Chesterton resident Suzanne Philbrick can't wait to set sail on Tenacity.

She and her crew know they will be part of history during the 100th running of the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac today.

"This is the big dance. And with this being the 100th (race), this is the big, big dance," said Philbrick, whose husband, Herb, is skippering a boat named Geronimo.

Suzanne Philbrick, skippering her own boat in the race for a second year, is not discouraged after finishing third from last in the Tartan 10 section last season.

There will be plenty of competition this year -- more than 450 boats, compared to the usual 300. Because it is the 100th running, organizers allowed more participants to enter.

Suzanne Philbrick has been sailing for several years and was the one who enticed Herb into the sport. She said the spirit of the crew and other sailors make this a fun, yet competitive race.

"It is a lot more responsibility being the skipper because you are the one in charge, but I have a tremendous crew and the crew all works hard and together," she said.

Philbrick also expects a different type of race this year with the higher number of participants.

"Last year was a light air, but I think it will be a heavier air this year," she said. "It should be between 15 and 30 knots (this year), and with more boats, I think it will be a great race.

"It is about the competition, the camaraderie and the sportsmanship."

Herb Philbrick was on a crew member for Rick Corbett's Jule's Jewell, which won its class in a race from Newport Beach, Calif., to Ensenada, Mexico, last summer. The boat finished fourth overall.

"It's like hitting the winning ticket," he said. "What 12 guys on a crew can accomplish working together (is amazing)."

He said he and Suzanne put sailing on hold, but took it up again in 1991 on a trip to Miami. He said he is skippering his 11th boat in the competition and has enjoyed every race.

"It's a distance race, and there is some technology involved," said Philbrick, an engineer for ArcelorMittal in Burns Harbor. "No settings, no gears, but it is sort of four-dimensional because you have to have some cagey sailing."

That includes monitoring the weather, which is done with help from the Internet.

"You can't fight the elements," he said. "You just learn how to navigate in them.

"It is challenging. The first half of the race is real crowded, but it's more open in the second half of the race."