Ida Lewis Distance Race Will Keep In Bay Race as Option Along with Traditional Offshore Races

© 2020 Stephen R Cloutier

The 17th edition of the Ida Lewis Distance Race starts Thursday, August 19, 2021 and will keep its expanded format from last year to give competitors more options. The schedule consists of:

• Registration and Skippers Meeting conducted by host Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport, RI on Thursday, August 19.

• Offshore Distance Race (Between 112 and 169 nm) for ORC, PHRF (Aloha and Coronet divisions), ORC DoubleHanded and PHRF Cruising Spinnaker classes starting Friday, August 20.

• In Bay Distance Race (33 nm) for PHRF (Aloha and Coronet divisions), PHRF DoubleHanded and PHRF Cruising Spinnaker classes starting Saturday, August 21.

The start for the Offshore Races will be in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay on Friday, August 20 with the first Warning Signal scheduled for 1100. The start for the In Bay Race will be in the East Passage of Narragansett Bay on Saturday, August 21 with the first Warning Signal scheduled for 1000.

Unique to the Ida Lewis Distance Race, the Race Committee considers weather forecasts to decide from among four courses ranging from 112 to 169 nautical miles. The goal is to get all teams back to the dock within 18-24 hours. The courses – incorporating some of the most iconic cruising grounds in New England – are named “The Montauk,” “The Block Island,” “The Point Judith” and “The Buzzards Bay Tower.”

Classes are for boats 28 feet or longer and include IRC, PHRF, One-Design, Multihull, Double-Handed, and, new for this year, Mixed Double-Handed (to debut at the 2024 Olympics). The race also Includes Youth and Collegiate Challenge categories. The Notice of Race has been published at https://bit.ly/3sz0ccb. For questions, contact Race Chairman Pat Kennedy at Distancerace@ilyc.org. ■