New Features Announced for Quantum Key West Race Week

Larchmont, NY (August 6, 2015) – New features are being introduced for Quantum Key West Race Week 2016 to increase the event’s flexibility to accommodate more sailors and classes to enjoy this world-class international sailing event.

Firstly, a one design or handicap class that can organize a minimum number of 8 entries may consider using an alternative format being offered of three days of racing starting on Wednesday, January 20th, 2016 and concluding on Friday, January 22nd. This will be in addition to the standard format of racing held over Monday, January 18th through Friday, January 22nd. Classes competing in the standard format will be ineligible to also compete in this alternate format.

Those that opt to race on Wednesday-Friday will receive the same high-quality race management being provided to the other classes at the event, and may be included in course areas provided for other classes during the week, or given their own courses, depending on their needs.

“We are offering this flexibility feature so that we may interest classes of competitors who cannot make the full-week commitment yet still want to be a part of this exciting international sailing event,” says Storm Trysail Club event manager Bill Canfield. “It is a formula that has worked extremely well at other popular international regattas, such as Kiel Week in Germany and Cowes Week in the UK, so we see this being a positive new feature to also offer for Key West.”

Classes interested in this alternate format will have to register their interest and commitment by September 1st in order to have an amendment made to the official Notice of Race.

Secondly, in addition to the return of IRC and HPR rating systems, Quantum Key West Race Week 2016 is pleased to offer handicap scoring using the ORC system, the largest science-based rating system in the world. Managed by the Offshore Racing Congress, the ORC rating system is used in 40 countries with over 9000 certificates issued each year, and is an organizer for annual ORC World and ORC Continental championships sanctioned by ISAF, the international governing body of the sport. Boats with either ORCi or ORC Club valid certificates may enter, with classes formed for each.

“The ORC system has shown tremendous success overseas in the last several years, with measurements and ratings for many of the same boat types we have here in the US,” says QKWRW Race Committee Chairman Dick Neville. “It is a fully web-based transparent system that is easy to access for sailors and gives race managers lots of scoring options not offered by other systems, so we feel its use here will not only increase the international caliber of the event, but also increase the accuracy of results while reducing the previous hassles we had getting through the PHRF rating process.”

A Fact Sheet on ORC and a list of ORC ratings for common boat types can be found on the Yacht Scoring regatta management site at www.yachtscoring.com. More information on the ORC system is available at www.orc.org, and applications for ORC Club ratings can be made online at www.orc.org/clubapplication.

Thirdly, event managers are prepared to add short navigational races to the format for Performance Cruising classes that have expressed interest in participating at Quantum Key West Race Week. This is a style of racing popular for the casual and/or shorthanded sailing teams, who wish to be part of the larger event but typically enjoy just one race per day.

Note that the first early discount entry fee deadline for Quantum Key West Race Week 2016 is September 1st , 2015 – fees increase by $4/foot after this date. To register, go to the event website at www.keywestraceweek.com.

For more information on the race formats for classes in Quantum Key West Race Week 2016, contact event manager Bill Canfield at bill@keywestraceweek.com.

Media inquiries can be made to Quantum Key West Race Week 2016 Media Manager Dobbs Davis at dobbs@keywestraceweek.com.

For general regatta questions and sponsorship inquiries, contact Amy Gross-Kehoe at info@keywestraceweek.com.