Congressional Cup Turns 50

The longest running match sailboat race in North America – the Congressional Cup – celebrates its golden anniversary this year as the 50th annual event is set to take place April 7-13 in the waters off Long Beach, CA.

One of the most prestigious events in all of sailing, the Congressional Cup invites several of the world’s top skippers to test their skills in identical Catalina 37 boats in a week-long series of elimination races (preliminary races called the Ficker Cup on April 7-8 narrow the actual race fleet to 10 boats).

The venue is adjacent to the Belmont Pier, providing spectators with outstanding up-close views of the racing for free.

With five of the top 1- ISAF-ranked skippers, the skipper lineup is again impressive. They are: Taylor Canfield, #1 of the Virgin Islands Yacht Club; Ian Williams, #2, of the Royal Lymington Yacht Club in Great Britain; Phil Robertson, #4, of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club Squadron; Keith Swinton, #6, of Australia and Simone Ferrarese, #8, Circolo Della Vela of Italy.

The rest of the field is comprised of Johnie Berntsson, #15, of Royal Gothenburg Yacht Club in Sweden; Christopher Pool, #26, of the United States; Will Tiller, #27, of Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron; Dustin Durant, #28, of the host Long Beach Yacht Club; Francesco Bruni, #98, of Club Canotteri Roggero di Lauria in Italy; Dave Perry, #123, of the Pequot Yacht Club in the United States; and Scott Dickson, #130, of the Long Beach Yacht Club.

Ferrarese is the defending Congressional Cup champion. Williams is a two-time Congressional Cup champion, having won back-to-back races in 2011 and 2012 Perry accomplished the feat in 1983 and 1984 and Bruni (2010), Berntsson (2010) and Richard (2007) have each won titles.

The Congressional Cup is hosted annually by the Long Beach Yacht Club.

Website: http://www.thecongressionalcup.com/