Atlantic Cup 2011

Post-event report from BYM Sailing and Sports News:

After two full days of inshore racing The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing crowned Team Cutlass/11th Hour Racing as it’s first champion last night in a prize giving ceremony at the Newport Shipyard.

The inshore series took place both Saturday and Sunday in Newport under grey skies with the fleet racing three races daily. The breeze was approximately 8-10kts from the Southeast on Saturday and picked up to 15-18kts from the same direction on Sunday. Each team raced with a crew of six on 7-10 mile courses inside Narragansett Bay just off Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island.

Cutlass dominated throughout and never lost a race in what was very close quartered, tight racing. Places changed nearly every leg often with only seconds separating the boats at turning marks. Team Icarus placed second in the inshore series but because of their 4th place finish in the offshore leg they came up short in the overall competition. Toothface hung on to 3rd place by one point over Icarus overall. Capitalizing on the momentum they gained in their win in the offshore leg, Team Dragon started the inshore series strong with 2, 3, 2 finishes on Saturday. However, Sunday they struggled and placed fourth in all three races, but Team Dragon did enough to hang on to 2nd place overall.

Jeremy Pochman of 11th Hour Racing awarded the 2nd and 3rd place checks to Teams Dragon and Toothface and Jerry Cahill from the Boomer Esiason Foundation awarded the $7,000 first place check to Team Cutlass. $5,000 went to second place Team Dragon and $3,000 to third place finisher Team Toothface. Teams Dragon and Toothface announced that they would donate 10% of their prize money to the Boomer Esiason Foundation, whose mission is to find a cure for cystic fibrosis.

Said Skipper Rob MacMillan on his first place victory, “I thought the racing was fantastic, the offshore leg was challenging and a very tactful race and the inshore racing was cool. The courses were not traditional windward leeward; they created courses that played to strengths of the Class40. While it made for more work on the boat, with more sail changes, it definitely made for an overall team effort, which made winning that much greater. I think the organizers have hit a home run with format and I look forward to seeing what they come up with for next year.”

The Atlantic Cup is a brand new Class 40 sailing event that will kick off in New York in May 2011. From there, the competitors will race to the historic sailing hub of Newport, R.I. For the first time in the United States, there will be a substantial prize purse for Class 40 competitors.

The 2011 race will showcase the top Class 40 sailors in the U.S. as they sprint double-handed the 240 nautical mile offshore course. Winning the distance race alone won’t be enough to be crowned Atlantic Cup Champion. Once in Newport, skippers will have to race an inshore grand prix around the buoys with a crew of six. The combined overall winner of both stages will be the very first Atlantic Cup Champion.

Additionally, the race organizers are excited to announce that The Atlantic Cup will be run under “Sailor’s for The Sea” clean regatta guidelines, and boats will run on clean power sources.

See the Atlantic Cup Up Close

Have you ever been curious about what it would be like to be on the water watching a professional sailing race with the boats just feet away from you? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to see Class40 boats racing in-shore with crews?

Now’s your chance to be part of the action and watch the inaugural Atlantic Cup up-close while benefiting the Boomer Esiason Foundation!

In conjunction with the Boomer Esiason Foundation, to raise awareness in the fight against cystic fibrosis, The Atlantic Cup presented by 11^th Hour Racing is offering the chance for you and a guest to win a trip to watch the in-shore races Saturday and Sunday, May 14-15, 2011, and attend the prize giving in Newport, R.I.

You and a guest will stay at the modern and luxurious Forty 1° North for a 3-day 2-night stay. Each day you’ll be picked up in the Marina at Forty 1° North and taken out to watch the inshore racing on one of the chase boats.

Marrying a cool and casual luxury with the excitement of its urban waterfront setting, Forty 1° North offers the best of Newport – including a sense of eco-consciousness beginning with its brand new LEED-registered hotel accommodations.

Forty 1° North offers sweeping views of Newport Harbor and Thames Street that complement cool interior color palettes along with floor-to-ceiling windows — natural sunlight, fresh seaside breezes, and sunsets that you are not likely to ever forget. Guestrooms rewrite the definition of casual glamour with customizable amenities and guest services, gas fireplaces, full wet bars, iPads, and integrated media systems.

On Sunday following the races, you’ll have an opportunity to meet the winning team and attend the prize giving ceremony.

Details:

• No purchase necessary to enter, a purchase or payment will not increase your chances of winning. Click here to download the official sweepstakes rules.

• A $25 tax-deductible donation to the Boomer Esiason Foundation is encouraged.

• One entry per person.
• If you’re selected, you and your guest will enjoy:

• A ride on-board one of the chase boats for inshore racing (approximately 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.) on both Saturday, May 14, and Sunday, May 15, 2011
• 2 tickets to the prize giving on Sunday, May 15 (4 p.m. to 7 p.m.)
• Transportation to and from Newport is NOT included
• Approximate retail value: $480.00 USD

• Winner will be selected at random on Saturday, May 7, 2011, and notified by phone.

• The odds of being selected as the potential winner depend on the number of eligible entries received during the entry period.
• The Sweepstakes is sponsored by:

ATTN: A Trip to the Atlantic Cup In Shore Racing & Prize Giving Sweepstakes
483 10th Avenue, Suite 300
New York, NY 10018

The Atlantic Cup, presented by 11^th Hour Racing
14 Bedlow Avenue
Newport, RI 02840

Click here to enter the contest and make a tax-deductible donation to the Boomer Esiason Foundation!

To enter the contest without making a donation, please download a entry form:  PDF l DOC.  Please email the completed entry form to Michaela Seccareccia at michaelabef@aol.com, or fax it to 646.292.7945.