News & Events

Happy New Year from the Marblehead Racing Association.  Like the Red Sox, we have had a busy offseason, and are working hard to have the full 2011 schedule complete as quickly as possible.  Please check the MRA website starting in mid-March for updates.
 
We have decided to make some significant changes for the 2011 season, which will affect both our line structure and schedule.  We have dropped the Brimbles Line from our schedule.  As a result, the Town Class will move to the Tinkers Line, and the J24s will move to the Midway line.   This decision was not made hastily.  Over the course of the last few years we have tried different solutions to maintain the three circle organizational structure of Marblehead One-Design Racing.  We just don't have enough fleets currently participating to warrant three lines.  The Town Class fleet recognizes this and have agreed to the Tinkers move.  I have also heard that more than one boat is looking forward to cannons and flags returning to their starting sequence. 
 
We will continue to utilize multiple mark colors in order to give the RC's the most flexibility in splitting fleets between different lengths and types of courses.  You may also experience some tinkering with the starting order of the fleets as we learn how best to organize each circle.  
 
The first MRA racing will take place on Memorial Day weekend, but this year racing will be on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29, rather than the Sunday/Monday racing schedule we have had over the past few years.  We feel that it is important for both racers and RC members to have Memorial Day off, to observe the contributions of those who have served our country.  It is also hoped that this change will increase participation in this early season two day event.
 
In PHRF news, the race committee chairs of the Boston, Corinthian and Eastern Yacht Clubs have petitioned MassBay Sailing for a new qualifying event, which will be the final qualifier of the year for Mass Bay.  The combined event, tentatively called the Chowder Cup(s) Challenge will take place on October 9, and in 2011 will be hosted by the Eastern Yacht Club.  In subsequent years, the event will rotate around the harbor.  This event was developed after many hours of discussion around the low participation that we each see in non-qualilfying races.  The following three races will not be run in 2011:  the EYC's Chandler Hovey race, the CYC's Summer Ocean Race, and the BYC's Fall Regatta.  In order to keep these trophies active, the host club will award their own trophies.  That means the 2011 inaugural event will be raced for the EYC's Chandler Hovey trophies.
 
Please call or email us if you have any questions or comments, and don't forget to visit the MRA website for the most up to date information.  Thank you for your participation, and we look forward to seeing you on the water.
 
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