Block Island Race Week
2011 Block Island Race Week News T H U R S D AY • J U N E 2 3 , 2 0 1 1
Allen Clark/PhotoBoat.com
Competitors Note: The Results on page 4 have been revised to reflect changes in IRC 4.
An Unexpected Lay Day The all-too-familiar red and white AP pennant was flying again on Wednesday morning at Block Island Race Week XXIV presented by Rolex (actually, it was barely aflutter). Shortly after 1000, the Race Committee decided to send the 134-boat fleet out to Block Island Sound with the hope of getting at least one race in.
forecast, the day’s only sailboat competition would be the drag race into the Great Salt Pond for a table at The Oar. Indeed, the ever-vigilant staff at this popular harborside restaurant and watering hole (a Race Week supporter for many years) had anticipated that the restless and thirsty crews would be testing the limits of their Mudslide output capacity, and they were more than ready.
For a while, it appeared that the light, shifty breeze might settle. During the wait, Sailing World Editor Dave Reed provided an eloquent explanation of starting sequences, handicapping, one-design classes and racing rules to folks aboard the Rolex media boat who were hoping to see their first yacht race.
“We lost yesterday and we only have two days left, so we’ll have to wait and see what the weather brings,” said Race Week Committee Chairman Nick Langone. “Obviously we’d like a ‘Round the Island Race, but we’d also like to get as many races as we can in order to score properly. There have been years when we didn’t do a ‘Round the Island Race for one reason or another, but we’ll have to get together and make that decision.”
By 1100, however, with the water becoming increasingly glassy it was obvious that it just wasn’t going to happen. At 1120, the RC hoisted the AP over H pennant, sending boats back to the docks. With rain — but no wind — in the
With the ‘Round the Island Race (hopefully) yet to come, it seems that mere prayers for wind may be inadequate this week. Are the wind gods only going to be appeased with a sacrifice?