Duos ready for the distance in Annapolis

Annapolis, MD (October 2, 2020) – Thirty-eight double handed offshore teams will line-up tomorrow for the second annual Annapolis Yacht Club Double Handed Distance Race.

After a successful inaugural event in 2019 with 17 teams, the event has become the largest of its kind to take place in the United States thus far and has attracted a handful of teams gunning for a chance to represent Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the brand new discipline.

The fleet is divided into three divisions: ORC 1, ORC 2, and a J/105 class which requires mixed teams. Regarding Olympic integration, the official class for the Paris 2024 Games is expected to be decided no later than the end of 2023.

Based on the weather forecast, the Race Committee will release the designated course roughly two hours before the warning signal. Competitors will race for approximately 24 hours and return to Annapolis Yacht Club for the finish on Sunday, October 4. Legs will be 10 nautical miles or more, giving teams plenty of time to think about and implement maneuvers.

Luther Carpenter (Cypress, Texas), Head Coach of the US Sailing Team (USST), notes how “the boats, the format, the racing, and even the formula for success, will have their unique twist in Olympic sailing, and [the USST] is dedicated to discovering those things together with [those involved].”

Leandro Spina (Miami, Fla.), Olympic Development Director, finds this discipline to be an exciting time for the sport. “Offshore sailing is a big part of our sport, and the fact that it’s double handed is actually really exciting. This is truly an equal platform for female and male sailors to compete because you need to be able to share every job on the boat.”

Spina is representing the USST on-site in Annapolis and connecting with competitors as they prepare for the race. There’s a range of abilities and pairings in attendance, including father and son teams, husbands and wives, and professional sailors.

Event details – Entry list

Source: US Sailing