Soggy start for the Race to Mackinac's Racing Division
by Laura Muma 20 Jul 00:04 UTC
July 19, 2025
The 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust is officially under way, as the Racing Division set sail earlier today under rainy skies and light winds.
Chicagoans on shore who braved the weather and came out to the lakefront were treated to seeing the 244 racing sailboats ghost along the shoreline as they sailed toward the new Skyline Sprint Legacy Turning Mark off of Montrose Harbor.
Currently the 41 boats in the Cruising Division, which began yesterday afternoon, is over a third of the way up Lake Michigan and now close to the Michigan side of the lake. Race fans can follow the boats in real time thanks to virtual race tracking
Fans will be able to follow both the cruising and racing fleets via YB Tracking here.
Each boat is equipped with a satellite tracker that sends GPS information (location, speed, and direction) every 15 minutes and displays the location and track on the race course.