Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac

Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac The largest annual offshore race in the world.
333 miles from Chicago → Mackinac Island
Since 1898
(634)

At 333 miles (289.4 nautical miles), the Race to Mackinac is the oldest annual freshwater distance race in the world. 'The Mac' starts at the Chicago Lighthouse, just off Navy Pier and continues to Mackinac Island. In 2021, the cruising division starts July 16, and the racing divisions July 17. The Mac is widely considered a bucket-list race and has featured world class racers such as Ted Turner;

Steve Fawcett; Roy Disney and Larry Ellison, as well as thousands of amateur racers from throughout the US and the world. ALL TIME-SENSITIVE OR RACE-RELATED COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD BE SENT TO [email protected]. We cannot reply to time-sensitive Facebook posts or posts with race-related questions from competitors here.

Special Awards Registration is Now Live!Skippers: registration is now open for three Race to Mackinac special awards:Mix...
06/03/2026

Special Awards Registration is Now Live!

Skippers: registration is now open for three Race to Mackinac special awards:

Mixed Plus Award
Presented to eligible teams with a maximum of 50% male sailors over the age of 18.

Team Challenge
Awarded to the best team of three monohulls with the lowest combined finish score across their respective Award Divisions.

Mark H. Baxter Memorial Trophy
A prestigious award recognizing outstanding teams in the Race to Mackinac.

If your crew is eligible, now is the time to opt in. Visit the Race Dashboard for award details and registration instructions, then log in to your account to register.

Register now and make your crew part of the special awards competition.

06/02/2026

Less than 5️⃣ hours until the entry deadline tonight and you’re still on the fence? Entries close at 11:59 PM CDT for the 2026 Race to Mackinac!

Learn how to enter: cycracetomackinac.com

05/28/2026

Five days left to enter the 117th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust.

Registration closes June 1 for the world’s largest annual offshore race. Enter now at cycracetomackinac.com!

🇺🇸 Remembering all those who gave their lives in service to our country, and the families who carry their memory forward...
05/25/2026

🇺🇸 Remembering all those who gave their lives in service to our country, and the families who carry their memory forward.

We have 116 years of proof: the adventure is the destination. Entries close for the 2026 Race to Mackinac close in 2 wee...
05/19/2026

We have 116 years of proof: the adventure is the destination.

Entries close for the 2026 Race to Mackinac close in 2 weeks!

Just 2 months to go.Just 2 months until Chicago disappears over the horizon and life becomes watches, waves, sunsets, an...
05/10/2026

Just 2 months to go.

Just 2 months until Chicago disappears over the horizon and life becomes watches, waves, sunsets, and the feeling of racing north again.

The 117th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac starts July 10 & 11!

This week, the sailing world lost one of its most unforgettable personalities: Ted Turner.Long before the America’s Cup ...
05/09/2026

This week, the sailing world lost one of its most unforgettable personalities: Ted Turner.

Long before the America’s Cup spotlight, Turner tested himself on Lake Michigan in the 1970 Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac aboard American Eagle — one of the roughest Mac Races ever sailed.

More than 80 boats retired as the fleet battled storm-force conditions and towering seas. Turner’s crew pressed on and finished second overall.

During the height of the storm, fellow crewmember Bruce Kirby reportedly shouted: “What do you think of lake sailing now?”

Turner’s response became part of Mac Race lore: “I hereby publicly retract anything and everything I have ever said about inland sailing.”

Fair winds to a true competitor, storyteller, and larger-than-life figure.

If you know, you know.Decode this Race to Mackinac moment using only the numbers and the landmark in the background.Tell...
05/07/2026

If you know, you know.

Decode this Race to Mackinac moment using only the numbers and the landmark in the background.

Tell us what’s happening here. 👇

The best part of the Race to Mackinac isn’t the finish. It’s the team that gets you there. 👊 Less than 3 months to go! W...
05/04/2026

The best part of the Race to Mackinac isn’t the finish. It’s the team that gets you there. 👊

Less than 3 months to go! Who’s on your team?

Address

Chicago Yacht Club 400 E Monroe Street
Chicago, IL
60603

Telephone

+13128617777

Website

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