The Bi-State Lake Michigan Race Preview

ByStuart Johnstone

J/111s sailing Tri-State and Bi-State Race

(Chicago, IL)- While offshore sailors in the northeast are enjoying their blast around the track in the Vineyard Race, Chicago and southern Lake Michigan sailors will be enjoying their annual round-trip or triangle race to St. Joseph, Michigan, and Michigan City, Indiana. 

Quite a few J/Teams participate in at least 2 legs if not 3 legs over the Labor Day weekend. The event is hosted by several clubs, including Columbia YC, St Joe YC, Michigan City YC, and Jackson Park YC. Basically, everywhere you race to has an awesome social agenda planned, e.g. a huge reception party for all teams.

Tri-State Race (Chicago- St Joe- Michigan City)
This race is a large triangle sailed around the bottom of Lake Michigan. Starting in Chicago, the fleet sails over to St. Joseph, MI. Then, the next leg goes from St. Joe down the eastern shoreline to Michigan City, Indiana.

For the first leg, in addition to the boats sailing the Bi-State Race (see below), the following J’s will be sailing with them; Scott Sims’ J/109 SLAPSHOT, Kevin Saedi & Raman Yousefi’s J/111 MOMENTUS, and Tom Dickson’s J/111 WARLOCK. For the second leg, Alan Silverman’s J/97E LEGACY will be joining the fleet. For more Tri-State sailing information

Bi-State Race (Chicago to St Joe and return)
This particular race goes from Chicago, across southern Lake Michigan, to finish off at the port of St Joseph, Michigan, then return 2 days later. It features a one-design fleet of J/105s and a PHRF Spinnaker racing fleet.

The eight-boat J/105 Class has many 105 teams that don’t normally sail offshore, but the attraction of sailing a fun race to a party is too hard to pass up! A number of the top racers will also be in attendance for a low-key offshore race, including Judith & Ross McLean’s ESPRIT D’ECOSSE, Mike Hettel’s GLOBAL NOMADS, Clark Pellet’s SEALARK, and Jon Weglarz’s THE ASYLUM. 

In the large 31-boat PHRF Spinnaker division are two J/120s (Mark Olsen’s JAHAZI and Arne Fliflet’s MAZAL TOV), Tom Papoutsis’ J/133 RENEGADE, Martin Luken’s J/109 FANDANGO, and the J/99 RAMBLER. For more Bi-State sailing informati