This April, Charleston Race Week will celebrate its 25th anniversary. The event will actually be a reprise because like so many regattas last year, the actual anniversary - Race Week 2020 - was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. With safety paramount in their planning, the organizers in Charleston are forging ahead and making plans for a special edition of this annual sailing extravaganza, one befitting a silver anniversary.

According to Randy Draftz, the longtime event director for Race Week, he and his fellow organizers are following the guidelines put forth by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control and the Town of Mt. Pleasant. Their safety-first approach means that a new set of protocols will be in place. For instance, he says every participant, whether they're a volunteer, crewmember, skipper or sponsor will have to provide personal information to facilitate contract tracing. And, the organizers are working with the professionals at the Medical University of South Carolina to ensure that all the chosen safety protocols will be working effectively.

"We're optimistic that things will be better regarding the pandemic by the time the event date rolls around, but we're still not taking any chances," Draftz says. "All of our steering committee members and everyone involved in planning the regatta is embracing a safety-first outlook. That means the event will look a little different, but we'll still deliver a fun, competitive and satisfying regatta that will live up to its reputation of being a genuine bucket-list event for sailors."

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Registration is now live for our 25th Anniversary event to be held April 8-11, 2021. After a lot of thought, research, and meetings with appropriate officials, we are confident that we can host this event safely and still deliver the professional, competitive, and fun event that Race Week is known for. The Notice of Race is officially posted and you will find it to be very similar to our past events, but, please realize, it may need to be amended based on registration numbers and potential restrictions that may still be required. 


We will communicate updates, and any new protocols that may come up, to the registrants through Yacht Scoring via email. It is essential to sign up to receive these emails. And, don’t forget to pay your registration by January 31st to receive a $100.00 early registration discount!

Please know that, given these uncertain times, entry fees are completely refundable with no cancellation fees should your plans change. If you previously paid a registration fee for 2020 and didn’t receive a refund, we will apply your payment for the 2021 event. WE ENCOURAGE you to register as early as possible so we can plan accordingly. We look forward to seeing you on our scratch sheet and welcoming you back to a regatta unlike any other and great racing in April!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Your Charleston Race Week Crew

While our event's tag line has long been A Regatta Unlike Any Other, this year's event will undoubtedly live up to it. We will be celebrating 25 years, but also want to reassure you that this event will be run safely and responsibly by adhering to safety protocols set forth by health officials and local governments. It is difficult to say where we will be in April, and we will communicate our plans as we get closer to the event. Due to levels of uncertainty, the entry fees will be fully refundable, and you can also sign up for the event without payment. However, it's important to us for you to sign up so that we can plan accordingly. The $100.00 early registration discount is applicable if you register by January 31st. The Registration link and NOR are posted on Yacht Scoring. We have left the NOR similar to our past years' NOR, intending to keep our offerings open.

To help you get back up to speed, we will be providing trackers and race tracking along with course coaches who will observe and commentate. And, as in the past, there will be many new learning opportunities, virtually and/or live. We will of course offer refreshments and food, although it might look a little different than in the past. If we are required to limit group size, we will have smaller groups and have virtual experiences where and when we can.

We look forward to seeing everyone in April, even if we have to keep socially distant! More importantly, we'll be getting back to the sport, event and competition we love!