Scheduled to debut from September 15-19, 2009, the event is for Corinthian (amateur) sailors representing their yacht clubs and respective nations. It will take place on the famed waters off Newport, R.I., where Harbour Court, the NYYC’s on-the-water clubhouse, is located.
"The response was greater than we could ever have expected given the current business climate that affects the world,” said NYYC Commodore David Elwell. "Many of the entries actually arrived after the financial crisis became apparent. To date, we have entries from five different continents.”
The event will showcase the finest amateur sailors in the world and will be the most significant event that the New York Yacht Club has hosted in recent memory. For 132 years, the New York Yacht Club successfully defended the America’s Cup and ran the America’s Cup races on Rhode Island Sound for 53 years until 1983, when Australia finally wrested the Cup from the U.S., ending the longest winning streak in sports history.
“The New York Yacht Club and Newport, Rhode Island, are synonymous with competition and fun,” said Russell Murphy, commodore of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) in Australia, “and we became quickly interested when we saw that this event is entirely consistent with our encouragement over the years for members to participate in Corinthian events. Our interest was further piqued because a group of mates could get together, form a competitive amateur team ‘out of pocket’ and encourage our families to join us. We could be surrounded by other genuine amateurs, enjoy quality competition in an internationally recognized venue and, as a byproduct, unashamedly showcase our club and our home waters to like-minded people.”
