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NEW YORK, August 9, 2010 - The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) announced today that twelve teams have been awarded entries for the Eleventh Annual NYYC Masters Team Race. To the victor goes the Commodore George R. Hinman Masters Invitational Trophy — the NYYC’s Masters team-racing championship. The trophy was rededicated in 1999 by Commodore George M. Isdale Jr. in recognition of George R. Hinman's commitment to sailing and friendly competition. The regatta will be staged August 20, 21 and 22, in Newport, RI at NYYC’s Harbour Court Clubhouse.The trophy has become the unofficial national championship for master’s team racing.
Competitors in this year's event include the New York Yacht Club, which as last year's winner holds the Commodore George R. Hinman Masters Invitational Trophy; other participating clubs are Annapolis Yacht Club of Annapolis, MD; Boston Yacht Club of Marblehead, MA; Eastern Yacht Club of Marblehead, MA; Larchmont Yacht Club of Larchmont, NY; Noroton Yacht Club of Noroton CT; Royal Thames Yacht Club of London, UK, Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club of Oyster Bay, N Y; Southern Yacht Club of New Orleans, LA; St. Francis Yacht Club of San Francisco, CA; Texas Corinthian Yacht Club of Kemah, TX and a combined team representing Storm Trysail Yacht Club/Ida Lewis Yacht Club, of Newport, RI.
The largest event of its kind in the US, it is a unique sailing competition in that each of the twelve entries represents not a single boat but a yacht-club team. Team racing is a growing aspect of competitive sailing. It pits teams of three identical boats against each other in a format where combined scores, of which there are many possible winning combinations, determine the outcome. The team racing is strategic, combining boat speed, tactics, boat-handling and team coordination in an on-the-water choreography unlike fleet racing or match racing.
The regatta, to be sailed in NYYC’s fleet of Sonars and Sail Newport’s J-22’s, will feature three days of racing between the 12 teams. Each team consists of three boats with a crew of up to four. Over 140 sailors and 20 race committee and jury members will participate.
Unique to the format of the New York Yacht Club Masters Team Race for Commodore George R. Hinman Masters Invitational Trophy is that each boat must include a skipper at least 45 years of age and crew members must be at least 40 years of age. The planned format is multiple round robins amongst all competing teams followed by a knock-out series which will be run to decide the winner of the Commodore George R. Hinman MastersInvitational Trophy.
Peter P. Benedetto II, Event Chair |
