Mother May I Race in May?
From the Yacht Racing Association
The YRA writes: “Whether you’re a seasoned racer or new to the sport, we’ve got a place for you in the Great Vallejo Race with divisions for all types of boats and all types of racers. After an action-packed day on the water, the good vibes keep rolling with an epic after-party at Vallejo Yacht Club, 3:30-10 p.m., with live music on the deck 3:30-6:30 p.m. DW Edwards and Lighting Up the Soul take the main stage 7-10 p.m. Get all the latest race information and download the race documents here. Fleet assignments and the starting sequence will be available Friday morning May 2.”
Important note: New to the Vallejo Race this year will be radio check-in required on both Saturday and Sunday. Both Saturday and Sunday will have a reverse-order start. Better hurry if you haven’t signed up yet — registration closes today at 5 p.m.
Also, remember the competitors meeting scheduled for 1900 tomorrow, Thursday, May 1. Details here.
Next up for YRA racing, the YRA In the Bay Series will kick off on the Knox course on May 10. The next offshore YRA race will be the Duxship on the 17th. See www.yra.org for more news.
More Offshore Racing
On the same day as the Duxship (May 17), the Singlehanded Farallones will head out the Gate for a solo rounding of the stinky rocks. Sign up by May 14.
California Offshore Race Week will make its way down the coast in stages, kicking off on San Francisco Bay with the Spinnaker Cup on May 24. Monterey Peninsula YC will welcome the racers to Monterey, then send them off to Santa Barbara on the 26th in the Coastal Cup. Santa Barbara YC will receive the racers and then send them off to San Diego on May 29 in the SoCal 300. SDYC will preside over the ultimate finish. Entries can choose one or two legs, or all three.
At St. Francis Yacht Club
On May 3–4, StFYC will host the Sailing League Regatta in their matched fleet of J/22s. It’s an invitational club vs. club series, focused on spectator-friendly events.
On May 10, StFYC will run the US Youth Triplehanded Championship for the Sears Cup Area G Qualifier, which will also use the club’s J/22s.
The Elvstrom-Zellerbach welcomes 5O5, c420, i420, ILCA 4, ILCA 6, ILCA 7, Melges 15, RS Feva, RS Tera, and 29er classes on May 17–18. Today, April 30, is the early registration deadline. This regatta will also serve as the ILCA District 24 Championship. The cutoff for entries will be May 6.
Women’s World Match Racing Tour will begin in San Francisco with the Stage 1 Casa Vela Cup on May 28–31, another regatta to be sailed in the J/22s.
More Regattas in the Bay Area
Sequoia YC’s Rock the Boat Regatta on May 17 will be Race 1 in the YRA’s new Women’s Championship Series. The newly created Bay Area series requires a female helmsperson and tactician, and at least 50% of the crew must be women.
San Francisco YC will host the Elite Fleet Regatta on May 17–18. The regatta is open to J/105, J/88, Moore 24, Knarr, Folkboat, Olson 25 and Melges 24 classes.
The great-granddaddy of all Bay Area regattas will follow tradition on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. The Master Mariners Regatta will strut its classic stuff on the 24th. See www.sfmastermariners.org.
Lake Sailing
Lake Yosemite Sailing Association’s Spring Regatta will be held on May 17–18.
See https://lakeyosemitesailing.org/spring-regatta.
Next, hitch up the trailer and head north for the Memorial Weekend Regatta on Whiskeytown Lake, which promises a “beautiful mountain lake, warm weather, moderate winds and very few wind shifts.” Whiskeytown Sailing Club hosts on May 24–25.
In Southern California
The world’s top match-racing skippers are sailing in Long Beach today through Sunday for the 60th Congressional Cup. The World Championship regatta, presented by Long Beach Yacht Club, is a premier event on the prestigious World Match Racing Tour. It’s spectator-friendly.
San Diego YC’s Yachting Cup will celebrate its 53rd year on May 2–4 for sailors across a variety of fleets.
The Etchells North Americans will wrap up a long season of Etchells regattas in San Diego on May 16–18, courtesy of SDYC.
Find many more regattas and maritime events in the Calendar section of Latitude 38’s May issue, coming out this Friday, May 2. For more long-range planning, see the Northern California Sailing Calendar & YRA Master Schedule.