Sailors have descended on Marion – in even higher numbers than usual – for the annual Buzzards Bay Regatta.

The regatta traditionally alternates between the Beverly Yacht Club in Marion and the New Bedford Yacht Club. This year, however, there are events are both clubs.

“It was a decision by the steering committee to try something different,” Chief Judge Mary Pierce said.

The clubs are each hosting different classes of races, and Pierce said there’s about 148 boats total.

“It’s maybe a little bigger than usual,” she said. “It’s more volunteer-heavy this way.”

Pierce said there are sailors from all over New England, and some from as far as Florida, Ohio and Michigan.

Also new this year, the regatta combined with the Bullseye National Championship.

“The Bullseye Nationals have always been a standalone event, held on a rotating basis between clubs,” sailor Kathryn Collings said. “When we were planning the Buzzards Bay Regatta at the Beverly Yacht Club we realized it was the same year [the club] was hosting the nationals.”

Collings said organizers gave the OK to combine the events, and added that this is the biggest roster for the nationals she’s seen in a long time.

“We have 22 boats registered,” she said. “The competition will be very strong. It makes it exciting, people didn’t want to miss out.”

Collings, along with her husband and sailing partner Chris, has won the Bullseye National Championships four times.

“The first nationals we went to was in 2008 and we won. People thought we were brother and sister because they couldn’t imagine a husband and wife sailing team,” she laughed. “All though we did used to yell at each other a lot.”

As the event gets underway, sailors and organizers alike are hoping for good weather.

“I’m hoping for wind,” Chris Collings said. “Kathryn and I are good in the wind.”

Here are how local sailors did in the races:

Marion
Camden Tougas, 3rd place, PHRF Cruising; 6th place, PHRF New England Championship Race 2.

Daniel Cooney, 1st place, J/80 One Design Division.

Jamey Shachoy, 3rd place, J/80 One Design Division.

Julian Sudofsky, 6th place, J/80 One Design Division.

Holly Francis, 2nd place, LEI Foil.

Ken Deyett, 1st place, Shields New England Championship.

William Berry, 3rd place, Shields New England Championship.

William Hollman, 3rd place, PHRF New England Championship Cruising; 4th place, PHRF Cruising.

Mattapoisett

Greg Russell, 2nd place, Multihull New England Championship.

Jonathan Pope, 1st place, PHRF New England Championship Cruising; 1st place, PHRF Cruising.

Richard Robbins, 4th place, Shields New England Championship.

Visit buzzardsbayregatta.com for complete race results.