The Vineyard Race 2025 Preview
(Stamford, CT)- Stamford Yacht Club is the proud sponsor and host of the Vineyard Race. This classic yachting event began in 1932 and typically attracts over 100 boats of all sizes from all over New England. The 238-mile course stretches from inside Long Island Sound at Shippan Point in Stamford, Connecticut, to the light tower at the entrance to Buzzard’s Bay, and then returns to the finish in Stamford Harbor, leaving Block Island to starboard on the way out and back. Those who are successful often credit local knowledge of these tricky waters going in and out of the infamous “The Race” at the opening of Long Island Sound to the treacherous waters of the north Atlantic Ocean, along with a good deal of luck.
The Vineyard Race was described in Yachting Magazine as follows: “The greatest distance races of the world have several things in common – a challenging course, competitive fleets, and an interesting array of famous yachts. By those standards, the Stamford Yacht Club’s Vineyard Race rates close to the top. Like a miniature Fastnet, the Vineyard has a combination of coastal cruising, where currents play a big role, a stretch of ocean sailing, and a mark to round – the Buzzards Bay tower – before returning.”
The race has been popular with many offshore J/Teams for decades. This year’s event will feature over a dozen J’s across the many ORC and PHRF handicap divisions. Here’s the breakdown of those sailing the race.
PHRF Doublehanded Division
In this five-boat fleet are four J/crews! Perhaps a sweep is possible by these teams! LOL! Sailing is a past winner, the J/105 YOUNG AMERICAN from American Yacht Club. They will be challenged by a trio of well-sailed J/99 duos- Mike Kohler’s EVENTYR, Kevin Marks’s VELOCITY 2, and Doug McKeige’s SAVE THE SOUND.
ORC 7 Division
In this four-boat fleet is Ned Jobson’s J/105 SLEEPER and Todd Aven’s J/99 THIN MAN.
ORC 9 Division
Half of this eight-boat fleet is J/Teams; e.g., that spells bad news for everyone else! Those boats include John Sutherland’s J/111 19th NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, two J/122s (Andrew Clark’s ZIG ZAG & David Rosow’s LOKI), and Albrecht Goethe’s J/46 HAMBURG II.
ORC 11 Division
Half of this dozen-boat fleet are J/teams, many with loads of offshore experience and, especially, dozens of Vineyard Race veterans amongst those teams. For starters, there is a trio of J/121s racing- Steven Levy’s EAGLE, Steve Losik’s HABIRU, and Trevor Roach’s TOUCH OF GREY. Joining them are twin J/133s- Steve Brownlie’s ASSARAIN IV and Ove Haxthausen’s RUMBA. Then, staring them all in the face at the start and hoping to sail away from everyone is Macrae Sykes’s J/125 GOOD NEWS. This will be one tough class to win! Guaranteed!
PHRF 6 Division
Sailing this five-boat fleet is Steve Landy & Derek Soohoo’s J/100 SANGUINE.
PHRF 8 Division
This quartet of boats will feature two hot J/109s- John Greifzu’s GROWTH SPURT and Cary & Hannah James’s SUNNY SIDE. Fresh from a near-win at the recent J/109 North Americans in Chicago, the betting odds are that Greifzu’s GROWTH SPURT team finishes on top.
PHRF 10 Division
One has to feel some empathy for the four competitors up against a quintet of very experienced J/120 teams entered in this fleet. It wouldn’t surprise anyone that the J/120s sweep the class. Sailing are Brian Spears’s MADISON, John Sartorius’s ALIBI, Richard West’s CHARLOTTE, Andrian Lubimov’s DUET, and William Klein’s SPECK.
PHRF 12 Division
Four of the seven teams in this fleet are J/Teams, and virtually all of them have won silver in various races over time. To say it’s the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” waiting to cash in for more silverware would not be an understatement. Leading the charge should be Len Sitar’s magnificent blue J/160 COUGAR. However, charging hard on their heels will be Constantine Baris’s J/122 DIRE WOLF and two J/111s- Bill & Jackie Baxter’s FIREBALL and Peter Chirlian’s CIAO BABY.
For more Vineyard Race sailing information
https://www.stamfordyc.com/Sailing/Vineyard_Race_(1)