Great Race sets sail in Vallejo for the 125th time

Fans of sailing will want to make their way near the Vallejo waterfront this weekend as the Great Vallejo Race takes pace for the 125th time.

The first mention of a race came in 1925, when Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association organized a cruise from Berkeley to Vallejo on a Saturday to be followed by a race back on Sunday. This is probably the official origin of the Great Vallejo Race, now reputed to be one of the largest inland regattas in the United States, usually drawing approximately 125 boats annually, down from the 500 about 20 years ago, but still a large amount.

Now under the aegis of the Yacht Racing Association (YRA) and hosted by the Vallejo Yacht Club, the two-day race marks the official opening of the San Francisco Bay racing season.

The race - which contains approximately 10 to 12 fleets - starts near the Berkeley Circle on Saturday morning, rounds a single weather mark near Alcatraz, and then heads to Vallejo, usually under spinnaker for the remainder of the race. The challenge is to maintain speed through the shadow of Angel Island, find the best combination of wind and current past the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and East Brother Light Station, and then avoid the mud shoals on the east side of the San Pablo Bay.

As the boats enter the Carquinez Strait, they bunch together, making the turn into the Mare Island Strait.

"The beautiful spinakers go up, and then the sailors all meet up on Saturday night," Vallejo Yacht Club Commodore Elvin Valverde told the Times-Herald on Wednesday afternoon. "The sailors enjoy dancing until the wee hours of the night, and then get ready to set sail for the second half of the race on Sunday."

Valverde said people can expect the boats to come into Vallejo around 1 p.m. and possibly a little sooner on Saturday, while they take off for the second half of the race at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

"They'll be sailing around the waterfront, and I encourage everyone to come out and welcome them. Come down at 1 p.m. on Saturday and see all the confusion and chaos as they enter," Valverde said, with a laugh. "It's a free event, the gates are open, so come down and buy a hamburger and watch the boats. We'll also have a band playing."

Valverde said he's participated in the race for three decades, but knows some who have been involved even longer.

"It's something we started planning for months ago. I know the band was booked three months ago," Valverde said. "It's something I look forward to every year, and I know a bunch of people center their vacations around this event. It's one of the longest in-man sailboat ceremonies in America, and we take a lot of pride in it."

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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 7:30 PM.