WELCOME TO THE 112TH CHICAGO YACHT CLUB RACE TO MACKINAC, PRESENTED BY WINTRUST Afte r t h e COVID -1 9 pa n d e m i c fo rce d t h e ra ce can ce l l ati o n i n 2020, I am h o n o re d to we l com e you ba ck as we c arr y o n t h i s g e n e ra t i o n s- o l d tra d i ti o n an d te st o ur stam i na, strate g y an d p ers evera n ce in th e o lde s t an n u a l f re shwa te r ra ce i n th e wo rl d . It ha s be e n h ear twa rm i n g to h ea r sto ri es o f co m p e ti to rs l o o ki n g fo r ward to thi s year ’s edition a n d rea d y in g t h e ir b oa t s. A n d I c a n n o t wa i t to se e ea ch o f yo u o n th e star ti n g l i n e , at th e f i n is h a n d, of cours e , o n t h e isl a n d . Whi le t h e f inis h i s t h e m a rke r t h a t w i l l b e wri tte n i n th e hi sto r y b o o ks, an d e tch e d o n our troph ies , it is t h e j o urn ey to t h e f i n i sh t h a t ea ch o f yo u wi l l re m e m b e r. Th e h eavy wi n d s an d th e lulls . Wa kin g up in f re shwa te r w i t h n o l a n d i n si g ht . Po i nt Be tsi e an d th e Mani to us, G ray ’s Reef a n d th e M ighty M a c . S in ce 1 8 9 8 , sa i l o rs, yo u n g an d o l d , have te ste d th e m se l ve s i n th e se l o cati o ns on th is ra ce an d walke d away w i t h exp e ri e n ce s that wi l l l ast th e m a l i fe ti m e . Wh e t h e r t his is yo u r f i rst Ra ce to M a ckina c o r yo ur 5 0 th, I have n o d o ub t yo u wi l l d o th e s a m e in 202 1 . As we e nj oy t his m o m e n t , we t h a n k a l l of th o se wh o have m a d e i t p o ssi b l e – o ur sp o uses a n d fa milie s , o ur ra ce vo l u n te e rs, t h e U n i te d State s Coast G uard , o ur sp o nso rs, th e Chi ca g o Ya ch t Club s taf f, t h e m e m b e rs o f t h e M a cki n a c Co m m i tte e an d o ur co m p e ti to rs. Wi th o ut th e m , th ere is n o ra ce . T hanks to my favo ri te c rew, D i a n a , Caro l i n e an d Dani e l fo r th e i r sup p o r t i n thi s journ ey. S ail s afe , s ail fas t a n d we l co m e to t h e 112th Ra ce to M a cki n a c !
S in ce re ly, M ar t in S an dova l C h airman, 1 1 2 t h CYC Ra ce to M a cki n a c
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Blinker ✶ Summer 2021
