The 1BI: BLOCK ISLAND RACE WEEK TIMES

A regatta is no fun if it’s stuck in the past. And while Block Island Race Week’s history and traditions are alive and well on the docks this week, sailors know that the event keeps up with the times. Over its 60 years, Storm Trysail Club has made every effort to grow and evolve alongside the sport of sailing, and to keep boats and crews coming back for more.

Very few people have seen that effort as closely as sailor and Block Island native Orrin Starr. Starr is sailing this week aboard Victor Wild’s Botin TP52 FOX. “My first Race Week was on Rich du Moulin’s team when I was 10 or 12 years old,” Starr said. He has been racing on the ORC circuit with Wild’s team for a few years now and first convinced them to send a boat to BIRW in 2019. “ORC North American [Championships] being here is a great accolade to pursue, and that was an easy one to build a summer campaign around.”

“BIRW gives us five full days of racing that we can train on,” says Øivind Lorentzen, owner of Jax. “This week has been very intense and we’ve been able to put in a lot of tiller time and time working on our team.” Jax is a contemporary classic yacht designed at Brooklin Boat Yard and Lorentzen likes that BIRW makes room for unique boats like his. “Being here is fun,” he added. “I like the juxtaposition of a modern classic.”

For many racing programs, BIRW provides high-level competition alongside a casual and fun atmosphere. “Race Week has been a consistent destination for Teamwork over the last five iterations of the regatta,” said Robin Team in reference to the crew aboard his J/122. “We love the format of BIRW. We love the around-the-buoy races—which are our forte—but we also enjoy the Around the Island Race.” The competition here is definitely a highlight for the Teamwork crew’s season.

According to Henry Brauer of the Swan 42 Tio Loco, BIRW is “what sailing is all about.” As it is organized by the Storm Trysail Club, the regatta attracts a unique group of highly experienced offshore sailors. “It’s an added benefit to also be sailing in the ORC North American Championships as part of BIRW,” Brauer mentioned. “It definitely attracted a couple additional really great teams, and had made the competition so enjoyable.”

As BIRW has evolved throughout the years, it has come to offer something for everyone in the sport of sailing. For big racing programs and pros, it provides solid competition and great training. Seasoned amateur sailors get a chance to race against each other as well as some legends of the sport. And everyone loves the fun, friendly environment that truly sets BIRW apart.

Come back to The 1BI tomorrow to read about the camaraderie and friendships that have been built and strengthened throughout the Race Week’s 60 years.