Block Island, RI – May 2025 — With nearly 175 boats already registered, anticipation for Storm Trysail Club’s 31st Block Island Race Week is sky-high. Set against the stunning backdrop of New England’s favorite island outpost, this biennial regatta draws top-tier talent, family crews, and sailing legends alike for a week of competition and camaraderie that’s hard to match.
So, what keeps them coming back?
Legacy, Family, and Lifelong Memories
For John Storck Jr. and his crew aboard Blitzen, Race Week is a family tradition. “I have only missed the first one in 1965 when I was in high school,” he says. “I skipped my college graduation to go to BIRW in 1971.” Storck’s new Blitzen is named for the first cruising boat his father restored after Hurricane Carol. Now, three generations of Storcks will be on the island—along with longtime friends like Dave Waldo and Rich du Moulin—competing together in the PHRF division.
A Winning History and the Brotherhood of the Union
Jack LeFort and his crew aboard TINK, his sleek Brooklin Boat Yard Eggemoggin 47, are returning after winning their class and the Round the Island Race last time. “This will be our 16th Race Week over the years, sailing eight different boats,” LeFort shares. His tight-knit team, affectionately known as “The Union,” includes sailing legends Brad Dimeo, Tom Scott, and Ken Read. “As long as our health allows, we’ll be here.”
Redemption and Rebuild
Charleston-based Madame (J/105), skippered by Justin Walling, returns with new life after a rough grounding post-2023. “She was nearly left for dead,” Walling says. Now rebuilt and boasting a vivid red hull, she’s back with a crew of College of Charleston alumni and Warrior Sailing veteran Pete Saris. “We’ve been training and working toward this since last year. We’re feeling strong about the racing—and looking to podium at the party.”
Newcomers With Big Goals
First-timers aboard Velocita (J/109), led by Marc De Souter, are embracing the challenge. “None of our crew has participated before. Most important to us is to have fun sailing and racing.” With a globally diverse team—including sailors from Germany, France, India, and Israel—Velocita shows how Race Week continues to expand its reach.
Race Week = Reunion
Vento Solare skipper Bill Kneller sums it up best: “BIRW has always been a fun event for the J/109 Class, mixing competitive sailing with great camaraderie.” He recalls wild wipeouts during the 2015 Around the Island Race and a spontaneous helicopter landing at a class party. “There’s always a story.”
The Boat Came Home
For the crew of Party Tree, a J/80, Race Week is both a regatta and a reunion. “Our boat was native to Block Island,” the team says. “At our first Race Week, a man sailed by and said, ‘That’s my boat!’ It turns out he was the original owner.” Now owned and co-sailed by four best friends from the URI sailing team, Party Tree celebrates the event as a “getaway with 1,000 of your best friends.”
Small Boats, Big Passion
Florida’s Obsession (Melges 24), owned by Gary Schwarting, is returning for a 16th time. “I think in 1993, my first Race Week, Harry Melges and Andy Burdick came with a Melges 24 and I had to have one. Now I’ve owned four.”
A Week to Remember
Whether it’s Moxiee’s team, whose crew has logged over 55 BIRWs between them, or Tio Loco, where the “crazy uncles” are joined by their daughters and longtime crewmates, one theme resonates: Block Island Race Week is where sailors reconnect, compete, and create stories that last a lifetime.
Race Week runs June 22–27, 2025. Follow along at blockislandraceweek.com and on social media @StormTrysailClub.