The premier long-distance sailing event in the Pacific Northwest is celebrating 80 years of the annually held Swiftsure International Yacht Race in Victoria, British Columbia, May 24, 2025.
Hosted by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, the excitement begins as yachts arrive at the Inner Harbour Causeway docks on May 22 and 23, where the public can greet these sailing yachts and ask questions of the skippers and crew.
The public can view all of the exciting races on Saturday, May 24 from Clover Point starting at 9:00 am. Spectators should arrive on foot, by bicycle, or via public transportation as vehicles may not have access to Clover Point Loop. The races are broadcast live from Clover Point, with commentators explaining each race, procedures, and the sailing tactics involved. Race categories include monohulls, multihulls, and the combined monohulls and multihulls category. You can watch finishing yachts at the Ogden Point breakwater late Saturday evening. Races officially end at midnight on Sunday, May 25.
The Swiftsure International Yacht Race is known for its challenging race courses, and sailors come from around the Pacific Northwest and beyond to compete in these prestigious races. Races normally include the following:
- Lightship Classic 7 nm
- Juan de Fuca Race 79 nm
- Cape Flattery Race 9 nm
- Swiftsure Inshore varies ea. yr.
How Swiftsure Races Began. The first recorded sailboat race event in Victoria was in the late 1850s between boats of the Royal Navy and the early Colonists. In 1930, a long-distance race from Cadboro Bay around the Lightship on Swiftsure Bank was held and involved six competitors. By 1960, forty-five boats were entered in this now classic race. The Royal Victoria Yacht Club introduced a shorter course to Clallam Bay, west of Port Angeles for smaller yachts and called it the Juan de Fuca Race. In 1988, the Cape Flattery Race was introduced, 101 miles in length, halfway between the Swiftsure Bank and the Clallam Bay courses.
Lightship #93, a U.S. Coastguard Lightship that stood on station at Swiftsure Bank, was relieved of duty in 1961, and now sailors round a Royal Canadian Naval Vessel that is temporarily on station during the races.
Photos: Richard Marshall
Gordon Griffiths
