Race to the Straits 2026 Preview: J/Crews Head for Port Townsend

(Seattle, WA)- Every year, the remarkably laid back, fun-loving sailors that call the Sloop Tavern YC home in Ballard, WA hold their annual Race To The Straits Regatta. The format is simple, essentially a double-handed race from Seattle to Port Townsend and back. The full course length is 30.25 nautical miles each day. Saturday’s race will be from Shilshole Bay to Point Hudson keeping the Double Bluff Buoy to port. Then, Sunday’s race will be from Point Hudson to Shilshole Bay keeping the Double Bluff Buoy to starboard. All boats are prohibited from using the Port Townsend Canal. This is also the first race in the “Triple Sound Series”. The regatta has always been popular with J/crews over the years. Here’s the list of leading teams competing over the weekend.

Doublehanded Flying Sails Division
– Valerie Kutsyna’s J/24 HAKUNA MATATA
– Mark Meehan’s J/30 SLINGSHOT
– Four J/80s- Gerry Gilbert’s AFTERBURNER, Sam Glazier’s JAMMY DODGER, Ryan Porter’s JOLLY GREEN, and Peter Lisy’s RECKLESS
– Three J/70s- Neil Roberts’s MERCURIOUS, Jacopo Mangiavacchi’s PICKLED HERRING, Justin Nodolf’s PRAMZILLA
– John Kazaa’s & Jessica Aguilar’s J/29 RUBY
– Ten J/105s- including Alex Weatbrok’s CORVO 105, Jason Tyler’s CREATIVE, Jeff Pace’s LIFTOFF, Kim Schulze’s MAZU, Mike Cain’s PANIC, and John Aitchison’s famous MOOSE UNKNOWN (the Seattle Top 25 2025 winner).

Doublehanded White Sails Division
– Tyson Varosyna’s J/35 SOLUTION will be racing against time.

For more Sloop Tavern YC Race to the Straits sailing information
https://www.styc.org/Race-to-the-Straits