Sailboat races begin Monday

Northwest sailors embark on a week-long quest for victory when the 20th Annual Whidbey Island Race Week kicks off at the Oak Harbor Marina beginning Sunday, July 14, with races starting on Monday.

A Northwest tradition, Whidbey Island Race Week presents five days of competitive round-the-buoys racing, daily awards ceremonies, seminars and a wide variety of shore side activities. Race Week runs July 14 through July 19.

Created by Yachting Magazine in 1983, “Whidbey Island Race Week” has been recognized by Sailing World Magazine as one of the Top 20 regattas in the World and one of the Top 10 regattas in the United States.

This year 150 competitive racing yachts will participate in one of three categories — less than 30 feet in length, 30-45 feet and greater than 45 feet. At the end of each day first, second and third place awards will be presented to the winners in each class. Overall awards based on the cumulative scores for the week will be awarded to the top three yachts in each class July 19.

Race Week also offers an assortment of shore side activities for race spectators including bowling night on Wednesday and the Race Week Open nine-hole golf tournament and Reggae Night on Thursday.

The Whitey Lewis Volleyball Tournament will be held each morning, Monday through Thursday, with the victors receiving the Whitey Lewis Volleyball trophy at the end of the week.

Northwest Marine Productions has served as the manager and primary sponsor of this event for the last six years. This year, the Oak Harbor Yacht Club and Marina serve as the event’s shore side hosts, while Seattle’s Corinthian Yacht Club serves as the on the water host.

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