First-ever ORC North Americans in 2025

The Storm Trysail Club will host the 2025 ORC North American Championship as part of the 31st Block Island Race Week (BIRW), set to take place June 21-27, 2025.

“The Storm Trysail Club has been supportive of the use of the ORC system for several years now,” said Andrew Weiss, Vice Commodore of the Storm Trysail Club. “We feel its rigor and fairness in ratings and scoring is ideally suited to the caliber and culture of sailing we like to have at Block Island Race Week.”

The 2024 ORC Worlds in the USA attracted 42 boats, with 38 based in North America and the US East Coast. As 16 of these boats are already registered for BIRW 2025, organizers expect more competitors to join the fleet for the first-ever ORC North Americans.

To be eligible to compete, entries will need to have valid ORCi certificates and comply with all other requirements in the Notice of Race. A technical committee will be on-site to provide guidance on rule compliance for all ORC entries and STC race organizers.

Storm Trysail Club is committed to three ORC divisions, two of which will have limits on the number of Group 3 (professional) sailors. See the Notice of Race for details. This dual-class format upholds the Corinthian spirit of Block Island Race Week while accommodating a broad spectrum of competitors.

“The combination of the 20-mile Round the Island Race, navigation challenges, and buoy racing will truly exercise every element of the ORC rating and scoring system,” noted Matt Gallagher, ORC Deputy Chairman.

To compete in the ORC North Americans, registered entries will be assessed an additional $100 fee to help defray the support costs associated with conducting an ORC continental championship event.

Event details: https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu/16844