With just under 100 days left until Race Week, 150 teams have already joined Block Island Race Week presented by Margaritaville. This is the highest number of early registrations in over a decade for the biennial Storm Trysail Club event. “We cannot underestimate the motivation for sailors and their families to return to doing what they love together,” says Event Chair Ray Redniss. “With increased vaccine rollouts and lower case numbers, we are cautiously optimistic that our 2021 event will be a great success.
Still, the race organizers are managing expectations that 2021 won’t be exactly like past Race Weeks. The logistics of hosting a large regatta on an island demands months of preparation and - as one of the first major events to be held among so much uncertainty - a variety of necessary measures to keep sailors, volunteers and local families safe and healthy will be implemented. What those policies look like is still being determined.
“We meet each week as a team and are in constant contact with local businesses, a variety of experts, and our vendors,” says Redniss. “We know our sailors come for the fun, camaraderie, and competition, and our goal is still to deliver all that at the highest level, albeit safely.”
Racers planning to attend hopefully have already started to make their housing, docking, and ferry arrangements as we have been notified there are only a few reservations still available. Do not wait to plan ahead for your week away!