The Figawi or Figawi Race Weekend is an annual charity event and
regatta
Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wa ...
from
Hyannis to
Nantucket
Nantucket () is an island in the state of Massachusetts in the United States, about south of the Cape Cod peninsula. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck Island, Tuckernuck and Muskeget Island, Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and Co ...
on the Memorial Day weekend hosted by Figawi, Inc.
History
The Figawi originated in 1972 as an informal race between friends Bob Luby, Joe Horan, and Bob Horan that quickly organized into an annual event. The 1978 addition of a lay day and race back to Hyannis turned the race into a three-day event. By the 1980s, the Figawi was drawing entrants from throughout the
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
region. In 1987, Figawi organizers established a
black tie
Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and North American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal ...
charity ball to raise money for local charities.
The Race
The 2012 race expected over 240 boats and 3,000 participants in 13 classes. The race began in
Hyannisport, and the use of the
Performance Handicap Racing Fleet
Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) is a handicapping system used for yacht racing in North America. It allows dissimilar classes of sailboats to be raced against each other. The aim is to cancel out the inherent advantages and disadvantages ...
system staggered starting times between 10 a.m. and noon. The race ended at the entrance to Nantucket Harbor and proceeded as a parade into Nantucket Boat Basin.
The race totaled approximately 25 miles.
Charity Ball
The Charity Ball is a Saturday night event that raises money exclusively for charities local to Hyannis, such as 2012's beneficiary, the Hyannis Youth and Community Center. Events include dinner provided by local restaurants, charity casino, silent auction, and raffle.
[http://www.figawi.com/page/ball] 1,200 attendees are expected to generate $200,000.
Other events
Besides the regatta and the charity ball, Figawi, Inc hosts several other events:
*Competitor party on Saturday night and
traditional clambake on Sunday.
*The Figawi Invitational, an
invitational regatta for high school sailing teams from Cape Cod and the Islands.
*Awards ceremony, which awards 97 trophies, including formal and informal categories ranging from race winners to spirit awards.
*"Redux" Monday race, beginning on Nantucket and ending at a neutral point so that participants can sail north or south easily to return home.
References
{{reflist
External links
Official Website
1972 establishments in Massachusetts
Annual sporting events in the United States
Barnstable, Massachusetts
Charity events in the United States
Recurring sporting events established in 1972
Sailing competitions in the United States
Sailing in Massachusetts
Tourist attractions in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Tourist attractions in Nantucket, Massachusetts