News

At some minutes before 1900, well before tonight’s midnight race cutoff, korina korina crossed the finish line. This makes her the last boat of 2023 to finish the race. Congratulations to her and to every  competitor this year.

Let’s all give a big thanks to the organizing committee for this year’s Swiftsure International Yacht Race. And particularly we extend our gratitude to Randy Diamond, the Race Event Chair – you’ve been a fine leader and have risen to many challenges. To the over 100 volunteers it has taken to put on this race – well done team, you should be proud of your contribution of your time, creativity, and ingenuity.

We hope to see all the competitors back for Swiftsure 2024 for an even better race event.

Another Swiftsure race record has fallen – Juan de Fuca Race for Multihulls has a new course record (confirmation pending).

Duncan Gladman’s Custom Multihull, Dragon, racing for the Northwest Multihull Association – Canada, crossed the line not only ‘before the bar closed’ as was the refrain for decades, but finished Saturday before afternoon tea was over. And in so doing, took Line Honours, setting an unofficial  Elapsed Time for First to Finish record of 7 hours 37 minutes and 58 seconds. Preliminary Results: https://www.swiftsure.org/live-race-results/

This is in addition to Duncan’s Dragon having set the previous record in 2022 of 10 hours 31 minutes and 45 seconds.

R2AK 2019

Continue reading →

What a day, what a night, what a race! Westerly gales pressed 40 knots and the racers kept on racing. Some gear was broken but it didn’t stop everyone.

Terramoto ready to race Swiftsure 2023

Terramoto was racing Cape Flattery Race in Division 1 of the Light Class.

William (Bill) Weinstein’s RT35 was fully crewed and racing for CYC Seattle. And they’ve done their club proud.

The previous Elapsed Time for First to Finish was set in 2007 by Flash with an elapsed time of 12 hours 51 minutes and 13 seconds.

Terramoto has an unofficial elapsed time of 12 hours 07 minutes and 55 seconds. We await confirmation about her time and, should it stand, she’ll have shaved 45 minutes off the previous record.

Preliminary Live Results here (scroll down to Cape Flattery Race).

Continue reading →

Photo: Charlotte Gann

On everyone’s mind is the question – will there be records broken this year?

Swiftsure has the previous records here for Monohull Fastest Times back through the years:

• Swiftsure Lightship Classic; Fastest Elapsed Time for First to Finish
  • 2007 Braveheart 15:08:02
• Cape Flattery; Fastest Elapsed Time for First to Finish
  • 2007 Flash 12:51:13
• Juan de Fuca; Fastest Elapsed Time for First to Finish
  • 2005 Yummy 9:18:53

Today is the start of the 2023 Swiftsure International Yacht Race and it looks like it will be a good one! The forecast is for a fresh breeze at the start, increasing to a full gale this afternoon setting the stage for a quick race.

The Swiftsure Race Tracker goes live at 07:00 so you can watch the boats proceeding to the start at 09:00. If you’re in Victoria, you can head down to Clover Point to watch the start in person. Be sure to come down early for the Central Saanich Lions Club Pancake Breakfast starting at 08:00

Enjoy this Tuesday morning interview by Al Ferraby of CFAX 1070 with Swiftsure’s Race Event Chair Randy Diamond on the 78th running of Swiftsure.

Swiftsure 2023 preliminary Division Splits are now available in the “Registered Yachts” under Registration.  ‎

Skippers with comments concerning the preliminary division splits, please advise Swiftsure’s handicapper@swiftsure.org no later than 5 pm Monday, May 22.

Randy Diamond, Race Event Chair

Swiftsure International Yacht Race

Swiftsure 2023 Sailing Instructions are online under Race Info.

Swiftsure registrations open til midnight May 19

Racers are welcome to join the over 100 boats of the 2023 Swiftsure International Yacht Race fleet.

The amendments to the 2023 Notices of Race note that Sailing Instructions will become available after Thursday, May 18th.

Swiftsure racers should check this out and get ahead of the fleet by knowing what’s coming for tidal currents during the race weekend.

Since 2014, Dr. Richard Dewey, of Ocean Networks Canada with the University of Victoria, has graciously provided insights to Swiftsure racers about the tidal currents during the race weekend. And he’s done it again for 2023. Richard has an enduring interest in coastal flows, mixing, turbulence, waves, and tides. He has conducted research throughout the Pacific from Japan to California, and along the B.C., Alaskan, and Arctic coasts. He has used a variety of profilers and ROVs, and deployed more than 150 moorings on over 100 oceanographic expeditions. Richard is the author of the Mooring Design and Dynamics MATLAB package, and specializes in time series analysis.

Dr. Mike Foreman will brief skippers at the Swiftsure Skipper’s Meeting on Friday, May 26th at the Strathcona Hotel in their new Wicket Hall.