Spithill competes in CYC's Race to Mackinac
The 100th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac began on July 19, 2008. BMW ORACLE Racing helmsman James Spithill will compete in the longest annual freshwater sailing distance race in the world. The Australian will be watch captain and helmsman on board 'Genuine Risk'.
'(l to r) Russell Coutts, John Kostecki, James Spithill'
BMW Oracle Racing © Photo Gilles Martin-Raget
'This will be my first Mac race,' Spithill said. 'I am really looking forward to it. The boat will be great fun to sail and we have a good team.'
The course sends the 460 boats - 2008 marks a record number of entrants - from Chicago, starting just off Navy Pier, 290 miles to Mackinac Island, Michigan. The monohull course record was set back in 2002 by 'Pyewacket,' when owner and skipper Disney completed the course in an elapsed time of 23 hours 30 minutes and 34 seconds.
The multihull record was sailed on the former America's Cup cat 'Stars and Stripes.' In 1998, it was Steve Fossett who set the record in 18 hours 50 minutes and 32 seconds.
The race usually takes most of the fleet between 40 and 60 hours to finish.
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by BMW Oracle Racing media 
Port Macquarie, NSW
