The following was submitted by the Block Island Yacht Club:
On Sunday, Sept. 6, the Block Island Yacht Club hosted the 7th annual Around the Island Pursuit Race. A Pursuit Race is different to a typical yacht race because each yacht’s handicap is applied, at the beginning, with the smallest yachts getting a head start, so that all the yachts, if well sailed, would finish the 17 mile, around the Island race course, at the same time. This Regatta was also sanctioned by the Eastern Connecticut Sailing Association as a “points” regatta on their Offshore Racing Circuit Series. This year the regatta had a record 18 yachts competing, with s from the mainland, representing the Duck Island, Bristol, Stonington Harbor, Watch Hill and Branford Yacht Clubs.
The race conditions featured SSW winds from 10-15 knots which meant that with an upwind start and finish, the boats were sent around the Island, in a counter clockwise direction with the start / finish line set just outside of the New Harbor entrance channel.
The winning yacht in the Spinnaker Class was Spectre, a J/125 skippered by Brian Prinz of East Haven, Conn., who started last and passed all of the
