Opening Day Celebration, Race Results and Pictures!

2026 LIYC Opening Day – Russ Johnson Inter-Island Challenge

The 2026 LIYC Opening Day race—now the Russ Johnson Inter-Island Challenge—was held on May 2 and brought together seven crews from Lopez and San Juan Islands to race Vanguard 15s in Fisherman’s Bay. Conditions were close to ideal, if a touch light and variable out of the north. A brief spell of morning rain gave way to sunshine, and the event drew a strong turnout both on the water and ashore.

This year’s format featured preliminary heats of three boats sailing three races each. By agreement among participants, defending champion Renee Hanks earned an automatic berth in the finals.

The first preliminary heat was a true showdown among three accomplished teams—all past winners: Nancy Griley and Glenn Griley (Lopez); Karen Palmer and Norris Palmer (San Juan); and Mike Kaminskas and Siri Dye (Lopez). Starts were tight and competitive, but Mike and Siri gradually stretched their lead, taking the first two races and securing their place in the finals.

The second preliminary heat featured two strong San Juan crews and an emerging Lopez team. The San Juan boats controlled much of the action, trading leads throughout a lively series. The crew skippered by Walker Radonski and Evan Simpson drew particular attention for their aggressive, crowd-pleasing roll tacks. In the end, John Manning and Karen Palmer edged ahead to claim the second finals berth.

The three-race final delivered a fitting conclusion, with three capable crews trading blows in a tightly contested series. Despite tweaking his shoulder at the dock, John, the San Juan skipper, pressed on. Mike and Siri opened with a commanding wire-to-wire win, followed by Chuck Hosmer and Renee Hanks in second. In race two, Mike and Siri again started strong, but Chuck and Renee found better pressure to the west and clawed into the lead on the second lap to even the series.

The deciding race began with drama, as Chuck and Renee were over early and forced to restart after completing a penalty turn. Mike and Siri took control, but Chuck and Renee mounted an impressive comeback, closing the gap significantly on the second lap. Ultimately, Mike and Siri held firm to take the race—and with it, the overall victory in the 2026 Russ Johnson Inter-Island Challenge. Congratulations to a well-sailed series.

Special thanks to Todd Twigg, Joe Golberg, and John Zaborsky for their time, equipment, and expertise. This event would not have been possible without their support.