Atlantic Cup to now extend from Charleston to Portland

(May 28, 2015) – Manuka Sports Event Management announced today Portland, Maine as the host city for the third and final leg of the 2016 Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing. The 5th edition of the race will start May 28, 2016 and culminate the weekend of June 11th in Portland as part of Portland’s biggest annual music festival, the Old Port Festival.

With over 1,000nm of ocean racing, the Atlantic Cup is the longest offshore race in the Western Atlantic and also the U.S.’ only short-handed offshore race dedicated to the Class 40. The race was created and designed to grow the audience for short-handed, offshore racing with hard fought competition and exciting shore based events, while also being the most environmentally sustainable sailing race.

The 2016 race will start in Charleston, South Carolina May 28th, stop in New York City May 31st-June 4th and culminate in Portland, Maine June 7th-12th as part of the 2016 Old Port Festival.

Portland City Mayor, Michael Brennan, stated, “The city is pleased to welcome the Atlantic Cup to Portland, Maine. With our remarkable waterfront, maritime heritage, vibrant boating scene, and the expansive bay views from Eastern Promenade Park, Portland is the perfect venue for hosting and watching competitive sailing. We look forward to fostering a long relationship with race organizers, crews, and fans of the sport.”

Old Port Festival Executive Director, Steve Hewins, stated, “We are so pleased to host the Atlantic Cup during the 43rd annual Old Port Festival Weekend, which draws over 40,000 visitors to Portland’s historic waterfront each year. During the Festival, the streets of the Old Port are closed to vehicle traffic and replaced with 6 stages of live music and tents from hundreds of local artisans and craft vendors. Combined with Portland’s nationally recognized dining scene, eclectic shops and independent retailers, spectators will experience a lively celebration of life on the coast of Maine!”

Manuka Sports Event Management Co-Founder and Atlantic Cup Race Director, Hugh Piggin, stated,
We are extremely pleased to announce Portland, Maine as a host city for the 2016 Atlantic Cup. Portland has rich maritime history and is still very much a vibrant working waterfront community. The second leg of the Atlantic Cup will be significantly longer than in previous editions and will add a unique navigational twist to the course. Perhaps most exciting though is our partnership with the Old Port Festival and the opportunity for festivalgoers to watch the Class 40s race in Casco Bay. Portland provides a natural amphitheater from which spectators will be able to watch the Inshore Series and also enjoy all that the city of Portland has to offer.

About The Atlantic Cup
The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing is the longest offshore race on the eastern seaboard of the United States. The Atlantic Cup started in 2011 as a concept event and grew to a multi-stage race with a focus on being the most environmentally responsible sailing race in the United States. The race is dedicated to the Class 40, a monohull race boat designed for shorthanded racing.

The Atlantic Cup has run annually in May from 2011 through 2014. The course in 2011 was a sprint from New York to Newport with an inshore series in Newport. From 2012-2014, the race was a three-stage event that started in Charleston, South Carolina. Competitors raced a 648 nautical mile offshore leg double-handed from Charleston to New York City. From New York City, teams raced 231 nautical miles, south out of New York to a turning mark off the New Jersey coast before heading north to Newport. The third leg comprised of a two-day, inshore series with a crew of six in Narragansett Bay.

For more on the Atlantic Cup, visit AtlanticCup.org

Source: Julianna Barbieri, Manuka Sports Event Management