Canadian sailors redesign race course, avoid U.S. waters for "safety and security"
Vote on Lake Ontario races stirs American support, criticism
Canadian sailors decided in recent days that the Lake Ontario Offshore Race Committee will alter all courses to be run exclusively in Canadian waters for the “safety and security of all our races” during the 2025 sailing season, according to a memo dated Tuesday.
The “important announcement” was posted on the Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Facebook page, which has 2,100 followers.
It has created a lot of buzz in the sailing community was well as some heated exchanges on social media from some Americans who view the decision as a political play that has no place in sailing.
Sailors from throughout North America compete in the Lake Ontario races.
Volunteers from yacht clubs throughout the Great Lakes make up the Lake Ontario Offshore Racing group. It runs races out of the Port Credit Yacht Club south of Toronto in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The letter was signed by the Lake Ontario Offshore Organizing Authority.
Roger Renaud of Amherstburg, Ontario, shared the news on the Lake St. Clair Sailors Facebook page with 5,300 followers.
Then Tim Prophit of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, shared the post with the Detroit Regional Yacht-Racing Association (DRYA) Facebook page and its 2,000 followers.
Tim Prophit of St. Clair Shores, past commodore of Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit and DRYA, said he received the email because his sailboat “Fast Tango” is registered for the Susan Hood Race.
“Some people think it’s an overreaction and some people think we’re at war. I have a lot of Canadian friends. Any discussion of politics is not allowed on my boat ever,” Prophit said Wednesday.
“I just think it’s a sad state of affairs, the bull**it in Washington and the response from Canada,” Prophit said. “Honestly, I don’t blame the Canadians. We’re being, um, non-diplomatic. Let’s put it that way. I hate to see it come down to this.”
The full letter as posted
“After some racers expressed concern about travelling to the US, Lake Ontario Offshore Racing (LOOR) conducted a survey of all the Lake Ontario Short Handed Racing Series (LOSHRS) racers. The results of the survey were decisively in favour of altering the courses to remain in Canadian waters. The LOOR committee, along with some Ambassadors who were attending the meeting, decided that, for the safety and security of all our racers, this will apply to all our races in 2025.
The affected races are the Susan Hood Trophy Race, The Lake Ontario 300/600, LOSHRS Race 2 and 3, and LOSHRS Race 4.
The Race Committee is working to set new altered courses for all five races using feedback from the LOOR Ambassadors, and we will publish them as soon as they are available.
We thank all the LOSHRS racers for their feedback and hope that this will accommodate all our LOOR racers. As always, we listen to our racers and welcome any feedback on this decision.”
Responses from Canadians
“A sad modern commentary but a good decision,” Christine de Nottbeck wrote on the Lake Ontario Offshore Race Committee page on Tuesday.
“smart move and yes - a pathetic reason,” Marguerite Pyron said.
“I am one of the many who sees too many unknown unknowns to be willing to race into or through US waters. The unpredictability of the situation and the seriousness of the potential consequences make the risk, however small some might judge it to be, a totally unacceptable part of a friendly sporting event.
I look forward to seeing old friends from across the border and meeting new ones,” James Roscoe said.
Dean Aschenbrenner asked, “Will those of us who respect Canada but carry American Passports be allowed to compete?”
Monica Dodens responded, “yes! you are more than welcome. We love our American racers! Please join us.”
This unanimous decision will impact these races:
The Susan Hood Race, scheduled for May 30, 2025, is an overnight race held since 1955. It starts at night in Port Credit and goes to Burlington, Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, and back.
Lake Ontario 300/600 Challenge, scheduled for July 12, 2025, is a 300-nautical mile race covering the length and breadth of Lake Ontario. Every two years, a 600-nautical mile version is offered for double the pleasure.
Lake Ontario Short Handed Racing Series involves six races that range from 20 to 100 nautical miles; from Lake Ontario crossings to overnight sailing. They’re scheduled for June 1, June 21, June 22, August 16, Sept. 13 and Sept. 14.
Terry Kuehn, chair of the Lake Ontario Offshore Racing, told me on Wednesday evening, “We regret that we had to take this action during this time. We always encourage all racers and sailboat enthusiasts on Lake Ontario to join us. We hope that in the very near future we can resume our normal schedule of races, which will include U.S. waters and destinations.”
More than 150 boats generally compete in long distance races on Lake Ontario during an average summer season, he said. “We encourage U.S. participants in all our races.”
He suggested that sailors go to their website and register.
American sailors react — with support, criticism
Comments on the Detroit Regional Yacht-Racing Association Facebook page included deeper exchanges and criticism that began on Tuesday and continued Wednesday.
Bob Declercq wrote, “This is the type of thing that happen when organizations take their focus off their mission. In this case, promoting and facilitating sailboat racing. I've witnessed similar actions as a member of the US Offshore committee. There will be no winners here.”
Geoff Brieden responded, “This is bigger than sailboat racing when we threaten their independent existence, and is apples to mountains in comparison to your previous committee experience. You are correct: there will be no winners here.”
Scott Baumgartner said, “No safety or security risk exists on the USA side of the boarder that doesn’t exist on the Canadian side. This seems ridiculously overblown.”
Andrew Morlan replied, “Recent actions by ICE prove this to be wrong.”
Baumgartner replied, “ICE has boarded pleasure craft looking for illegal immigrants? Seems pretty damn unlikely to me. I’m open to changing my opinion if you show me a news report.”
Morlan said, “Considering all that’s happened, if I was a legal immigrant in Canada I wouldn’t want to go anywhere near the USA border, not even during a sailboat race for a minute. With legal Greencard holders being nabbed off the street and some illegally deported … don’t you think they might have a point?”
Bob Vander Ploeg wrote, “I think that if the authorities want to, or are instructed to board a boat or vessel they will do so. For any reason or no reason. They certainly don't have to provide a reason. I have been boarded by the USCG. The inspection included a review of travel and citizenship docs. Everything was fine and we were sent on our way. But what if that happened today, and an officer noticed that a Canadian passport had an X designation for gender, something the USA no longer recognizes? He might decide to do nothing, or he might reluctantly decide that under the current Administration policy, he cannot accept that passport as valid, and direct us to a US port for inspection by CBP and/or ICE. I know you think that's impossible or very unlikely, but this is the kind of thing that people are worried about.”
Robert Tiberia said, “Absolutely ridiculous. Childish bs. Sailors are above Liberal nonsense. Whoever made this decision is an absolute child.”
John Van wrote, “There is a travel advisory to avoid travel to the US by the Canadian government and many other countries. I personally have friends that have been detained and harassed at the border going over for work. And your administration threatening our country, violating trade agreements in an attempt to destroy our economy, and generally have become unpredictable and untrustworthy. We know it's not the people but why would we take a chance?”
Gail McCarthy Turluck wrote, “Rather unbelievable. There's no threat. A few boats out sailing around? How sad.”
Mike Rutledge responded, “No threat other than the most powerful person on the planet openly fantasizing about colonizing them. other than that, no threat lol.”
John Charles Barker wrote, “Looks like a Canadian response to an American shot across the bow. A reminder to Americans that it's a long fall from a high horse.”
Kevin Sidlar wrote, “We love Americans, we just don't know what their government is going to pull next.”
The vote by Canadian sailors follows growing tension between Canada and U.S. since President Trump began referring to Canada as the 51st State and raised the idea of annexing the nation.
In addition, a 35-year-old Canadian woman put in chains and detained last month for 11 days by ICE at the Mexican border made international headlines.
Rep. Seth Magaziner, a Rhode Island Democrat, introduced the No Invading Allies Act, legislation on March 6 to prohibit President Trump from invading Greenland, Canada, or Panama without a vote of Congress.
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Wow! Just wow.
This is an amazing story, Phoebe.