40th Annapolis-Newport Race 2025 - ORC 2 Class Winner 2023 DARK STORM is Looking Ahead

18 December 2024 -  The 2023 edition of the biennial Annapolis to Newport Race was rough and will be remembered for the fact 31 of 60 starters retired rather than risk damage to their boat or crew. This 39th edition of the race will be remembered for the fact that 31 of 60 starters retired rather than risk damage to their boat or crew. Most boats pulled the plug while still in the Chesapeake Bay after carefully reviewing the forecast and confirming the fleet would be welcomed into the Atlantic Ocean by 20- to 30-knot winds and 10- to 12-foot seas. Simply surviving the brutal conditions mother nature dished out during the initial 24-hours in the ocean would be a challenge.

Yet this race was special for Ken Comerford, a veteran offshore sailor with thousands of blue water miles under his belt. Comerford skippered his modified J/121 DARK STORM to victory in the ORC 2 class, which was one of the largest classes with in the race with 16 entries. DARK STORM was the second Saturday starter to cross the finish line at Newport's Castle Hill Lighthouse, posting an impressive elapsed time of 3 days 3 hours 27 min 41 sec.

While nearly every weather condition can be encountered on this race, for the 40th edition of the race in June 2025 the organizers from Annapolis Yacht Club are strongly considering use of ORC's Weather Routing Scoring (WRS) to generate fair ratings for a complex course that includes three distinct segments: sailing 100 miles south from the start to get out of the Chesapeake Bay, the 300-mile long offshore leg in the Atlantic to Montauk Point at the east end of Long Island, and the approaches in Block Island Sound towards the finish at the south end of the Narragansett Bay. Each has unique weather and currents, so use of WRS will represent the most fair way to rate boats for this race.

“Annapolis-to-Newport is an incredible race because it gives you every aspect of sailing," Ken said. "Getting out of the Chesapeake Bay is a big part of this race and then there are some critical decisions to make offshore. I think Annapolis-to-Newport is ideal for introducing sailors to coastal racing. You get all the thrill of being out in the open ocean, but you are also relatively safe in terms of being within distance of the Coast Guard or getting back to a port.”

One of Comerford’s great joys is that his two sons, Kyle and Willy, have both been instilled with the same love of ocean racing that he possesses. Ken and wife Jennifer introduced the boys to big boat sailing on the Chesapeake Bay and they each became quite skilled in their own right. Kyle Comerford was a skipper for the offshore sailing team at SUNY Maritime College, while Willy Comerford was a member of the offshore team at the College of Charleston.

“Kyle and Willy, just like me and Jen, have a passion for sailing and being out on the water,” Ken said. “Their participation is the most rewarding thing you could possibly imagine. It’s been tremendous having the kids out there racing with us.”

Willy was part of the class-winning crew for the 2023 race and hopes to be aboard DARK STORM again for the 2025 edition. The 25-year-old has been doing offshore racing with his father for 15 years and said he “fell in love with the whole scene. My favorite thing about getting offshore is disconnecting from society. I love the peace and serenity you feel while sailing on the ocean. I also like coming together as a crew for a common goal of pushing the boat to maximum performance,” Willy said.

“I think one of my dad’s strengths is the ability to always put together a team with great chemistry; He puts a lot of time and effort into getting good people you want to go sailing with. He’s always had a knack for putting together a great lineup.”

Journalist Bill Wagner talks more with Ken about the past, present, and future of this 435-mile ocean racing classic as he prepares for the start on 6 June 2025.