Championships to be Decided at NYYC Race Week

Newport, RI (July 11, 2016) – After a recent winning streak on Narragansett Bay, Carl Olsson and his team on the J/109 Morning Glory will carry a lot of positive momentum into the 2016 New York Yacht Club Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex. Morning Glory is one of 19 J/109s that will be sailing in the class’s 2016 North American Championship, which will be held as a part of Race Week.

The biennial multi-class regatta is hosted by the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court and is a highlight of Newport’s busy summer sailing season. Race Week is known for its split format: Classics and multihulls sailed in Part I of the regatta, from July 9-10, while one-design and handicap classes will sail Part II from Wednesday, July 13, to Saturday, July 16, when the regatta will culminated with a Rolex Awards Dinner on the spectacular grounds of Harbour Court.

On Tuesday, July 12, participants will enjoy some expert insight into racing on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound from one of Rhode Island’s most famous sailors, Ken Read. The Porsche Local Knowledge Briefing Powered by North Sails will take place at Harbour Court on Tuesday at 1815. A live stream of the presentation will be available via the New York Yacht Club Regattas Facebook Page.

Despite his recent success—three wins in three races at the 162nd Annual Regatta presented by Rolex in June—Olsson is quick to temper expectations for the coming week. “We were not ready for the huge talent we encountered at the 2015 Nationals,” said Olsson, who hails from New Rochelle, NY. “We also had equipment problems plaguing us during the series. Our prep this year is better equipment-wise, but practice has been a little less than last year.”

And, he added, the fleet is just as strong as it was in 2015 when Olsson’s team finished seventh: “There are lots of boats that have already proven their mettle in different events year after year and this season so far. We regard at least eight to 10 different boats as potentially winning this series. We simply hope we are among them at the end.”

Two other continental championships will also be taking place during NYYC Race Week. The Swan 42 class will be holding their 10th National Championship while the C&C 30 One-Design Class will be holding its inaugural North American Championship.

The C&C 30 One-Design Class has grown steadily since the boat was first launched a few years ago. “The class is honored to hold our first North Americans at the New York Yacht Club,” said Class President Dan Cheresh. “The conditions in Newport are always spectacular, and the NYYC logistics and hospitality are top-shelf.”

Seven C&C 30s trained for the National Championship at the NYYC 162nd Annual Regatta presented by Rolex. Cheresh won the regatta with half as many points as the second place team, and is looking to take home another win this coming week.

“I’m thrilled to be competing in such an exciting event,” said Cheresh, of Saugatuck, Mich. “We’ve be training hard all summer. The competition gets tighter at every regatta; I can’t wait to get to the starting line.”

Along with the one-design classes, there will be 24 boats racing under the IRC handicapping rule during Race Week at Newport. The variety of boat designs involved often means that when the conditions change, so do the results. A boat that excels on one day can find itself fighting to avoid the cellar on the next.

“It always comes down to the last day and the last race, and there is always a little bit of luck involved,” said Arthur Santry, of Newport, R.I, who will be racing his Ker 50 Temptation/Oakcliff in Race Week. “It will probably be three or four boats contending for first.”

The best overall performing yacht of the IRC-rated classes, as well as the winners of the C&C 30 and J/109 one-design classes, will be awarded Rolex Stainless Steel Submariner Date watches during the regatta. First introduced in 1953, the Submariner has a redesigned Oyster case, distinctive dial with large luminescent hour markers, graduated rotatable Cerachrom bezel and solid link Oyster bracelet.

Whether or not Santry, a longtime New York Yacht Club member whose father was a commodore, is able to earn a Rolex, he’s confident the week will be enjoyable for everyone involved.

“I think if you talk to a lot of the skippers, this is arguably the highlight of the season,” he said. “It is such a great regatta, everyone knows that the competition is fantastic, but the venue is really special. It feels like home, this is our place.”

Racing for Part II of Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex will start on Wednesday and continue through Saturday, July 13-16.

Event details – Classic results – Multihull results – Part 2 entries

Source: NYYC