Charleston, South Carolina (April 14, 2016) — Downtown Charleston residents were treated to the sight of a harbor full of colorful sails on Thursday as a postcard-perfect day ushered in yet another year of Sperry Charleston Race Week. Nearly half the 242 boats entered took the day to practice on the water to get ready for the first gun, while the rest of the fleet finished rigging and deck work, with everyone inspecting their boats thoroughly in anticipation of the big blow coming on Friday.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 19, 2015) —With an early start time, a moderate yet consistent breeze from the southeast, and a ripping tide pouring out of Charleston Harbor, the overall victories and podium finishes were up for grabs throughout most of the fleet at Sperry Charleston Race Week 2015. Unlike Saturday’s action, the early breeze meant three short, intense races in some classes and two in others, allowing a few teams to sew up runaway victories and a few more to make late runs to the top of the leaderboard in the quest for silver in the 20th anniversary of this event.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 18 2015) — Sailors at Sperry Charleston Race Week 2015 were treated to a surprise respite this morning, with dead-calm conditions giving the 2,500 sailors at the premier regatta a chance to sleep in and catch up with old friends as the clouds slowly burned off.  Around midday, bright sun and a beautiful, 8-knot sea breeze developed as the land heated, and both the inshore and offshore fleets were treated to a great, late-afternoon of racing in two contests across all fleets.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 17, 2015) — The scene on the waters off Charleston today couldn’t have been more different from that day in April 1996 when it all began. Only 29 competitors – all of them local – graced the scratch sheet 20 years ago. Friday morning, on the first day of racing for Sperry Charleston Race Week 2015, nearly 300 boats from 11 nations and 20 states set off from Patriot’s Point to claim their place in the event’s history.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 17, 2015) — Despite overcast skies and some early rain, the 2,500 sailors competing in Sperry Charleston Race Week got in a full day of racing across the six race courses that make up this mega event. And if the conditions dampened anyone's spirits, they were sufficiently uplifted on the dock as the racers were greeted by the Torqeedo girls handing out cans of Gosling's signature Dark 'N Stormy beverage.  

Charleston, South Carolina (April 16, 2015) — Tax day. For most of America, that’s a worry. For the 2,500 or so sailors participating in Sperry Charleston Race Week, not so much. In fact, for them, today was a breeze – literally. In 15-knot easterly winds, hundreds of sailors launched their boats at marinas, yacht clubs and boat yards around Charleston, while nearly 100 crews took to the water to enjoy some serious tune-up racing. They're all prepping for the tomorrow’s start of this annual mega regatta – the largest event of its kind in both North and South America. 

Charleston, South Carolina (April 15, 2015) — Hindsight may be 20-20, but none of the competitors at the first edition of Charleston Race Week in 1996 would ever have expected that a small, local event started by a few friends would become one of the world’s most celebrated and influential regattas. A quick look at two photographs, 20 years apart, tells the story.

Charleston, South Carolina (January 14, 2015) — What began as a local regatta with 29 entries nearly two decades ago has evolved to become the largest keelboat gathering of its kind in North and South America. Sperry Charleston Race Week turns 20 this spring and the organizers are putting a special emphasis on the two elements that have been pivotal to the regatta’s success – superb race management and exceptional shoreside fun. That’s apropos for an event taking place in what has been deemed the country’s friendliest city.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 13, 2014) — It’s said that ‘light air makes the sailor,’ but keeping a boat moving in the barest zephyr is just one of the skills needed to take home a Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week trophy. This year’s exciting regatta featured a little of everything, from planing breeze on Friday afternoon to moderate but consistent winds on Saturday to today’s light airs.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 12, 2014) — Dead calm wind postponed the action on the inshore courses for Day 2 of Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week today, though a moderate sea breeze kicked in around noon, allowing for as many as three races for most of the 16 classes competing here.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 11, 2014) — South Carolina’s shining sun and crystal clear skies welcomed nearly 300 teams to Charleston Harbor for the 19th edition of Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week today. With a moderate southerly wind allowing for three to four ideal races, Steve and Heidi Benjamin (Norwalk, CT) and their crew aboard the ultra-high-performance Carkeek 40 “Spookie,” used their light-air prowess to take three first-place finishes in the High Performance Rule Class.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 10, 2014) — Today was the busiest day of the year for the yacht clubs, marinas, and launch ramps dotting Charleston Harbor as nearly 300 boats rigged, tuned, and splashed their way to Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina for Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week 2014.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 9, 2014) — Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the largest regatta of its kind in the Western Hemisphere!

Charleston, South Carolina (April 8, 2014) — Just two days remain before the starting guns sound for the 2014 edition of Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week, but already sailing activity on Charleston Harbor has been fast and furious for several weeks. Five independent events over six weeks in April and May makes Charleston Harbor the epicenter of spring sailing in North America.

Charleston, South Carolina (April 5, 2014) — Get ready for an epic event. If you’re a veteran of this regatta, you know that we cram a lot of activity into four days, and that’s definitely going to be the case again this year.

Charleston, South Carolina (March 17, 2014) — Just a few weeks remain before Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week kicks into high gear, and it’s beginning to look like ‘bigger is better’ will once again be the overriding theme. The event – which runs April 10-13 at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina – will feature nearly 300 sailboats on the water, hailing from all across the U.S. and several foreign countries.

Charleston, South Carolina (March 10 2014) — When is a regatta more than the sum of its parts? When it provides a service for more than just the competitors. For the past decade, the organizers of Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week have found important ways to benefit the community with their event. Each year, proceeds from the regatta are donated to support nonprofit sailing organizations in the Charleston area, including Veterans on Deck and Charleston Community Sailing.

Charleston, South Carolina (February 7, 2014) - It's official Charleston Race Week is the best! Representatives from U.S. Sailing presented that organization's top honor for a one-design event to Randy Draftz (Race Week's Event Director) yesterday in San Diego. U.S. Sailing's One-Design Regatta Award recognizes excellence in development, promotion and management by organizers and sponsors of the year's outstanding multi-class or single-class international, continental, national or regional regatta.