Chester Race Week launches with a bang!
The largest keel boat regatta in Canada, hosted by the Chester Yacht Club, hits the starting line at noon on Wednesday, August 10th. The official opening ceremonies will commence in front of the Club at 9:00 am. The chair of Chester Race Week, Dr. John Curry will officiate. Gerald Keddy MP for South Shore-St. Margaret’s will bring greetings from the federal government as will dignitaries from local governments. As the club burgee is hoisted to the yardarm by the commodore Don McAlpine, the very loud starting cannon will declare CRW 2011 launched.
Dr. Curry stated 'with a fleet of over 132 yachts already pre-registered this regatta may well be one of the largest ever. Now, all we need is fair winds to provide good racing conditions'. Keel boats of all sizes will be racing on three separate courses including smaller day sailors up to multi-million dollar ocean yachts. Curry said, 'The skippers really enjoy Chester Race Week as Mahone Bay offers some of the finest sailing anywhere'.
The racers come from all over the Atlantic seaboard with 3 boats from Charlottetown, one from Newfoundland, 3 International One Design boats from Bermuda, 7 from New Brunswick, and many from the yacht clubs around Halifax and down the south shore.
Many skippers are repeat participants who wouldn’t miss a Chester Race Week as it is recognized as one of the top regattas of the season. Skipper Randi Stevens will be back with his yacht, 'Ceilidh' and enthusiastic crew to defend his trophy in the White Sail fleet.
The public is invited to the Chester Yacht Club for the opening ceremonies and the other land based events every afternoon and evening from Wednesday August 10th to Saturday August 13th. Wrist bands can be purchased at the club for the evening parties. Chester Yacht Club invites yachtsmen and visitors alike to come and enjoy the regatta with the beautiful yachts flying billowing, colourful spinnakers as they head to the finish lines.
