Skipping school for Race to Alaska

While most high school students will be preparing for their final exams and wrapping up their school year this June, Orcas Island teens Dagney Kruger and Else Ranker will be sailing in the Race to Alaska competition.

Joined by Bryce Lutz (19) and Willow Gray (18) from Bellingham, the team of four will compete in the first leg of the race on June 9, sailing 40 miles from Port Townsend to Victoria B.C., crossing two sets of shipping lanes and an international border. From there, the team will aim to complete the 710 mile journey from Victoria to Ketchikan, Alaska, starting June 12.

The team, which is officially named the “Juvenile Delinquents” in reference to their plans to skip their final weeks of school, are excited for the multi day journey and to go above and beyond high school dinghy racing. – Full report

Race details: https://r2ak.com/

The 8th edition of the Race to Alaska (R2AK) returns again in 2024 for the 750 mile course from Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK.

Stage 1: The Proving Ground – June 9 start
Port Townsend, WA to Victoria, BC (40 miles)

R2AK starts with an initial jaunt across open water, two sets of shipping lanes, and an international border. While not a race in itself, the Proving Ground is designed as a qualifier for the full race and as a stand-alone 40 mile sprint for people who just want to put their toe in.

Stage 2: To the Bitter End – June 12 start
Victoria, BC to Ketchikan, AK (710 miles)

Racers start in Victoria at high noon and continue until they reach Ketchikan—or are tapped out by the sweep boat. Unlike the 2022 and 2023 races, the western side of Vancouver Island is no longer an option as the course has returned to the original format with two waypoints at Seymour Narrows and Bella Bella.