Nantucket Race Week is hosted by the island's two yacht clubs, the venerable Nantucket Yacht Club and the new Great Harbor Yacht Club, to benefit Nantucket Community Sailing.  However, the genesis of Nantucket Race Week was 36 years ago, when island sailors created the Opera House Cup Regatta, a sailing event for wooden boats.  Over the years, the Opera House Cup has grown into the grand dame of classic boat regattas, featuring yachts ranging from the diminutive Dragon up to the majestic J-Boats, and always with a healthy number of the noble Twelve Metres.  Several years ago, the Nantucket Yacht Club launched a 12-Metre Regatta as a prelude to the Opera House Cup.  Participants included not just the classic woodies, but also modern America's Cup legends such as Courageous and Intrepid.  A few years later, a handicap race was added to include the other big boats moored in the harbor.  A critical mass of sailing activity was forming on the island, so these popular events were combined with racing by the very active International One Design Fleet, the intense summer sailing competition for juniors, the traditional One Design races, and an exciting new event, the Pro/Am, where celebrity sailors teamed up with local teams to race IOD's.

Last year over 1100 sailors and 200 boats participated in Nantucket Race Week, along with several thousand spectators and partygoers.  It seemed that the whole island was decked out in Race Week gear.  Thanks to the support of the participants, the Nantucket community, the yacht clubs, and our sponsors, Nantucket Race Week has become a tremendous success.  We expect even more excitement this summer!