The exciting overnight run of the St. Mary’s College of Maryland Governor’s Cup Yacht Race from Annapolis to St. Mary’s City is the star event, but the celebration on Saturday, August 7, has many opportunities for sailors and the community to enjoy.
– Watch racers sail across the finish line on St. Mary’s River from dawn through the morning.
– For the first time ever, boats will be tracked live by GPS. The Kattack GPS system, free to all racers, will display the race in real time, continually tracking the location of each boat by name throughout the race so you will be able to follow it online by going to the embedded player on the college’s Governor’s Cup web page, (www.smcm.edu/govcup).
– Starting at 10 a.m., enjoy entertainment and food on the lawn of the James P. Muldoon River Center. The Nautical Wheelers play from noon- 4 p.m., and Key West Race Week performers Joe Bachman and the Crew perform from 7-11 p.m. Entrance to the party is free.
– The traditional embroidered polo shirts that have become collectibles for many will be made of a new wicking material. All previous years’ merchandise, including hats and posters, are discounted.
– At 4:45 p.m. under the tent on the waterfront, race winners will be announced and given trophies.
This year marks the 37th running of the race from Maryland’s current capital city to its first capital in St. Mary’s City. The Governor’s Cup is the oldest and longest continuously run overnight race on the Chesapeake Bay. Racers can register online at www.smcm.edu/govcup. See the site for more information on the race.
St. Mary’s College of Maryland, designated the Maryland state honors college in 1992, is ranked one of the best public liberal arts schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, and The Princeton Review. Founded in 1840 as Maryland’s “monument school” commemorating the state’s first capital, St. Mary’s is the state’s only public honors college.
More than 2,000 students attend the college, which has the highest four-year graduation rate for all Maryland public colleges and universities. The school’s waterfront campus along the St. Mary’s River in Southern Maryland is home to the 2010 National Intercollegiate Sailing Association Team champions.