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2019
Bayview
Mackinac
Race
includes
strong
field
and
increased
community
outreach
95th
race
will
feature
the
longest
boat to
ever
compete,
and
Warrior
Sailing
with a
crew
comprised
of
military
veterans
DETROIT
-
Bayview
Yacht
Club,
one of
the
nation’s
most
storied
and
historical
sailing
clubs,
today
announced
the
kickoff
of the
2019
Bell’s
Beer
Bayview
Mackinac
Race,
the 95th
consecutive
running
of the
Bayview
Mackinac
Race.
The
popular
event
starts
Saturday,
July 20,
with the
first
boats
crossing
the
starting
line at
11:30
a.m. on
Lake
Huron,
just
north of
the Blue
Water
Bridge.
“It is
that
wonderful
time of
year,
preparations
are
underway
both on
and off
the
water
for the
Bell’s
Beer
Bayview
Mackinac
Race,”
said Bob
Nutter,
Chair,
2019
Bell’s
Beer
Bayview
Mackinac
Race.
“For
2019, we
have a
tremendous
field
with 220
boats
registered
to
compete,
including
38 first
time
boats,
one them
being,
Whitehawk,
a 105
ft.
ketch,
the
longest
boat to
ever
take
part in
the
race.”
2019
welcomes
back
title
sponsor,
Comstock-based
Bell’s
Brewery
for the
ninth
consecutive
year.
“It is
hard to
believe
this is
the
ninth
year
Bell’s
Beer has
been the
title
sponsor
of this
great
event.
As a
competitor
of seven
Bayview
Mackinac
races, I
have
witnessed
firsthand
the
passion
the
owners
and
crews
have for
competing.
For more
than 30
years
Bell’s
has
shared
that
same
passion
for
brewing
the best
beer,”
said
Larry
Bell,
president
and
founder
of
Bell’s
Brewery.
“Through
all
those
races
and
through
all of
our
growth
during
that
time, we
have
stayed
true to
our
Michigan
roots
and are
proud to
continue
our
partnership
and a
shared
commitment
to the
2019
Bell’s
Beer
Bayview
Mackinac
Race.”
Nutter
continued,
“It is
tremendous
to have
our
longtime
sponsor
Bell’s
Brewery
back on
board as
boat
owners
and
crews
get
ready
for the
challenges
Lake
Huron
presents.”
From
its
traditional
start in
southern
Lake
Huron,
the
fleet
will
head
north on
one of
two
courses.
The
Shore
Course
covers
204
nautical
miles
(235
statute
miles)
along
the
Michigan
shoreline
heading
west to
the
Mackinac
Island
Bell's
Beer
Finish
Line.
The
longer
Cove
Island
Course
is 259
nautical
miles
(298
statute
miles)
and
takes
sailors
around a
buoy off
the tip
of the
Bruce
Peninsula
in
Canadian
waters
before
heading
west
toward
the
finish
line off
of
Windermere
Point on
Mackinac
Island.
Approximately
2,000
sailors
will
take
part in
the
annual
regatta,
with an
estimated
75,000
sailing
fans,
families
and
partygoers
attending
the
festive
activities
in Port
Huron
leading
to the
Saturday
start,
and
excitement
on
Mackinac
Island
for the
race
finish.
2019
will be
the
fourth
year
competitors
will
race
under
the
Offshore
Racing
Rule
(ORR)
handicap
system
for both
the Cove
Island
Course
and
Shore
course
(ORR-
EZ).
According
to
Nutter,
“When
the
Mackinac
Race
Authority
(MRA)
instituted
ORR
across
the
fleet it
was
designed
to
deliver
more
competitive
racing
based on
standardized
data for
hull
dimensions,
sail
inventory
and
size, as
well as
how much
crew a
boat
will
carry.
We feel
it has
accomplished
its
goal.”
As
in the
past,
the J.L.
Hudson
Trophy
will be
awarded
to the
overall
winner
of the
Cove
Island
Course
and the
Canadian
Club
Classic
Trophy
will be
awarded
to the
overall
winner
of the
Shore
Course.
The
Corinthian
Trophy
will go
to the
boat
with the
best
corrected
time in
seconds
per mile
on
either
course
with an
all-amateur
crew.
The
awards
ceremony
and
party
will be
held at
Woodfill
Park,
located
at the
foot of
the hill
leading
to Grand
Hotel,
on
Tuesday,
July 23.
Financial
support
from
Bell’s
and
other
partners
has made
it
possible
for the
race to
give
back to
the
community.
For
2019, in
addition
to
longtime
partners,
Set Sail
for
Autism
and
Alliance
for the
Great
Lakes,
the
Bell’s
Beer
Bayview
Mackinac
Race
welcomes
Warrior
Sailing
as a
community
partner
and as a
competitor
in the
race.
Warrior
Sailing
provides
maritime
education
and
outreach
for
wounded,
ill and
injured
service
members
and
veterans.
It uses
sailing
as a
platform
to
positively
impact
the
participant’s
physical
and
mental
health
while
reconnecting
them
with the
camaraderie
and
teamwork
previously
found in
military
service.
Later
this
summer
up to 20
young
autistic
adults
and
their
chaperones
will
board
J/120s
at
Bayview
Yacht
Club and
participate
in the
Set Sail
for
Autism
Thursday
Night
Race on
the
Detroit
River
with a
goal to
raise
awareness
of
autism
within
the
sailing
community.
The
Bell’s
Beer
Bayview
Mackinac
Race
will
also
make a
donation
of
$1,500
to SSA
that
will
benefit
Judson
Center
Autism
Connections.
Alliance
for the
Great
Lakes
focuses
on
supporting
and
restoring
the
Great
Lakes.
The
Bell’s
Beer
Bayview
Mackinac
Race
will
make a
donation
of
$1,500
to the
Alliance
for the
Great
Lakes.
“The
support
from all
of our
partners,
especially
Bell’s
has
permitted
us to
include
such
outstanding
programs
as part
of the
race,”
said
Sandy
Fullerton,
2019
Bayview
Yacht
Club
Commodore.
Adding
to the
excitement
of race
week in
Port
Huron is
the
Bell’s
Oasis
Tent.
Located
east of
the
Harbor
Master,
the
interactive
zone
will
feature
an
assortment
of live
local
music,
Bell’s
swag
giveaways,
activities
and a
fun
atmosphere
to enjoy
a great
variety
of
Michigan-made
beer
with the
team
from
Bell's
Brewery.
The tent
will be
open
Thursday,
July 18
and
Friday,
July 19
from
3:00
p.m. to
11:30
p.m.
each
night.
Sailing
fans
around
the
globe
can
again
track
individual
boats or
the
entire
fleet on
both the
Bell's
Brewery
(www.bellsbeer.com)
and
Bell’s
Beer
Bayview
Mackinac
Race
(www.bycmack.com)
websites
through
Global
Positioning
System
(GPS)
tracking
devices
on each
boat
that are
provided
by YB
Tracking.
Each
year the
economic
impact
of the
race on
the
communities
involved
is
approximated
between
$30 and
$59
million
(depending
on
weather
conditions),
making
it one
of the
premier
events
hosted
in the
state of
Michigan,
and one
with a
major
economic
impact
to a
host of
local
Michigan
businesses,
especially
in
tourism.
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