Set your sails! Weather cooperates at this year's Chester Race Week
Over 1200 sailors descend upon Chester, N.S., for its biggest regatta in a decade
Over 1200 sailors have descended on Nova Scotia for the annual Helly Hansen Chester Race Week with hopes of a brisk wind guiding their boat to victory.
"Everyday we look at the weather in the morning, halfway through the morning, then again before noon, then again at lunch, so we check the weather constantly throughout the day," Rear Commodore David Tzagarakis tells The Weather Network.
The winds were light to start off with on the first day, but things ended with some dramatic finishes on course.
"Everyone was excited to get the number of races that we had hoped for," says Pat Nelder, On-water Chair of Chester Race Week. "Despite the slow start and lack of wind, the breeze picked up, resulting in an incredibly successful day of racing."
"The majestic presence of the Bluenose II set the tone for what’s certain to be a fabulous race week," she added.
The race runs from August 16 to 19. (Photo: Nathan Coleman/The Weather Network)
This year’s bluenose fleet features 32 boats competing for a consistent sea breeze to push them ahead of the pack. Ideal conditions for this class would be 8 to 14 knots, or about 14 to 25 km/h.
To learn more about the world-class regatta, watch the video that leads this article.