Atlantic Cup : Experienced Crew Members added for this Weekend's Inshore Series

Premier sailing event featuring Class 40s concludes with competitors from New Zealand, USA and FRA adding Olympians, Volvo Ocean Race and Extreme Sailing Series Sailors

VXOne Class to Also Race Inshore Series boasting three former America’s Cup Sailors and multiples world champions as competitors

LeCoq Cuisine, with kiwi Conrad Colman and Eric LeCoq, lie second overall. Image copyright LeCoq Cuisine

by Julianna Barbieri

The 2012 Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing, the first carbon-neutral sailing event in the United States, announced today additional crew members with a wealth of sailing experience that will be joining the premier U.S. sailing event for its final leg; inshore series racing in Narragansett Bay in Newport, R.I. this Saturday and Sunday (May 24 – 25). Currently Bodacious Dream (USA) holds a four point lead over second place Lecoq Cuisine (FRA/NZ) and four third place Gryphon Solo 2 (USA) from 4th and 5th place 40 Degrees (GBR) and Icarus Racing (USA) respectively.

For the inshore series teams will now use a crew of six for the five races held in Newport. Races will be held from 11am-3pm in Narragansett Bay with the start/finish line being just off Fort Adams. At 6pm on Sunday, May 25th, the event will culminate at the Landing with a Prize Giving Party to disperse the $15,000 purse, one of the largest in U.S. sailing. The Prize Giving Party is open to the public.

Additional Inshore Series Atlantic Cup Competitors include (teams listed in order of point standings):

#118 Bodacious Dream

Jay Cross – three-time Canadian Olympic Sailing Team Member

#121 Lecoq Cuisine

Rokas Milevicius – 2012 Olympian for the Lithuanian Laser Team

#106 Gryphon Solo 2

Phil Garland – Bristol, R.I. native and owner of Hall Spars, one of the world's premier spar manufactures, which also was responsible for creating Puma's mast for the Volvo Ocean Race. Has also been on the winning sailing team for the Atlantic Cup Inshore series in each of the last 2 years.

#116 Icarus Racing

Nick Dana – Media Crew Member for the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race

#90 40 Degrees

Ken Luczynski – two-time Atlantic Cup Competitor on Toothface

# 54 Dragon

Stan Schreyer - co-skipper on Estrella Damm when they set the NYC-Barcelona Record. Member of the Tommy Hilfiger Team that won the Extreme 40 Sailing Series. Schreyer was the 1999 College Sportsman of the Year. He is also currently the Head Coach for the Boston University Sailing Team.

Pete Lebesk - Three-time Team Racing World Champion and 2-time All-American

Chris Museler – 9-time US Sailing Medalist from 1998-2009.

#39 Pleiad Racing

Pleiad as part of its program is making a point to try and get young sailors out on the water and get them big boat and offshore experience.

David Oliver - naval architecture undergraduate at the University of Michigan and captain of Big Blue sailing. His hometown is Norwalk, CT.

Liz Smith – on the sailing team at Michigan. She interned last summer at US Sailing in Newport.

Nick Cesare - Graduates of Norwalk Yacht Club Junior Big Boat program. Multiple season and Founders Cup Trophy winner in the Ideal 18 fleet at Norwalk.

COMBINED POINT STANDINGS AFTER FIRST TWO LEGS OF OFFSHORE COMPETITION

#118 Bodacious Dream – USA (Dave Rearick, Matt Scharl) 28points
#121 Lecoq Cuisine – USA (Eric Lecoq, Conrad Colman) 24
#106 Gryphon Solo 2 – USA (Joe Harris, Tristan Mougline) 16
#116 Icarus Racing – USA (Tim Fetsch, Ben Poucher) 14
#90 40 Degrees – GBR (Hannah Jenner, Peter Harding) 14
#54 Dragon – USA (Michael Hennessy, Rob Windsor) 12
#39 Pleiad Racing (Ed Cesare, Chad Corning) 4

For two the offshore legs, points were weighted by a factor of two. For each inshore series, points will be weighted by a factor of one. The inshore series will consist of a maximum of five races, should four or less inshore races be completed; all races will count toward the boat’s overall score. If five inshore series are completed, a boats overall score will consist of the four best inshore races. In the event of a score tie between two or more boats, the tie will be broken in favor of the boat with the most points earned amongst the two offshore legs.

The competitors can win prize money in all portions of the race. The $15,000 purse will be split between the three legs with $5,000 available per leg. The prize money for each leg will be divided as follows: 1st will receive $2,000, 2nd, $1,500, 3rd, $1,000 and 4th place receives $500.

In addition to the Class 40, the inshore series will also feature The VX ONE Race Series at the Atlantic Cup. The VX ONE is an affordable sport one-design for the two to three person-racing enthusiast. Their fleet of 10 boats in their Race Series at the Atlantic Cup will provide for added spectator enjoyment just off Fort Adams in Newport, RI. Some notable competitor’s this weekend in the inshore series will include:

Andy Green- current America’s Cup commentator and 2000 and 2003 America’s Cup competitor
Phip Hallowell – professional rigger and sailor for Rig Pro. Competed in 14 Bermuda Races, three Trans Atlantics and numerous Key West Race Weeks.
Thomas Chiginsky – 2003 America’s Cup team member
Chuck Brown – professional rigger and sailor for Rig Pro. 2000, 2003 America’s Cup Trimmer
Tim Pitts – member of the 2004 Virgin Island Olympic Team in the Laser Class
Christina Norris - Brazilian Lighting Champion, 2nd in Worlds in Lightning 2005 North American Women’s Champion in Lightning Class
Chris Turner – Flying 15 World Champion

Atlantic Cup