more than 100 years on, charlottetown race week still draws sailors from across canada
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competitors sail hillsborough bay during the final day of charlottetown race week and one design speed week in charlottetown.
vivian ulinwa
/
the guardian
for more than a century, charlottetown race week has drawn sailors to hillsborough bay. last week, 34 boats and about 240 sailors continued that tradition during three days of racing, including two canadian national championships.
now in its 143rd year, it has grown from races involving wooden sailboats and fishing vessels into one of atlantic canada’s premier sailing events.
this year’s competition featured six fleets, with the j/70 and etchells classes competing for canadian national titles, while four other fleets raced for charlottetown race week honours.
sailboats compete on hillsborough bay during charlottetown race week and one design speed week, which brought 34 boats and about 240 sailors together for three days of racing.
vivian ulinwa
/
the guardian
race week chair jim thompson said competitors raced multiple times each day.
“the six classes all do multiple races each day and then add up their scores over all the races to determine who the winners are,” thompson said.
the event has changed over the decades, but thompson said its roots stretch back generations.
jim thompson, chair of charlottetown race week, said the annual regatta has grown from local races involving wooden sailboats and fishing vessels into one of atlantic canada’s premier sailing events.
vivian ulinwa
/
the guardian
in the early days, charlottetown’s midsummer regatta drew crowds to the waterfront to watch local sailboats and fishing vessels compete. those races were held long before fiberglass hulls, synthetic rigging and gps navigation became standard equipment.
today’s sailors rely on modern technology, but thompson said the tradition of friendly competition has remained.
sailors compete during charlottetown race week and one design speed week, continuing a sailing tradition that has been part of charlottetown for more than a century.
vivian ulinwa
/
the guardian
for terry mckenna, that tradition has now become a family affair.
mckenna, co-owner of the boat dog party, which competed in race week, has been sailing competitively since he was 17 and has taken part in charlottetown race week nearly every year since the modern version of the regatta began 43 years ago.
“we’ve been racing as a group since then,” he said. “on our boat, we have eight family members and one other person that’s been racing with us for 35 years.”
terry mckenna, co-owner of the sailboat dog party, competed in the phrf a class during charlottetown race week and one design speed week. mckenna has been sailing for about 50 years and has raced in the event for decades.
vivian ulinwa
/
the guardian
while mckenna has raced in regattas across north america, and nova scotia’s chester race week, he said charlottetown remains one of his favourite places to sail.
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“i don’t really think people in charlottetown really understand just how lucky we are to have what we have as a harbourfront and a harbour,” he said. “it’s just a beautiful venue. it’s deep water, it’s clean water, and it’s a great boating harbour.”
boats race on hillsborough bay during charlottetown race week and one design speed week.
vivian ulinwa
/
the guardian
although winning feels great, mckenna said the reasons he sails have changed over the years.
“when i was younger, it was just about winning,” he said. “now it’s really about seeing my kids and other skippers with their kids. it’s a family game for us now.”
he also pointed to the friendships built through the sport as one of the best part about sailing.
“you meet people from all around the world … we’re all more alike than everybody thinks.”
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vivian ulinwa is a reporter for the guardian in prince edward island. she can be reached at vulinwa@postmedia.com and followed on x @vivian_ulinwa.
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