Preserving Adams Cup Stories

The National Sailing Hall of Fame (NSHOF) and Gowrie Group announced the continuation of their partnership to collect, preserve, and present maritime stories, this year with a focus on collecting and presenting stories related to the Adams Cup.

The Mrs. Charles Frances Adams Cup (The Adams Cup) was held annually for 87 years from 1924 to 2011, as the United States Women’s Sailing Championship. The Mrs. Charles Frances Adams Championship and Trophy was retired in 2011, and is now on display in the Reading Room of the Tom Morris Library at the National Sailing Hall of Fame in Annapolis, MD.

Gary Jobson, President of the National Sailing Hall of Fame, shared, “The Adams Cup inspired generations of woman to participate and excel in the sport of sailboat racing. Collecting and preserving this legacy will keep that history alive.”

The Adams Cup was run by US Sailing, with eliminations held throughout the country in each “Area/Region.” Teams consisted of 3 to 4 women, representing their home club and area.

The final championship each year moved around the country and was sailed in different types of boats to eliminate any advantage a sailor from any particular class might otherwise have. Competitors sailed boats provided by host clubs, and the teams rotated boats so no team would have an equipment advantage.

Whitney Peterson, VP of Marketing at Gowrie Group, elaborated, “Gowrie Group is proud to support the National Sailing Hall of Fame in their effort to preserve the history and legacy of the Adams Cup. I personally have a strong connection to the championship, as my mother, Carol Connor, competed at the top level in this event for years when I was a youth sailor.

I had the special opportunity to crew for her in the 1988 Adams Cup finals when I was 15 years old; my aunt [Vicki Maxwell Field] was also part of the team. We placed second; it came down to the last race. Through this effort of NSHOF, memories like this of multi-generational female family sailing teams will be collected and preserved before they are lost forever.”

The National Sailing Hall of Fame is actively soliciting Adams Cup stories, clippings, memories, photos and assets to build out the archive collection. Stories, vignettes, thoughts, or memories (written, articles, news clippings, scanned photos, digital files, past results, audio, film, and/or video) can be submitted to NSHOF’s Adams Cup coordinator at adamscup@nshof.org.

A reunion of Adams Cup participants (and a friendly on-the-water competition) will be held during the 2017 National Sailing Hall of Fame Induction (September 23-24, 2017) at the New York Yacht Club, Newport RI, Harbour Court.

Learn more and read some of the Adams Cup Stories online by visiting: http://bit.ly/AdamsCup.

Source: National Sailing Hall of Fame

The National Sailing Hall of Fame promotes sailing by preserving America’s sailing legacy and engages the next generation by sharing the benefits, excitement and beauty of sailing. NSHOF promotes sailing by recognizing its heroes; highlighting sailing’s contribution to the American culture and experience; and demonstrating its value as a hands-on tool for teaching math and science. NSHOF provides a home for sailing – a place where people can participate in on-the-water experiences and immerse themselves in sailing’s history, art and lore. www.nshof.org.