CHICAGO (AP) – The annual sailboat race from Chicago’s Navy Pier to Mackinac is going smoothly after rain earlier in the day.
More than 300 boats are participating in the 333-mile race across Lake Michigan. Those in the racing division headed for Mackinac Island, Michigan, on Saturday, with a light lake wind. A cruising division set sail Friday.
The event, now in its 107th year, is the oldest annual freshwater distance race in the world.
Sailors race through the night, with most participants taking 40 to 60 hours to finish. The record was set in 2002 when a team finished in 23 hours and 30 minutes.
Coast Guard spokesman Alan Haraf said the weather had settled down after an earlier rain and boats were encountering no problems by late evening.
