Race for the Lake on July 20

Get out on the water and support great lake-related causes - including the Lake Champlain Committee - by participating in the 2013 Regatta for Lake Champlain! This year’s event, the tenth annual, will take place on Burlington’s Waterfront July 19 and 20. The Regatta for Lake Champlain is not your ordinary day out on the Lake; it's a family-friendly benefit sailboat race to promote the health, well-being, sustainable use and stewardship of Lake Champlain.

The Regatta will start just outside Burlington Harbor on Saturday, July 20 at 11:30 AM. This pursuit format race features a handicapped start so sailors and crews of all levels, from cruising to competitive racers, can participate. Registration starts at $150 and is available online at RegattaForLakeChamplain.org. Anyone with a sailboat no matter how old or new can put together a crew. There are a limited number of spaces so we encourage folks to sign-up quickly.

The Regatta for Lake Champlain, presented by Rock Point Advisors is the most unique race in the region. It is the only race hosted on Burlington’s Waterfront, giving spectators a beautiful view of almost 50 sailboats, usually arriving under spinnakers (the colorful kite-like sail) into the harbor silhouetted against the Adirondack Mountains. As one of only a few certified Clean Regattas on Lake Champlain, all of the event’s organizers and participants commit to a list of environmental best practices to keep our waterways healthy and vital including use of non-toxic cleaning products, recycling, composting, and reducing single-use, disposable containers. 

This year’s Regatta weekend also includes the seventh annual Sailor’s Summer Party, on Friday July 19, 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM, at the Burlington Community Boathouse. The Friday night event is a 21⁺ party to celebrate summer and raise funds for our Lake. Tickets are $5 suggested donation per person at the door.

The Regatta is the only sailing race on the Lake that offers a Guest Crew connection. Wannabe and experienced sailors alike, who would like to participate and don’t have a boat to sail on, can come to the Sailor’s Summer Party Friday evening and connect with boat owners to catch a ride in the race. Since 2004 the Regatta has raised over $80,000 for lake causes. Nearly $20,000 has been donated to the Lake Champlain Committee to support our water quality protection and lake access work.