48th Seawanhaka Cup is postponed

When the Long Beach Yacht Club won the 47th challenge for the Seawanhaka Cup in 2019, the plan was for their defense to be held in 2021 on June 2-5 in the waters off Long Beach, CA.

The Seawanhaka Cup, a match racing event open to international teams who are all regular members of the yacht club they are representing and a national of the country where the club resides, is considered to be the oldest yachting trophy originated in the United States that is still in active competition.

The first challenge in 1895 was held in Oyster Bay, New York. The 48th edition won’t be held in 2021. Here’s the update from Long Beach Yacht Club:

It is with profound disappointment that the Long Beach Yacht Club has decided to postpone the Seawanhaka International Challenge Cup to 2022. In consultation with the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, we have decided that it would not be prudent to host this international yacht racing event in 2021, given the global impact of the COVID-19 virus.

With the commencement of vaccinations, it is uncertain that we would be able to expect international competitors to make appropriate logistical travel arrangements. While we are dedicated to hosting a world-class regatta, the safety of our competitors comes first.

The Seawanhaka Cup is an historic international challenge to promote small yacht racing and develop the Corinthian spirit among competing yachtsmen. Given this pedigree, the regatta is deserving of an event that will honor its traditions and permit competitors from several nations to compete for the Cup.

As an international event, we want to conduct the challenge when all competitors can arrange international travel to participate. It is also a Corinthian regatta, and we desire to host numerous social events in conjunction with the regatta to further camaraderie amongst the participating clubs. These objectives would be significantly challenged in the current environment.

New dates have not yet been confirmed, but we intend to reschedule the regatta for the same time in 2022. For more details, click here.