Recent Race News:

September 2, 2008
DATES ANNOUNCED FOR MAJOR
2009 OFFSHORE DISTANCE RACES

Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race – January 14, 2009
Fort Lauderdale to Charleston Race – April 8, 2009

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Dates for two of the United States’ major offshore distance races were announced by SORC (Southern Ocean Racing Conference) Management, which is made up of members from the Storm Trysail Club and Lauderdale Yacht Club. While both races begin in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., one races south against the Gulf Stream to tropical Key West and the other is a sled ride North in the Gulf Stream to the historic city of Charleston, S.C.

2009 Fort Lauderdale to Charleston Race – 408 nautical miles straight up the Gulfstream. 

Scheduled to start April 8, 2009 at 1400 hours, this event marks the rebirth of a race that originated in 1968 and ran for 10 years. The race will start just outside of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and finish just outside of Charleston Harbor.

The Race is also an official leg of the 2009 US-IRC Gulf Stream Series where IRC boats earn points for placement in an overall chase to be the series champion. 

Although the 2008 race was postponed due to scheduling conflicts, organizers assured potential competitors for this year’s race. “This year’s race schedule was carefully coordinated with the popular Charleston Race Week scheduled for the week following,” said race chair Buck Gillette. “Competitors planning on attending Charleston Race Week and coming up from the South can enjoy a fast ride and healthy competition on their way to Charleston.”

The 2009 Fort Lauderdale to Charleston Race is organized by SORC and sponsored by the Storm Trysail Club, starting host Lauderdale Yacht Club and finishing host Carolina Yacht Club. The race record of 33 hours, 28 minutes and 56 seconds was established in 1974 by Phantom a C&C 66, owned by Ralph B. Ryder Jr.
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