Cape May sailors lead the way across bay in Cape-to-Cape race

Max Power lived up to its name as winner of the second Cape-to-Cape Challenge Cup.

The J-105 from Corinthian Yacht Club in Cape May, N.J., captained by Gerrit Schulze, got off to a fast start in front of the Lewes Yacht Club Saturday, Aug. 7, and beat the second- and third-place finishers by about one minute in the race across the Delaware Bay.

The regatta has become an annual August race for sailors from Lewes Yacht Club and Corinthian Yacht Club in Cape May.

Max Power, which also won an informal race from Cape May to Lewes the day before, finished the 13.7-mile course in 1:59.32.

Shillelagh, captained by Linc and Geoff King, was second in 2:00.04 and Jersey Girl, captained by John Groskoph, was third in 2:00.55. All were Cape May sailors.

Mahal, captained by John Nelson and Scott Gaston of the Lewes Yacht Club, won the nonspinnaker class, crossing the bay in 2:24.48, about three minutes ahead of second-place finisher HAFLI, captained by Ken Lang of the Corinthian Yacht Club

The race featured seven boats from Lewes and 14 from Cape May. Other Lewes boats included Delgado, captained by Nick Carter; Bubble Gum, captained by Rick Pharr; Balance, captained by Richard Beebe; Forever, captained by Stephen Robinson; Osprey, captained by Doug Hicks; and Seize the Day, captained by Bob Norton.

The night before the race, sailors attended a reception at the Lewes Yacht Club. Lewes Mayor Jim Ford said the race is a beginning step to strengthening a relationship between the two towns with strong, historical ties to the sea. Corinthian Yacht Club hosted a reception for participants on Saturday night.

Ford and Cape May Mayor Edward Mahaney participated in the start of the race and exchanged city flags.

Next year, the race will start at Cape May and end in Lewes.