Dozens of yachts will fill the Strait of Juan de Fuca from May 23-25, ready to race for glory at the Swiftsure International Yacht Race.
Hosted by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, the annual event tests sailors’ endurance and strategy in three trials: the Swiftsure Lightship Classic (138 nautical miles), the Cape Flattery Race (100 nautical miles) and the Juan de Fuca Race (75 nautical miles).
So far, 98 boats, operated by experienced amateurs and long-time professionals, are registered.
While the Cape Flattery and Juan de Fuca races take between 10 and 15 hours to complete, the Lightship Classic is a 24- to 36-hour test, which means sailors race through the night.
“Some nights you have surprisingly good visibility if there's not too much cloud cover and there's a moon out,” said Kirk Palmer, who oversees the event's organization. “Sometimes, if it's cloudy and it's kind of dark and the visibility is poor, you're blasting along and you basically can't see anything.”
All three of the races begin just off Clover Point on May 24. The Lightship Classic starts at 9:05 a.m., Cape Flattery Race at 9:15 a.m., and the shortest race at 9:25 a.m.
On the day prior, May 23, the Inner Harbour's gates will be open until 9 p.m. so the public can check out participating yachts and chat with racers. Starting at 7 p.m., a live band will play on the dock.
Palmer, who has competed in the Swiftsure more than 40 times, is one of the sailors taking part in this year’s middle-distance race. Part of what draws him and dozens of others to take part in the world-renowned events is the excitement they boast.
“It's funny – I think it's a diversion,” he said. “When we're racing, I'm not thinking about work or worrying. It's a getaway. We're just focused on the job at hand.”
“I enjoy getting all my buddies together, people I've raced against, people I've raced with. We have a good time, you know,” he added.
But it’s not all fun and games.
“When it's really windy, that's when it's challenging – just trying to keep the boat balanced and not flipping over on its side,” he said. “There are a lot of things you have to do at the same time. That's the most exciting part.”
The shorter races end at the Inner Harbour on May 24, with the Lightship Classic racers coming in on May 25. Race officials in Esquimalt will keep track of boats crossing an invisible finish line between McLoughlin Point and the Ogden Point Breakwater.
Last year’s winners are set to receive awards at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club on May 23, from 2 to 5 p.m.
