and 19 PHRF boats, with a strong showing from youth and collegiate sailors for respective challenge trophies in each division. Unlike traditional round-the-buoy regattas, this event stands out by challenging sailors with an overnight coastal distance course, offering a unique test of strategy, seamanship, and endurance.
"The race is structured to be a 24-hour overnight race," said Event Chair Anselm Richards. "With a start off Jamestown on Friday at 11 am, the fleet is expected to return mostly in the mid-morning to early afternoon the following Saturday." In order to accomplish this, Richards says, the Ida Lewis Race Course Development Team has plotted a choice of several courses between 129 and 230 nautical miles. Prior to the start, it will determine which class will sail what course, based on weather and handicap ranges for each class. (He also noted that although registration closes August 11, last-minute entries will be considered.)
"We are very excited to get our boat on a longer race course and really stretch her legs," said Tommy Henshaw (Newport, R.I.) about his team and his Hobie 33 Mod Captain Sluggo. Entered in PHRF Bagheera class and acquired by Henshaw in late 2024, Captain Sluggo has been racing locally here on Tuesday nights to "help the crew get in sync" with the boat. This will be a second or third Ida Distance race for many of the college-aged friends who crew the boat, while it will be the first for at least one. "Each week we sail the boat we get faster, crew work gets sharper, and we have more fun. Captain Sluggo has proven to be quick and competitive, and we're excited to see how she performs."
An impressive seven-boat double-handed class features neuroscientist Phil Haydon (Boston, Mass.) on the Sunfast 3300 Fearless. He sails under the banner of "Sail For Epilepsy" to raise awareness about this disease as well as to inspire others with epilepsy to live fuller lives despite the disability. "I have lived with epilepsy for 52 years after suffering a head injury and do everything I can to spread the word." Haydon will face tough competition from three Class 40s (defending champion Privateer, Res Potentia and Scowling Dragon) as well as another Sunfast 3300 (Low Profile), a Beneteau 40.7 (SeaJal), and a Dehler 30 (Turbofish).
Other defending champions are the R/P 66 Boudicca in PHRF Aloha class and the S&S 60 Running Tide in PHRF Coronet class. The latter is one of the most successful racing yachts of the 1970s, brought back to the U.S. and refitted to race 30 years later by the original owners' son Beau Van Metre.
Aboard the ORC 1 entry Hunter, a Mills 41, the team (except for the coaches) is comprised completely of Midshipmen from the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. "As a federal service academy, we regularly compete against colleges and other service academies but also have the privilege of competing against the general public," said Offshore Sailing Coach Avi Lessman. "The majority of the team has not competed in sailing before arriving at the school. The team is excited to get more offshore miles under their belt and compete against great competition in this historically dynamic race." (Hunter is also competing in the Collegiate Challenge sub-category.)
Following a strong showing here in 2024, Duncan McKay (Stamford, Conn.) and the crew of his classic Swan 411 Yankee Boy say this race is one of the season highlights of the Yankee Boy distance racing program, while Paul Kekalis (N.Y., N.Y.), who sails his J/40 Ranger locally out of Greenport, Long Island and is a veteran of other longer distance events, explains, "This will be our first go at the Ida Lewis Distance Race, and we are very much looking forward to it. Narragansett Bay is where Ranger came from, and I am thrilled to get her back to where she started. We are finalizing crew at the moment, but the current lineup is a mix of old and new friends, all in it for a good challenge and a good time. Ranger will sail in ORC Bagheera class.
Eric O'Sullivan (Lyme, Conn.), skipper of the X442 Xcellent that will sail in PHRF Coronet class, explains, "This will be my third Ida Lewis Distance Race, and it's one of my favorites during the season. From the scenic views of Narragansett Bay, to the challenges that can occur when leaving the bay at the start and then coming back into the bay at the finish, to the overall race course and the variety of sailing conditions potentially encountered, this race can certainly test you."
Ida Lewis Yacht Club offers a congenial atmosphere where competitors can mix with club members at socials and Saturday night's final prize-giving. At the finish line, each team is greeted on the water with a bottle of Prosecco (or sparkling cider for Youth teams) to celebrate their efforts.
Ida Lewis Distance Race Gold Sponsors are Hogan Associates/Christie's International Real Estate, Palm Beach Motor Yachts, and Van Liew Trust Company. Silver Sponsor is Contender Sailcloth, and Bronze Sponsors are the Brenton Hotel and Hilb Group. Contributing Sponsors are Gosling's Black Seal Rum, Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard, Stella Artois, Toni Mills Graphic Design, and Mac Designs.
For more information, go to www.ilyc.org/distancerace or contact Race Chair Anselm Richards, .