A signal cannon blast from the Maryland Dove indicated the early morning arrival of Dark Star, the first boat to cross the floating finish line at the 53rd Annual Governor’s Cup Yacht Race, presented by PNC Bank, held July 31 - Aug 1, 2026.
The Governor’s Cup features a race from Annapolis to St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City, connecting the state’s current capital with its first capital. A Potomac leg of the race was offered this year, beginning in Dahlgren, Virginia.
Dark Star was the first boat from the Potomac leg (2:42 a.m.) while Endorphin was the first to complete the Annapolis leg (6:44 a.m.) Crossing first, or, “line honors” does not reflect overall winners. A breakdown of the race results are available online.
The Dove, a replica of one of the tall ships that first explored what would become the Maryland colony of St. Mary’s City, has traditionally served as the floating finish line. Throughout the day, more than 70 boats would cross between it and Church Point to complete the longest overnight yacht race on the Chesapeake Bay. The Dove celebrated each finish with either a signal cannon blast or air-horn depending on the order the boats arrived from the 14 classes.
Rick Loheed, St. Mary's College’s associate director of the waterfront, raced this year on his boat Poor Richard. His crew consisted of two current St. Mary’s College students and one alumnus.
Loheed said the start times for boats leaving the Annapolis were done in two parts, a 4 p.m. start time for slower boats and a 5 p.m. rolling start for faster boats and both starting times experienced light winds making for a slow start.
While the wind was not always on their side, Loheed said nature did provide beauty.
“It was a beautiful night with an orange moon shining on the water as we were tacking toward the east.” He said come morning, the sun came up while the moon was still out.
As the day progressed, Loheed said the wind picked up and he had moments of “great sailing” as he nearly caught the fifth-place boat in his class but ultimately placed sixth, reaching the finish Saturday afternoon at 2:45 p.m.
Racers and guests were met Saturday morning at the College’s waterfront with live music, local food trucks and post-race activities which culminated in the awards ceremony later in the afternoon.
The Governor’s Cup post-race dinner returned after more than a decade. Tickets to the waterfront luau sold out fast. Approximately 200 people enjoyed authentic Hawaiian food and entertainment by hula dancers and a Polynesian fire dancer.
View photos from the Governor's Cup Yacht Race.
About PNC Bank
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
About the Governor’s Cup Yacht Race
Founded in 1974, the Governor’s Cup Yacht Race is recognized as the Chesapeake Bay’s oldest and longest overnight race. The annual event attracts sailors from across the Mid-Atlantic and celebrates the maritime heritage, natural beauty and vibrant waterfront communities of the Chesapeake Bay.
