Chicago-Mac: Records crushed by INFINITE DIVERSION and ARETE
MACKINAC ISLAND, MI – Racing in the Cruising Division 1 of the windy 109th Chicago-Mackinac Race, which started from on Friday, July 14, INFINITE DIVERSION was the earliest finisher in the long and storied history of this annual 333nm race, the longest annual freshwater offshore in the world, earning their crew the Lle Aux Galets Trophy. INFINITE DIVERSION is owned by Joseph Haas (Winnetka, IL), a former Chicago Yacht Club Commodore.
“Most memorable this time was that it was so rough,’’ Commodore Haas told the Chicago Sun Times after finishing Saturday. “We didn’t hardily eat anything. Typically, we have beef stroganoff and those kind of things. So now the boat is just filled with food.’’
TROIS VIGNES finished as the first cruising boat overall, winning the Vanenna Cup. TOA, a boat in the Racing Division that started on Saturday, July 15, placed first in the Small Boat Division, becoming the winners of the Mackinac Cup. “This was the race of a lifetime, definitely one for the books. Our crew worked hard and made the dream came true,” said Jim Mitchell, co-owner and crewmember of TOA. The Chicago Mac trophy, presented to the first boat to finish in the Big Boat Division, was won by WIZARD. “This was a great race for us,” said Charlie Enright, the only American skipper in the Volvo and a crewmember on WIZARD. “Despite the variety of different weather conditions, we were able to come out with a successful result.” The Royono Cup, awarded to the first boat to finish in the Racing Division, was won by ARETE for the second year in a row. ARETE didn't stop after crossing the Chicago-Mac finish line, but contiued on to be the first boat to complete the Super Mac that ends in Port Huron, MI at the sound end of Lake Huron – and winning the Sheldon Clark / Aaron Deroy Trophy. “This was the toughest race we have ever done on this vessel,” said Ron White, the Navigator of Arete. “Our team worked incredibly well together and it is a fantastic feeling to be awarded with these trophies.” ARETE set a new Super-Mac record in the process.
The Chicago Yacht Club hosts roughly 3,000 sailors annually for the Chicago-Mac. This year sailors from 40 states and nine countries, from Australia to the United Kingdom, competed. After the stormy conditions that swept across Lake Michigan last Saturday afternoon and evening, followed by very light air Sunday night and Monday, over 90 boats – nearly one-third of the 301-boat fleet – were forced to retire from the race. SAILING ILLUSTRATED carried a number of live and other reports last weekend, including a Facebook Live with sailor Christopher Beckwith, who raced aboard NIRVANA, here.
Full results via Sail-World here. Nice photos of INFINITE DIVERSION ad TOA courtesy of super snapper Michele Almeida / MISTE Photography.
