Watch for yachts in the locks on Saturday

NEWS RELEASE

TRANS SUPERIOR
YACHT RACE

*************************
Saturday, August 3, 2013 will mark the start of the 23rd biennial running of the Trans Superior International Yacht Race. 

The 326-nautical-mile race from Sault Ste. Marie to Duluth, Minnesota is organized by the Duluth Yacht Club in conjunction with the Algoma Sailing Club. 

Both crewed and single-handed boats are registered for this year’s race.  

The local Bondar Marina will house the majority of the fleet with some of the boats also on the Michigan side of the border.  

The boats will be arriving to the Sault over the next few days in anticipation of Saturday morning’s start to the race.

The Trans Superior has been held every odd year since 1969.

The race is also part of the Lake Superior Yachting Association off-shore series and is the longest point to point fresh water race held biennially. 

The race was first organized by Duluth sailor Jack Soetebier and Dr. John Pierpoint from White Pine, Michigan. 

The two men set up the race as a challenge to themselves and other Lake Superior sailors.

Race festivities will begin with a skipper’s meeting on Friday, August 2 at the Algoma Sailing Club with the race starting at 1 p.m. from Gros Cap on Saturday, August 3.  

Prior to the start, on Saturday morning, the fleet of yachts will lock thru the historic Sault Locks on their way to the start line.  

The event ends with an awards dinner in Duluth on Thursday, August 11.

Presently there are 27 yachts registered for the event including local entry Dave Steele in Steele N Time, a 29 foot Beneteau.  

The fleet also includes entries from Minnesota, Thunder Bay, Texas,Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and even the United Kingdom.  

There are a variety of boats including the 70-foot Il Mostro, a Volvo 70 from Burr Ridge, Illinois, the 68 foot Stripes, a Santa Cruz 70 out of Ann Arbour, Michigan, down to the 30 foot GL3, a Beneteau First 30, out of Harrison Township, Michigan.  

Stripes was the winner of the 2011 race however the yachts Chewbacca, a 50 foot N/M Int’l out of Bayfield, Wisconsin, and Papa Goucho II, a J 35 out of Duluth, Minnesota are also present.  

Both of these finished very close behind Stripes in 2011.  

The skippers are hoping the change the finish alignment in 2013.  

*************************