Race across Lake Michigan continues Saturday night - WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports

The crews of more than 350 yachts have set sail in this year's Chicago-to-Mackinac Island race, a Lake Michigan tradition more than a century old. Dating back to 1898, it's the oldest freshwater distance race in the world.

Teams will sail throughout the Saturday and overnight into Sunday on the 333 statute-mile course.

Last year's race was marred by the deaths of two crew members when their Kiwi 35-foot sport boat capsized during a storm.

An investigation found the vessel's sails were too large for its weight under the conditions of a long overnight competition, in an area known to have frequent violent thunderstorms.