2016 U.S. Team Racing Champs Preview

Sheboygan, WI (August 18, 2016) – An talented pool of sailors who have had success in various disciplines and racing backgrounds will compete for the for the historic George R. Hinman Trophy at the 2016 U.S. Team Racing Championship, hosted by Sail Sheboygan.

This event will qualify a team to represent the United States at the 2017 Team Racing World Championship. Pas winners of this regatta have gone on to win at the Worlds as well.

This premier team racing event in the United States is an invitational event. First held in 1981, the U.S. Team Racing Championship remains one of the hottest events in the country for collegiate and post-collegiate sailors. Interested teams applied by resume. The championship will be raced in three-boat/six-person teams (three skippers and three crews).

Following practice this Thursday, racing takes place Friday, August 19 through Sunday, August 21 on Sheboygan Harbor. Teams will be racing the Zim 15, a doublehanded, monohull dinghy designed by Steve Clark. The Zim 15 is very maneuverable which will make for some terrific team racing.

Team racing is one of the most popular disciplines in sailing. Over 100 races are sailed in just a few days. Races, or flights, are shorter than traditional race courses. Three flights are racing simultaneously with teams swapping out after each race with each team wearing a unique identifying pinny or bib.

Schedule & Racing Format
The intended format may be a single or multiple round robins of all teams. Teams may be split into groups for a preliminary round robin or ladder elimination format, potentially followed by a championship round robin or knock-out elimination.

Prizes on the Line
* The winning team will be presented the George R. Hinman Trophy.
* US Sailing medals will be awarded to the first, second and third place competitors.

Check out the complete roster of sailors and their teams racing this week … click here.

Event Website

About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

Source: US Sailing Media, Jake Fish