The Lake of the Woods International Sailing Association presents the LOWISA 34 Regatta, July 31 - August 7, 1999. It will consist of 175 miles of cruising and racing amid 14,630 islands and 65,000 miles of shoreline.

Plans are currently being finalized for the 34th running of one of the oldest Canadian-American events. Sailors from Iowa, Ohio, North & South Dakota, Minnesota, Ontario, BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Florida have already confirmed they will be attending this year's event. There will be fleets of every craft imaginable from JY15's, Hobies, Scows, J/22 & J/24's to C&C 27's, 29's, 32's 33's and 41's. Separate divisions are expected in several one design classes.

The website http://www.LOWISA.org has just been launched and has had over 500 visitors in the first five weeks. The site is being updated regularly to show new registrations as they arrive. A "Frequently Asked Question" area has been developed and will serve as a forum for participants. The next stage will be to establish a crew and skipper area to match the needs of boats and sailors wishing to enter the race.

For this year, registration has been cut by more than half. As an incentive to attract younger sailors to the event, organizers have agreed to subsidize youths, who can now register for $90 Canadian or $60 US. Individual boats can register for $150 Canadian or $100 US. Companies can even sponsor boats and receive some excellent exposure before, during and after the event. Van McLean, Commodore of this year's race stated "Young sailors and corporate sponsorship of LOWISA will be key to ensuring this regatta continues in the future and that it remains primarily a family event. Without both, the event will decline or costs will rise too much for many to afford."

This week-long regatta is staged annually by an association of Canadian and American sailors on spectacular Lake of the Woods in Ontario, Canada. Sailors can visually feast on the shape of glacial structures chiselled over centuries of nature's influence. Tall pines, birch and other timber grace the 14,630 islands and 65,000 miles of shoreline. One can watch the abundance of wildlife or explore this territory rich with historical significance. The lake itself straddles the international border and extends about 100 kilometers (60 miles) in each direction, leading to numerous areas of the lake that hold excellent sailing opportunities.