About 100 boats will compete just north of Edgewater Yacht Club in Cleveland on five courses.
View full sizeSpinnakers blossom as racing yachts in Cleveland Race Week's J-22 class compete in 2008. This year's race begins today at Edgewater Yacht Club.Cleveland Race Week began in 1980 as two separate events and evolved into 10 days of racing for a variety of sailors. Organizers anticipate at least 200 boats from surrounding yacht clubs on Lake Erie to participate.
The racing begins today with the one-design fleets: J-22s, J-24s, Jet 14s, T-10s, J105s, Highlanders and Dragons. About 100 boats will compete just north of Edgewater on five courses. Depending on the wind, up to six races could be held the first weekend. These boats will compete for two days.
"A cumulative of those races will determine who is first, second and third in each fleet." said Mary Dodge, publicist for the event.
What: Yacht racing.
When: Today through June 27.
Where: Edgewater Yacht Club, Cleveland Memorial Shoreway (next to Edgewater State Park).
Schedule: Today, One Design Racing, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sunday, One Design Racing, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Monday, Remote Control Model Boat Racing, 7-8:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Women's Race Night, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, Junior Sailing Day, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Thursday, Evening Race, 6-10 p.m.; Friday, Evening Race, 6-10 p.m.; June 26, Cruising Class Racing, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; June 27, Cruising Class Racing, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Things to know: Most of the racing is done a half-mile to a mile out on Lake Erie. While the events can be seen from Edgewater Pier, it would be helpful to bring binoculars. Monday's Remote Control Model Boat Racing will be closer to shore. Women's Race Night on Tuesday will be closer to shore as well.
-- Elton Alexander
For those interested in getting a look at yacht racing, it is possible to get a glimpse from shore.
"You could probably see some of it from the pier at Edgewater, but it is about a mile out," Dodge said. "If you look out [today], you could see as many as 80 boats. Bringing binoculars would be helpful. We haven't gotten spectator boats, but that is a dream of mine."
The second weekend of racing is referred to as the Offshore Division weekend. These boats are typically bigger and vary in design. Each boat is assigned a rating or handicap that allows it to compete against others on a fair scale. They, too, will compete for prizes in races held over a two-day period.
There's even a remote-control model racing boat night Monday, where boats less than 2 feet long are maneuvered around race marks by their owner on shore.
Event details are available at ewyc.net/CRW2010
Edgewater Yacht Club is on Lake Erie adjacent to Edgewater Park, at the western end of the 5 mile-long main harbor.
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253