J/Teams Ready for 95th Monhegan Island Race and Seguin Sprint

(Portland, ME)- The 95th Monhegan Island Race is coming up on Friday, July 31st, 2026. Portland Yacht Club hosts this classic Maine sailing event. A test of patience, strategy, tactics, and seamanship, this race is Maine’s premier overnight event.

First run nearly a century ago in 1928, the Monhegan Island Race is one of Maine’s oldest and most beloved races— a true rite of passage for Maine sailors. For many, it’s their first overnight race, their first taste of offshore sailing, and the start of a lifelong connection to Maine’s iconic coast. Over time, the race has evolved to accommodate today’s modern lifestyles. In addition to the iconic Monhegan Island race, the Seguin Island race was added for those short on time! Here are the two events:

* Monhegan Island Course– 140.0 NM- starts Friday afternoon heading south to Boon Island to port, then off to Monhegan Island to port, and finishes off Portland Head Light in a classic overnight offshore test.
* Seguin Sprint– 50.0 NM- start Saturday afternoon with a short leg out, a leg down to Seguin Island, and finish off Portland Head Light, big-race energy in a shorter format.

Monhegan Island Race
Seventeen boats are sailing the longer course, including five J/Boats,

PHRF A Division
The two J/Teams in this fleet of seven boats are John Wilkinson’s J/122 WILD BLUE from Portland Yacht Club. Wilkinson’s team is past line-honors winners and is returning with sights set firmly on the podium. The other team is Joe Faber’s J/46 JULIETT from Camden Yacht Club. This is Faber’s inaugural race in his J/46.

PHRF B Division
In this eight-boat fleet are two J/Teams. Geoff Rand’s J/109 PIZZAZZ is making its fleet debut and is racing double-handed. Joining them is Mike Kohler’s J/99 EVENTYR, returning after a one-year hiatus. EVENTYR is fresh off a 2nd-place finish in the double-handed division of the Newport to Bermuda Race.

PHRF C Division
Stepping up for their first-ever Monhegan Race after previously testing their skills on the Seguin Island Race will be Joshua Biermann’s J/36 SIRIUS.

Seguin Sprint
On the twenty-boat Seguin Sprint course, J/Boats dominate Class A so thoroughly that non-J entries are the clear minority!

PHRF A Division- “The J-Class”
Six of the eight boats sailing this class are J/Boats. Those teams include three that are sailing doublehanded: Bill Waldron’s J/145 SONNENSCHIEN, Ryan & Holly Collister sailing their J/105 ATLANTIC AVE, and the father/daughter team of Richard & Megan Hallett sailing their J/44 FAMILY WAGON. They will be joined by Emily Carville’s J/35 BREAKAWAY (sailing with an all-women’s crew), Sandy Schmidt’s J/42 ETOS XLII, and Chris Joyce’s J/109 SKOOT. This is a very hot, competitive class of offshore veterans!

PHRF B Division
Sailing in this five-boat fleet will be Megan Monroe’s J/34c APOLLO against a few other older racer/cruisers.

PHRF D Division- White sails
This seven-boat fleet is sailing with main & jib only. Looking forward to defending their crown, having won the division the past four years (and five additional times prior), will be Jim & Leigh Palmer’s J/40 MORNING STAR.

For more Monhegan Island and Seguin Island Race sailing information
https://www.monheganislandrace.org