79th Annual Block Island Race - Preview
by Storm Trysail Club 21 May 13:45 BST
May 22-24, 2026
Block Island Race Week 2025 © Stephen Cloutier
The Storm Trysail Club's 79th Annual Block Island Race gets under way Friday, May 22 at 12 p.m. EST in the waters of the Long Island Sound off Stamford, Conn.
Nearly 70 boats will take on one of the Northeast's most historic offshore regattas, with a challenging, 186 nautical mile course that exits the Sound and rounds Block Island before returning to Stamford. A true test of seamanship, this year's race is seen as a proving ground for the upcoming 2026 Newport Bermuda Race, with 34 of the 69 entries appearing on both race's scratch sheets.
The fleet represents a strong mix of modern offshore race boats, performance cruisers, double-handed teams, youth programs, and grand prix entries. ORC continues its rapid growth in offshore racing with the largest Block Island Race fleet to date with 38 ORC entries compared to 31 PHRF entries. The race is divided into 12 classes, including dedicated ORC and PHRF Double-Handed divisions which together feature 11 entries. Five J/99s are entered this year, highlighting the growing popularity of the offshore-focused design in shorthanded and fully-crewed competition alike.
One of the top competitors to watch is Byron Ehrhart's Juan K 88 Lucky, fresh off completing the inaugural US Open Offshore race from St. Barth's to Newport, R.I with Charlie Enright at the helm and Chris Lewis navigating. The impressive yacht also set a new record in the 2025 RORC Transatlantic Race. This year the boat and crew seek to take down the current Block Island Race record of 11 hours 25 minutes one second set by Comanche in the 2015 race. Just like in that race, this year's course has been shortened by one mile for Class 12 (the larger race boats) to account for the large boat's draft.
Other notable entries include last year's winner Art Santry's J/V 66 Temptation/Oakcliff and a competitive group of modern offshore race boats, including multiple J/121s, J/122s, and J/120s spread across both ORC and PHRF fleets. The race also continues to serve as a platform for developing offshore sailors, with entries from both the United States Coast Guard Academy and United States Merchant Marine Academy.
The ORC Double-Handed fleet includes a particularly competitive collection of boats led by several J/99s including Eventyr, Thin Man, Velocity2, and Wizard, alongside Tim Kent's Class 40 Kent Racing. The Double-Handed divisions continue to be one of the fastest-growing segments of offshore racing in the Northeast.
The Class 3 PHRF competitors will sail the shortened Plum Island Course at 132 nautical miles. A list of registered boats and the race's scratch sheet are available now on YachtScoring, where eventual results will also be published.
A list of registered boats and the race's scratch sheet are available now on YachtScoring, where eventual results will also be published.
The Block Island Race was first held in 1946, organized by WWII veterans seeing camaraderie and a return to normalcy. The race is a qualifier for the Northern Ocean Racing Trophy (ORC), the Double Handed Ocean Racing Trophy (ORC), and the New England Lighthouse Series (PHRF). It is also a qualifier for the De Coursey Fales (PHRF), Sagola (PHRF) and Windigo (PHRF) Trophies, the du Moulin Cup for Double Handed Racing and the Youth Challenge Cup awarded by the YRA-LIS, as well as the STC Rugg Family Youth Offshore Challenge, and the "Tuna Trophy" for the best ORC combined scores in the EDLU (40%) and the Block Island Race (60%).
Good luck to all participants, and fair winds! See you at the awards at Stamford Yacht Club on Sunday, May 24, at 5 p.m.
How to follow the 2026 Block Island Race: