On Saturday, July 21, when most Huntley High Students are on vacation, playing sports, or hanging out with friends, sophomore Arion Yedinak will be ready for his biggest race of the year, the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac Island.

On that weekend, Yedinak will spend anywhere from 50 to 60 hours on a sailboat, as he races almost 400 other boats from Navy Pier in Chicago, to Mackinac Island, Michigan.

On his first race to Mackinac Island, Yedinak was in a steep battle for second place close to the finish line.  Even though he ended up losing and placing third, he calls this his favorite memory while sailing.

When Yedinak was around two years old, his father took him out to Navy Pier, along with some of his friends, and there the tradition began on Lake Michigan.

In his younger years, Yedinak was not very active on the boat, but as soon as he turned ten, he began racing himself.

He loves the teamwork with his father and his father’s friends during a race.

He loves the high competitive energy during races.

He loves spending time with his father on the boat.

Although Yedinak’s hobby of sailing brings joy to him, long weekends on the water have a few drawbacks.

When sleeping, Yedinak hates the uncomfortable sideways position thrust upon him.

He hates the feeling of sickness on the water.

He hates the sound of snoring from the people he has to sleep right next to.

Although these are downfalls to the hobby Yedinak loves, nothing can replace the feeling of moving past other boats in a race and spending time with his father.

With less than 100 days until the 2012 CYC Race to Mackinac Island, Yedinak simply cannot wait until gets into his boat on Lake Michigan and begins the battle northeast.