Registrations are being taken now for the 18th annual MS Race sponsored by the Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club.
Set for Aug. 20, the race is chaired by Diane Kropfl and Emily Smith.
A major event of the active Yacht Club, the MS race is an annual charity sailboat race designed to benefit and raise awareness for 180 Turning Lives Around, a Monmouth County based private, non-profit organization dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault in the community .
All proceeds from the Ms. Race as well as other related special events throughout the year are donated to this organization.
The theme of the 18th annual event is “The 2022 Eileen Campbell Memorial Race”. To honor the woman who participated in every Ms. Race since its founding in 2005. Eileen was Co-chair the past five years. She was instrumental in making the Ms. Race what it is today, surpassing more than $200,000 in donations for 180 since the race’s inception.
Participation in the race is comprised of female skippers and crew and promises to be the largest event to date with a fundraising goal of $22,000.
A multitude of racing and cruising vessels ranging from 24 to 45 feet in length are expected on the water with the support of Yacht club members and the race committee.
Race organizers plan a full schedule of events for the day, culminating in a celebration that evening and an awards reception. The Ms. Race co-chair invite all women sailors with their boats and crew, to participate in the fund raising cause.
With a goal of expanding participation for women and girls of all ages, the Ms. Race committee is partnering with AHSEP, the Atlantic Highlands Sailing Education Program to further promote participation of young women in sailing.
This year’s race will be a Pursuit Race where slow and typically smaller boats start the race first followed by fast and normally larger boats. The first boat crossing the finish line wins the race.
There will be two divisions this year with both Non-Spinnaker and Spinnaker boats invited to participate.
For more information about this year’s race as well as registration information, contact the Ms. Race planning committee at ahyc.ms.race@gmail.com.
The Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club (http://ahyc.net) was founded in 1953 and is located in the Municipal Harbor. The club holds racing events throughout the season, and inquiries about membership are welcome.
The Ms. Race (http://www.facebook.com/MsRaceAHYC) was inaugurated in 2005 by a group of female sailors who regularly participate and crew in the AHYC Wednesday night race series. The goal of the committee and the race is to support and promote the participation of women in the sailing community. The NYJRA New Jersey Yacht Racing Association recognizes the Ms. Race as the best all women’s race in New Jersey and awards their woman’s racing trophy to the winner of the Ms. Race.
