More than 80 boats retire from Bayview Mackinac Race amid extreme conditions
PORT HURON, Mich. (FOX 2) - Eighty-five boats have withdrawn from the 102nd annual Bayview Mackinac Race because of extreme conditions, Regatta Director Ali Augsburger said in a Sunday morning update.
By the numbers:
The race began Saturday with 193 boats.
Officials said Saturday night that 30 crews had already decided to withdraw because of conditions affecting their boats and crews. By Sunday morning, that number had grown to 85.
What we know:
No serious injuries have been reported, and everyone has been accounted for.
Big picture view:
The remaining 108 boats continue the journey from Port Huron to Mackinac Island.
The backstory:
Known as the world's longest continuously run long-distance freshwater yacht race, the Bayview Mackinac Race began Saturday, July 18, in Port Huron.
Dig deeper:
Competitors choose between two courses: the 259-nautical-mile Cove Island Course, which crosses into Canadian waters, or the 204-nautical-mile Shore Course, which follows Michigan's coastline.
The race record is 21 hours, 45 minutes and 12 seconds, set in 2017. Depending on wind conditions, competitors can take more than 50 hours to reach the finish line.
The Source: Information came from the Bayview Mackinac Race