The following are some of the major regattas that take place on Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf Coast. With nearly 30 weekend regattas it is, by no means, a complete list.
Mardi Gras Race Week
Website: mardigrasraceweek.org
- March 10-13, 2011 (OD, Capdevielle)
- March 18-20, 2011 (PHRF)
- Classes include: PHRF, GYA Capdevielle, Finn, Melges, V-15, Moth, J/30, Hobie 33, J/24, I505 & Opti
MGRW is the largest and fastest growing regatta on Lake Pontchartrain. In 2009, sailors from all over the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Spain and Denmark competed against each other in this great mid-winter locale.
Lake Pontchartrain Racing Circuit (LPRC)
Website: SAIL LPRC
- October 24th, 2009
- PHRF
The LPRC is the massive regatta that is held annually by NOYC, Southern YC, Tammany YC and Pontchartrain YC. It features multiple days of racing and events are held on both shores of Lake Pontchartrain.
Bastille Day Regatta
Website: NOYC.org
- July 18, 2009
- PHRF
One of the myriad of Bastille Day celebrations held in New Orleans. This regatta has been honored several times by the attendance of members of the French consulate. The perpetual Bastille Day Regatta trophy was donated by the French Consulate in New Orleans in 1989.
The GYA Challenge Cup
Website: Challengecup.org
- June 19-21, 2009
- PHRF, annual inter-club championship
With over 33 GYA member yacht clubs, the Challenge Cup is the true bragging rights regatta. All racing clubs submit 3-4 boats as their team and compete with their rival clubs over two days. The fastest boats and sailors from each club race together in four handicapped classes. The GYA Offshore Challenge Cup was first sailed at Mobile Yacht Club in 1979. Each GYA club was invited to bring their best IOR, MORC & PHRF boats. Mobile Yacht Club won this first regatta. Since that first victory by Mobile Yacht Club, the majority of Challenge Cups have been (by far) won by a Lake Pontchartrain based yacht club (NOYC, Pont.YC & SYC). With this in mind, it is with no doubt, that the best handicap sailors in the GYA come from Lake Pontchartrain. Since MORC & IOR have been dying a slow death, each yacht club now brings its four best PHRF boats for classes A, B, C & D. New Orleans Yacht Club won its first Spring Hill Trophy (Awarded to yacht club with best overall scores) in 1980. NOYC continued with its winning ways in 81,90,91,92,98,99, 2000 & 2001. No yacht club has ever won the Spring Hill trophy for more than four years in a row.
Gulfport to Pensacola
Website: southernyachtclub.org
The annual 100 mile Gulfport to Pensacola regatta boasts a fleet of over 100 boats and traverses the Gulf of Mexico just south of the Gulf Islands off the coasts of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Allstate Sugar Bowl Regatta
Website: Sugar Bowl Regatta
The official regatta affiliated with the annual college football bowl game.
Great Lake Race
Website: Corinthians.org
- PHRF
- Distance
Distance race traversing 20 miles of Eastern Lake Pontchartrain.
Regatta al Sol
Website: Race to Mexico
The big daddy in Gulf Coast offshore racing. Held every other year, Regatta al Sol runs from Pensacola, Fl to the small Caribbean Isalnd of Isla Mujeres, Mexico. The 555 mile race across the Gulf of Mexico and battling the Gulf Stream is a massive test of endurance followed by a week of craziness on the island.