The Atlantic Cup Presented by 11th Hour Racing

Special Section: The Atlantic Cup

On Saturday May 10, five teams will set sail from Charleston, SC to compete in the

only dedicated Class40 race in the United States, The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing. The Atlantic Cup is the longest offshore race on the East Coast of the U.S. this year, and it is also the most environmentally sustainable sailing race in the country.

Top Class40 competitors will test their skills competing in the fourth annual, three-stage event organized by Manuka Sports Event Management in Newport, RI. The first stage is the 642-nautical mile Offshore Leg, in which teams race double-handed from Charleston to New York City, including navigating through the Gulf Stream and formidable Cape Hatteras.

The start is viewable from land just off the Maritime Center and all are welcome to come and watch.

The second stage, the 231-nautical mile Sprint Leg from New York to Newport, RI, starts just off the seawall of North Cove Marina in Battery Park City on Saturday, May 17 at 12 pm.

The teams, again sailing double-handed, head south to a turning mark at Barnegat Light off the New Jersey coast, and then northward to Newport and the Jamestown FiSH Finish Line.

As teams approach Newport, they’ll have to decide whether to pass to the east or west of Block Island, plotting a course through the tricky currents around the island. The correct decisions here have determined the winner of the leg in all three editions of the race.

In Newport, the third stage involves switching the boats into buoy racing mode for the two-day Inshore Series on Saturday and Sunday, May 24 and 25. In this leg of the race each boat sail with a maximum crew of six. The combined overall winner of all three stages will be crowned Atlantic Cup Champion.

The focus of The Atlantic Cup is to showcase short-handed, offshore racing in the U.S. by producing a hard fought, intense competition. Additionally, with the support of Presenting Sponsor 11th Hour Racing, in 2012 The Atlantic Cup succeeded in becoming the first carbon neutral sailing race in the country.

In 2013, the race was Sailors for the Sea’s first recognized Platinum Level Clean Regatta. It is

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Special Section: The Atlantic Cup the continued mission of Atlantic Cup Race Management to run the race as the most environmentally sustainable sailing event in the U.S.

2013 Recap

The third consecutive Atlantic Cup again stood out in sailboat racing, achieving a completely carbon neutral status for the second year in a row. The 2013 race proved to be a very close one as well.

On May 11, 2013, in sunny South Carolina, a fleet of seven teams from the United States and England sailed out of Charleston Harbor for the start of the 3rd annual Atlantic Cup. It was an upwind start with the breeze 10-15 knots out of the southwest. Class40 #54 Dragon crossed the line first, but for the second year in a row local Charleston team #116 Icarus led at the first mark.

After the mark rounding, the course became a broad reach to Fort Sumter and a fetch out of the jetties when teams turned the corner and hoisted their spinnakers. #118 Bodacious Dream, second in the 2012 Atlantic Cup, was the first team out of the harbor.

Bodacious Dream co-skippers Dave Rearick and Matt Scharl held onto their lead for the duration of the leg and claimed victory in New York City.

The second leg set sail Saturday, May 19 from New York Harbor en route to Newport in a light southerly. Teams raced the entire way down the Jersey Shore in short course fleet racing mode.

After the turning mark, the teams were within sight of each other through to the finish. The major decision of the race was determining which way to round Block Island, deciding on wind (to the east) or current (to the west). Ultimately, the decision to go west proved to be the right choice. #106 Gryphon Solo 2 was leading on approach to the island, but chose the east passage and dropped to third place overall, again proving that Block Island is a key player in The Atlantic Cup! The last five miles to the finish were incredibly tense, as the first three teams to cross the finish line were separated 22 May 2014 WindCheck Magazine

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by a mere 10 minutes and 11 seconds.

Bodacious Dream crossed the finish line first with an elapsed time of 30 hours, 9 minutes, 39 seconds, beating out #121 Lecoq Cuisine by 4 minutes 59 seconds, followed 5 minutes and 12 seconds later by Gryphon Solo 2.

Bodacious Dream co-skipper Matt Scharl said, “It was a very tough race.

Halfway through the second leg, all the boats were within a half a mile.

There’s just no let up; you just can’t take any breaks during the entire thing.

We wanted to go right from a historical point of view around Block Island, but once we found that they [Gryphon Solo 2] were passing us going to the right, we threw up a spinnaker that we probably shouldn’t have, that forced us all the way to the left and Gryphon let us go which is the miracle of the race.”

After the first two offshore legs and some incredibly close racing, the Inshore Series, which requires teams to race with a crew of six around buoys in Narragansett Bay, kicked off on May 25 and continued through the weekend.

From former Olympians to Volvo Ocean Race sailors, the teams brought in top talent to fill out their crews. The weather over both days delivered wind speeds consistently in the upper teens and twenties with gusts up to 30 knots, making for a challenging two days of inshore racing in Narragansett Bay.

Icarus dominated the inshore series, but the battle for first overall was between Bodacious Dream and

Lecoq Cuisine, who traded places throughout the weekend. Ultimately Bodacious Dream held on to their first place position, but Tim Fetsch and Ben Poucher were the stars of the series as they led Icarus to three inshore race wins which helped them secure third place overall.

When all of the points were tallied, Bodacious Dream finished with 51 total combined points for the offshore legs and inshore races. With the victory Bodacious Dream claimed $5,500 of the $15,000 purse, one of the largest in sailing in the United States.

2013 Atlantic Cup Top 5 Finishers #118 Bodacious Dream (USA) #121 LeCoq Cuisine (USA) #116 Icarus (USA) #106 Gryphon Solo 2 (USA) #90 40 Degrees (GBR)

2014 Preview and Who To Watch

The Atlantic Cup Expert weighs in throughout the race, providing online commentary and insight into what’s happening on the course. You can ask The Expert your questions at any time throughout the race by submitting a question online at AtlanticCup.org. Who is this Expert? Well, we can’t really say.

He – or she – is a bit like The Stig on BBC’s TopGear. Nobody knows…

The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing is the premier Class40 race

Special Section: The Atlantic Cup in the U.S. and is some of the toughest shorthanded sailing around. This is the fourth running of the race, and there are some excellent developments from past years. When you visit AtlanticCup. org to vote for your favorite team, you will notice a streamlined new website with some cool new features.

This year’s biggest advancement will be found dockside, as each port will become an interactive experience for sailors and fans alike. The New York City stopover will feature “WaterWeekNYC,” a conference for business and industry leaders in the water sphere, focusing on the engineering policy and innovation of water use on our planet. To learn more, visit WaterWeekNYC.com.

After the week in New York, the fleet will head for Newport, RI, America’s First Resort town, and for the first time in the U.S. the Class40s will be docked alongside the IMOCA Open 60s at the Newport Shipyard. The notso-tame big brothers to the Class40s will be in Newport for a stopover and re-provision before the start of their transatlantic race in New York City on June 1. These impressive offshore machines may be only 20 feet longer than the 40s, but the speeds reached and distances traveled in these boats are not for the faint of heart. This rare opportunity is not to be missed, so swing by, check out the boats, and wish the teams good luck.

During the Inshore Series in Newport, Clean Ocean Access will undertake one of its largest coastal cleanups ever, with volunteers cleaning the entire racecourse on the Newport and Jamestown sides of Narragansett Bay. Clean Bays will be supporting the cleanup with landing craft, waste disposal and arranging for the removal of large debris. To join the cleanup efforts, contact info@cleanoceanaccess.org.

Viewing for the Inshore Series will be at Fort Adams State Park. Fort Adams will be the headquarters for race activities, featuring live race-byrace commentary from expert sailors and educational displays from Atlantic Cup supporters. Fort Adams has plenty of parking, so grab the family, pack a picnic, or buy from the great local food 24 May 2014 WindCheck Magazine

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trucks on-site and watch some amazing racing at one of the best venues in the world.

Now, on to the racing! This year’s Atlantic Cup will be a battle of the North American Class40 fleet, as changes to the Transat Jacques Vabre finish saw the European fleet in Itajai, Brazil last fall and unable to reach the East Coast of the U.S. In addition to the stalwarts of the North American fleet, there are some promising newcomers. Atlantic Cup veterans #54 Dragon, #106 Gryphon Solo 2 and #39 Pleiad Racing will be joined by #116 JeffreyMacFarlane.com and new kid on the block, Canadian Kyle Hubley racing #25 Flatline.

We will miss last year’s champ #118 Bodacious Dream, as skipper Dave Rearick is on the final stretch of a solo circumnavigation of the world. You can check his progress at BodaciousDreamExpeditions.com.

Captain Dave will, however, make an appearance on the brand-new Atlantic Cup Kids page. Check it out at AtlanticCup.org/Kids.

Class40 #54 Dragon needs no introduction. Dragon is the only boat to race in all editions of the Atlantic Cup, and skipper Mike Hennessy is once again teaming up with Rob Windsor. They are a proven pairing, with many miles together in Class40s and beyond. Rob just completed the 5,400nm Transat Jaques Vabre, battling setback after setback in a show of determination and seamanship in true ocean racer fashion to complete the

race. Dragon has undergone major performance enhancements this winter, including a new lighter rig, a fully articulating bowsprit and a ton (well actually a few hundred pounds) of weight removed from the boat. She is now a much different boat, and Mike and Rob are anxious to push her to her limits. They have stated they will be playing offense this year.

#106 Gryphon Solo 2 will be skippered by Bostonian Joe Harris and new co-skipper Pat O’Conner. Gryphon has proven that she can lift her skirt and romp away, so it will be up to Joe and Pat to see that she does. These skippers have yet to race double-handed together so this will be their first major test together. Pat comes from a marine design and professional sailing background and has been working in Class40 for the last four years, so he is very familiar with Gryphon and her competition. We will just have to watch and see what these two can do!

Last year’s Class40 and Atlantic Cup first-timers, Ed Cesare and Chad Corning aboard #39 Pleiad Racing, have an additional year of sailing and training behind them. Team Pleiad is no longer the rookie entry; with a year’s preparation the boat and the team have progressed in leaps and bounds and are ready to present a formidable challenge to the class veterans. With a full race program planned for this summer, Ed and Chad are working hard to mount a solid result. Watch this team and their website, PleiadRacing.com, as big announcements are rumored to be

Special Section: The Atlantic Cup coming.

The youngest duo in the fleet, Jeff MacFarlane and Jarrett “Jake” Arcand are teaming up on #116 JeffreyMacFarlane.com. Jeff makes his return to The Atlantic Cup, heading up his own program after a dominant performance in the incredibly competitive Mini-Class circuit. Jake grew up in Scituate, MA and has been sailing since he was born. He currently works at North Sails Hawaii. Both Jake and Jeff are products of Oakcliff Sailing’s Sapling program.

Formerly named Icarus Racing, #116 belongs to the U.S. Merchant Marine Sailing Foundation. Under the direction of Ralf Steitz, the Foundation has been instrumental in providing opportunities for young sailors to compete at the grand prix level. Steitz’s single-mindedness to this end has seen #116 compete in The Atlantic Cup since its inception. This boat has shown she is fast and Jeff has shown he can win by himself in a Mini, so we’ll have to wait and see if he and Jake can do it in a 40!

This year’s Atlantic Cup newcomer and fully international team is Kyle Hubley from Nova Scotia and co-skipper Frederic de Mesel from Belgium aboard #25 Flatline. Kyle has spent the last two years resurrecting and updating Flatline, working night and day to make the start. Kyle comes from a competitive racing and professional sailing background. He is young and driven, and knowing this boat inside and out should prove to be an asset.

While he is at the start of the Class40 learning curve, something tells us it won’t take him long to ascend to a respected contender. His teammate, Frederic, has loads of experience in Class40s and Minis. Language barriers aside, definitely keep a watchful eye on these guys.

Turning our attention to the racecourse, let’s take a look at the first legs: the Offshore leg from Charleston to New York City, then the Sprint Leg from New York to Newport. It goes without saying that weather patterns will always be a major factor and the first leg also has the added challenge of the Gulf Stream to contend with off 26 May 2014 WindCheck Magazine

the infamous Cape Hatteras. We won’t know what the scenario will be until the days prior to the start. Generally, as the race travels south to north through weather patterns that are shifting east to west, the boats will transition through many different conditions.

The worst scenario the fleet could face is a storm bringing northerly breeze as the boats transition around Cape Hatteras (the Cape Horn of the north), which can produce boat-breaking – and crew-breaking – conditions. The combination of shallow water, up to four knots of current flowing north, and the unlimited fetch of a northerly swell can result in the most horrendous conditions to be found on the East Coast.

The three big challenges for the first leg are exiting Charleston Harbor, as short tacking the three nautical miles out between the jetties will be a demanding test of boat handling. Then in anything other than a northerly, the boats will head for the Gulf Stream and set up for a “max current” ride around Cape Hatteras. After Hatteras, the critical decision will be how long to ride the Gulf Stream before turning left and heading for New York. Last year, the boats that stayed in the Gulf Stream current the longest, although sailing farther, had the advantage. Of course, the more northeasterly the breeze, the less advantageous staying with the current will be, as it will put New York at more of an upwind angle.

The approach and rounding of Cape Hatteras can also be a danger

to man and boat and could no doubt be the deciding factor in the race. If the weather does not cooperate and brings stiff northerly wind, the boats have two options: 1) Either tuck into Cape Lookout and Raleigh Bay to “duck” around Hatteras, minimizing the time in the danger zone, or 2) cross the Gulf Stream and head offshore to avoid the worst of the conditions but sail crucial extra miles.

The third major challenge will be getting into New York Harbor. The approaches to New York are filled with shoals, and are a challenge to navigate at the best of times. Throw in some heavy commercial traffic, an approach under the cover of darkness and two fatigued sailors, and this will be an intense time for the crews and could mean the difference between finishing first or last.

For the Sprint Leg to Newport, the competitors will be looking for a clean exit out of New York Harbor. Having made it out of New York and to the turning mark at Barnegat Bay, it will be decision time: Head for the Long Island shore or stay well out to sea? This decision will be predicated upon where the strongest wind will be. When the fleet reaches Block Island, teams have to make the most critical decision of the leg, whether to sail east or west of Block. This complicated decision has to be made by weighing the intricate wind and tide conditions that occur in those waters. In all three previous editions of The Atlantic Cup, the lead boats lost places by going the wrong way. So,

Special Section: The Atlantic Cup watching how crews deal with Block Island will be extremely interesting and The Expert is once again predicting that the decision will influence the results!

As in previous years, AtlanticCup.org will host a live tracking feed so you can follow the racers as they battle the northbound obstacles of Cape Hatteras, the Gulf Stream and the treacherous New York marine traffic. Follow news and updates online, and make a point to watch the action live in New York and Newport.

Meet the Teams #54 Dragon

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Skipper: Mike Hennessy, Mystic, CT Career Highlights: 2nd in 2011 Atlantic Cup 12th in 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race 2nd in 2012 Newport Bermuda Race Co-Skipper: Rob Windsor, Centerport, NY Career Highlights: 2nd in 2011 Atlantic Cup on Dragon 12th in 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race on Dragon 8th in 2013 Rolex Fastnet Race on 11th Hour Racing 23rd in 2013 Transat Jacques Vabre on 11th Hour Racing

finish. Following their second place finish in 2011, Mike and Rob finished a disappointing 6th overall in 2013. “Joe Harris has yet to quit and Ed Cesare has proven to have a very fast learning curve,” said Mike, but Dragon has gone through a comprehensive refit over the past six months and her modifications reflect the lessons of racing her for the past four years. She is better than ever!” With two seasoned Atlantic Cup sailors and a spruced-up boat, look for Dragon to make big moves in 2014.

#25 Flatline

Designer/Type: Owen Clarke Design/Generation 1.5 Builder: Composite Creations Port of Registry: Mystic, CT Alternative Fuel: Hydrogenerator Better than Ever Teammates in two of the past three Atlantic Cups, Mike Hennessy and Rob Windsor are joining forces again for 2014 in the hopes of another podium

Skipper: Kyle Hubley, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Special Section: The Atlantic Cup Career Highlights: 2010: 1st overall in St. Barth’s Bucket Regatta aboard Ranger Cruising at polar latitudes at both Greenland and Patagonia Co-Skipper: Frederic De Mesel, Belgium Career Highlights: 2013 - 3rd Mallorcan Snipe Championships 2012 - 1st Two-Star Plymouth-Newport Transat – Class40 2012 - 3rd San Remo Solo – Mini 6.50 2012 - 6th Gran Premio Italia Double Handed– Mini 6.50 Designer/Type: Julien Marin Builder: FR Nautisme Port of Registry: Newport, RI Alternative Fuel: Solar Wild Card Flatline brings a newcomer to the Class40 ranks. Kyle Hubley picked up the former Poemes Bleus after she suffered a crippling grounding en route to the start of the 2012 Quebec-St. Malo. Kyle has worked tirelessly to refurbish Flatline leading up to The Atlantic Cup, stripped the boat down to a bare hull and rebuilding it to be stronger and lighter. Kyle, with over 100,000+ miles of offshore sailing experience, and his co-skipper Frederic De Mesel, who has been racing since childhood on everything from Optimists to Lasers to Swans and Maxis, are anything but new to sailing but will be the wild card in this year’s Atlantic Cup as they race together for the first time on a newly refurbished boat.

3rd in 2012 Atlantic Cup 1st in 2012 Newport Bermuda Race 1st in 2007 Transat Jacques Vabre Co-Skipper: Patrick O’Connor, Buffalo, NY Career Highlights: Member of the winning team at the 2011 J/24 Nationals SUNY Maritime College Varsity Sailing Team Designer/Type: Marc Lombard/Akilaria RC2 Builder: MC Tec Port of Registry: Newport, RI Alternative Fuel: Hydrogenerator True Grit Take 2 Coming off a recently torn Achilles tendon, Joe Harris is teaming up with Patrick O’Connor in 2014. Pat is not new to The Atlantic Cup, having raced in two Inshore Series: with Gryphon Solo 2 in 2013 and Icarus in 2012. Asked about his comment last year that it takes “true grit” to separate yourself in a race like The Atlantic Cup, Joe commented, “I’m out to prove that’s true. It’s going to take more than a torn Achilles tendon to sideline me. No doubt, we’re a team to watch.”

#116 jeffreymacfarlane.com

#25 Gryphon Solo 2 © Billy Black

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Skipper: Joe Harris, South Hamilton, MA Career Highlights: 28 May 2014 WindCheck Magazine

Skipper: Jeffrey MacFarlane, Franklin Lakes, NJ Career Highlights: #1 Mini Class World Ranking in 2013 1st in 2013 Le Grande Huit, singlehanded 1st in 2013 Archipelago 6.50, singlehanded 1st in 2013 Solo Roma Solo Race, singlehanded Co-Skipper: Jarrett “Jake” Arcand,

Oahu, HI Career Highlights: 1st Around Oahu 3rd in class, Transpac

Designer/Type: Rodger Martin/ Prototype Builder: Alfresco Composites Port of Registry: Kings Point, NY Alternative Fuel: Hydrogenerator All-American If Class40 #116 looks familiar, that’s because it’s the former Icarus, sailed in the first three editions of The Atlantic Cup by Ben Poucher and Tim Fetsch.

Ben and Tim have moved on to other projects, but Ralf Steitz at the USMMA Sailing Foundation has kept the boat as a way for young, up-and-coming American offshore sailors to run a professional campaign and compete at the top level. Ralf identified former Mini sailor Jeff MacFarlane as the next offshore sailor to step into the only American-designed and built Class40.

Jeff is teaming up with Jake Arcand, a fellow graduate of the Oakcliff Sailing Center’s Sapling program.

Jeff is not new to The Atlantic Cup either, having raced in 2012 with Sébastien Rogues on GDF Suez and taking seventh place. Jeff spent all of 2013 living, training and racing in France in the Mini class. The Super Bowl of Mini racing is the Mini Transat, and heading into that race Jeff was ranked #1 in the world. Unfortunately, his boat dismasted and he was unable to complete the race. Now back in the states and stepping into Class40, Jeff is looking to continue his winning ways as he looks towards his future goal of winning the Vendée Globe.

#39 Pleiad Racing

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Special Section: The Atlantic Cup Skipper: Ed Cesare, Norwalk, CT Career Highlights: 1st - 2013 Ida Lewis Distance Race double-handed division on Pleiad Best overall elapsed time in the 2013 Vineyard Race on Pleiad 1st in Class - 2014 RORC Caribbean 600 as Navigator on Privateer 1st Overall - 2013 RORC Caribbean 600 on Privateer Co-Skipper: Chad Corning, Larchmont, NY Career Highlights: 2013 Viper 640 North American Champion with Team Argo 2012 Northern Ocean Racing Trophy Winner with Team Ptarmigan 2011 & 2012 Melges 32 National Champion with Team Argo Designer/Type: Lombard/Akilaria Builder: MC-Tec Port of Registry: Newport, RI Alternative Fuel: Solar Ready for More Ed Cesare and Chad Corning are back

for their second Atlantic Cup. Both Ed and Chad were brand new to Class 40 in 2013 when they entered The Atlantic Cup just before the start of the race.

With only big boat offshore experience, they quickly grasped how different and challenging double-handed racing is. Now with a full season of racing on Pleiad, Ed and Chad are out to top last year’s finish.

“We were playing with house money last year,” Ed noted. “It took a while to get the deal done for the boat, so Chad and I left Charleston with only four hours of sailing our boat. Now we have a season under our belts and there is more pressure to score well. But to quote Billy Jean King, ‘Pressure is a privilege.’”

Race Schedule

May 10, 12 pm: Leg 1 Start Charleston to New York, NY: 642 nautical miles May 13: Approximate Arrival in New York

May 17, 12 pm: Leg 2 Start New York City to Newport, RI: 231 nautical miles May 18: Arrival in Newport May 24, 12 pm: Leg 3, Day 1: Inshore Racing at Fort Adams May 25, 12 pm: Leg 3, Day 2: Inshore Racing at Fort Adams Teams will race with a maximum crew of six around the buoys in Narragansett Bay. The start/finish line for all races will be off the northern end of Fort Adams.

Points and Prize Money

Scoring for the 2014 Atlantic Cup will be based upon a “High Point” scoring system. Each boat’s overall score will equal the total points earned in both offshore legs plus points earned from the inshore races.

To determine the podium winners, the “High Point” scoring system combines all three legs of the race into the boat’s overall score. The points

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Special Section: The Atlantic Cup for individual race scores are based upon the number of entrants (unless disqualified or retiring after finishing).

The points for each leg are allotted as follows; 1st place will be awarded points equal to the number of entrants, 2nd place points equal the number of entrants minus 1, 3rd place points equal the number of entrants minus 2, 4th place points equal the number of entrants minus 3, and so on.

For the two offshore legs, points awarded will be weighted by a factor of 2. 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 fewer inshore races be completed, all races will count toward the boat’s overall score. If five inshore series are completed, a boat’s overall score will consist of its 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 have a chance to 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: First place will receive $2,000. Second: $1,500. Third: $1,000. Fourth: $500.

Event Schedule

May 5 - 9: Atlantic Cup teams based at City Marina, Charleston, SC May 8, 7 pm: Pabst Blue Ribbon Atlantic Cup Charleston Kick Off at Fuel, located at 211 Rutledge Avenue May 14 - 17: Atlantic Cup teams based at North Cove Marina, New York, NY May 15: WaterWeek NYC and Living on the Edge 2.0 May 16: New York Pro-Am Race May 19 - 25: Atlantic Cup Teams based at Newport Shipyard, Newport, RI May 22, 7 pm: newportFILM & The Atlantic Cup present a special outdoors event: Shipyard Shorts at Newport Shipyard May 23, 6 pm: Skipper party at Jamestown FiSH, Jamestown, RI May 24, 9 am: Atlantic Cup Course Wide Clean Up organized by Clean Ocean Access, Newport and Jamestown, RI 30 May 2014 WindCheck Magazine

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May 25, 6 pm: Prize Giving at The Landing, Newport

For the most up-to-date event schedule, please visit AtlanticCup.org/in-race-events.

Host Cities: Charleston, SC

The boats will be docked at City Marina from Monday, May 5 through Friday, May 9. Stop by, check out the fleet and meet the teams as they make their final preparations.

Fuel is hosting the Atlantic Cup Skipper Party on Thursday, May 8. Come down at any time after 7 pm, listen to live music, meet with the teams and celebrate the start of the 4th Atlantic Cup. Pabst Blue Ribbon is sponsoring the event, and cold ones will be served all night. You must be 21 or over to attend.

The race starts at 12 pm on Saturday, May 10 just off the Charleston Maritime Center. The best shoreside vantage point is the park next to the Maritime Center, at the corner of Inspection and Wharfside Streets.

New York, NY

Teams will arrive in New York between May 13 and 14. Boats will be docked at North Cove Marina on Manhattan’s Lower West Side in Battery Park City.

Look for the Atlantic Cup flags and stop by to say hello!

WaterWeek NYC

Water Week

WaterWeek NYC is a new event cocreated by Manuka Sports Event Management and E3Think. Designed to bring business leaders together to strategize on some of the biggest water challenges New York City is facing, Water Week NYC’s inaugural event takes place during The Atlantic Cup’s New York stopover. Hoboken, NJ Mayor Dawn Zimmer will give the keynote address. David Rockefeller, Jr. of the Rockefeller Foundation and Sailors for the Sea will provide closing remarks. For tickets and more information, please visit WaterWeekNYC.com.

Living on the Edge 2.0

On Thursday, May 15 the Atlantic

Cup and 11th Hour Racing present Living on the Edge 2.0 sponsored by Hornblower Cruises & Events, a celebration of the most sustainable sailing race in the United States. The evening cocktail party and program will call attention to the fine edge we walk as our climate changes, and how we can look towards new technology to help solve some of the most challenging issues facing us.

Chip Giller, Founder of Grist.org, an environmental news site with a twist, will moderate the event, with opening remarks by Wendy Schmidt of The Schmidt Family Foundation and 11th Hour Racing. Panelists include Richard Jenkins, Co-Founder and CEO of Saildrone; Ryan Williams, Director of Sustainability for Method; and Cameron Clark, VP and General Manager of Hornblower Cruises & Events.

Tickets are $50. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served on board the Hornblower Hybrid at Pier 25 in New York, NY. Tickets are available for purchase at WaterWeekNYC.com. For additional information, please call 401-619-4840.

Leg 2 starts Saturday, May 17 at 12 pm. Come down to Battery Park City to watch the restart. We’ll have live commentary and our race partners will be on hand with products, gear and more! The start line will be just off the southwest corner of North Cove Marina, and you’ll easily be able to view the fleet as they race south towards the turning mark before heading north to Newport.

Newport, RI

Teams arrive in Newport sometime late Sunday afternoon on May 18. The finish line for the Sprint Leg is just off Fort Adams.

For the very first time in the U.S., the top two offshore short-handed classes in the world will be together in Newport, Rhode Island. From May 19-24, the Class40 and IMOCA 60 fleets will be docked at the Newport Shipyard for what will be a great opportunity for any offshore sailing fan to get an up close look at these racing machines.

The IMOCA 60s are the big brothers of the Class40s racing in The Atlantic Cup. The 60s will be preparing for their prologue race to Newport in advance of the Ocean Masters NY-BCN race departing New York City on June 1. The Class40s, of course, will be at the Shipyard gearing up for the Inshore Series. Mark your calendars and make a point to visit Newport, as this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity for fans of offshore racing!

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Not many people know that my first “Life’s Goal” at age 14 or 15 was to be a cinematographer for National Geographic. I’d become a fan of the magazine after following Robin Lee Graham and Dove around the world in its pages. My father was an artist and photographer and I spent many hours with him developing 35mm black-and-white negatives under the bed covers in a darkened room in our Sydney apartment, and then printing the stills. My first job after high school was as a stagehand in a TV station. I even took a film course and could splice 16mm film.

My thinking about the National Geographic career was that it would let me ventilate my artistic talent (hey, I thought I had some), give me a technical skill, and allow me to travel. As things turned out, sailing has given me the opportunity to make two out of three.

But that creative streak still lurks within, and since the advent of computers, laptops, software, inexpensive digital video cameras, and now phones, everyone, even me, can be a George Lucas. All of the above is a preamble that relates to an idea that is aimed at getting more kids to at least know that sailing exists and maybe for those who do, a bit more interested in big boat sailing, and more specifically, The Atlantic Cup. (Didn’t think this column was going there, did you?)

Manuka Sports Event Management, the producers of The Atlantic Cup, have their offices in the Hood Sailmakers complex in Middletown, RI, just down the hall from me. Thus, I see them several times a day and we’re always checking on the progress of each other’s projects. Engaging kids in the longer-term life of sailing, as distinct from merely going sailing, is one of my longterm projects.

The more I think about it, the more I believe that learning to sail is actually the smallest and easiest part of “going sailing.”

The mechanics of sailing across the bay and back are pretty straightforward and well within the ability of any teenager. I have two sophomores on the team I coach who were, this time last spring, absolute novices. Never been in a sailboat before. This year they can steer and are getting pretty good at racing. They were fortunate in that they went to a school that has sailing. Many kids do not.

One of the discussions related to getting and keeping kids in sailing is the need for getting them to like being in, on, and around boats, and doing activities related to boats. The Water Rat was right after all. Many of my Prout team love sailing, but so far have not expressed interest in being the next Sir Ben Ainslie or Anna Tunnicliffe.

The Atlantic Cup is a unique event in the U.S., and many in the sailing community know there is a disturbance in the force related to getting new blood into sailing. Well, kids cannot get into sailing if they don’t know it exists. When I was doing my “Sailing As Integrated Learning (S.A.I.L.) for Kids” program 20 years ago, I would meet students who lived in upper Manhattan but didn’t know they lived on an island, so the likelihood of

Coop’s

Corner

The Atlantic Cup and the Ripple Effect Short Film Contest

getting them interested in sailing was pretty low, to say the least.

The Atlantic Cup has elements that kids can be attracted to.

It’s not run by a yacht club, there is prize money, a “Wow” factor, and it is an adventure. When you show kids the boats, as I have done for all previous editions of this race, they are quite taken with them. But what can be done to entice them to want to come down and see the boats in the first place? After a quick trip in the DeLorean back to the 14-year-old me, I fell upon the idea of a video contest that came to be called the Ripple Effect Short Film Contest. For more information, visit AtlanticCup.org and click on “Media.”

Living in Rhode Island and environmental issues concerning Rhode Island are the themes that must be presented in each fiveminute video entered in the contest. I figure there are kids with an interest in creating videos and who might not know about sailing, and that this contest might inspire some kids to make a short video and thus bring them down to Newport Shipyard on either the week before, or over Memorial Day weekend to see these boats.

The finalists will have the opportunity to be a Media Crew Member on each of the Class40s during the Inshore Series. In collaboration with newportFilm and Sailors for the Sea, the producers of the top three videos will have their work screened before a live audience at Newport Shipyard on Thursday, May 22 as part of the “Shipyard Shorts” event. Their videos will also appear online at AtlanticCup.org, SailorsfortheSea.org, and 11thHourRacing.org.

Sailing is an environmentally critical activity, and none of us likes to find “crud” in the water. I have a feeling that today’s teenagers are very tuned into such issues and that the opportunity to make a statement is something they can relate to. And some of them will experience the ride of their lives on a Class40! F Australian born, Joe ‘Coop’ Cooper stayed in the US after the 1980 America’s Cup where he was the boat captain and sailed as Grinder/ Sewer-man on Australia. His whole career has focused on sailing, especially the short-handed aspects of it. He lives in Middletown, RI where he coaches, consults and writes on his blog, joecoopersailing. com, when not paying attention to his wife, teenage son, dog, two cats and several, mainly small, boats.

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Special Section: The Atlantic Cup

Below are highlights of some of The Atlantic Cup events in Newport. Be sure to check the Events pages at AtlanticCup.org for all of the Newport happenings.

On Thursday, May 22, newportFILM in association with The Atlantic Cup will present a special newportFILM Outdoors event, “Shipyard Shorts: A Collection of Adventure & Eco Docs” at the Newport Shipyard. A cocktail reception, a meet & greet with Atlantic Cup skippers, and tours of the boats will start at 7 pm. Tickets for the reception and film screening are $20. The film will begin at sunset, approximately 8:15 pm.

There is a $5 suggested donation for the film screening only.

For more information please visit NewportFilm.com On Friday, May 23, New England winner of the 2014 Food & Wine People’s Best New Chef, Executive Chef Matthew MacCartney and Jamestown FiSH hosts The Atlantic Cup teams for a Memorial Day Weekend Kick Off Party! This is a perfect way to start your long weekend with an opportunity to meet the teams, have a drink and bite to eat, all on the beautiful back patio at Jamestown FiSH starting at 6 pm. Jamestown FiSH is located at 14 Narragansett Avenue in Jamestown. The rain location is Narragansett Café, at 25 Narragansett Avenue in Jamestown.

Inshore racing in Narragansett Bay takes place Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 from 12 pm to 4 pm. The start and finish line for all races will be just off the north lawn of Fort Adams, making that the best place to watch the action. Pack a picnic and enjoy a weekend of sailing. With live commentary and volunteers keeping you up to date, you won’t miss any of the action.

Additionally, Newport Bay Weekend at Fort Adams will have plenty for sailing fans and families to interact with local businesses and non-profit organizations showcasing Narragansett Bay. Some of the confirmed groups who will be on-site include Clean Ocean Access, Tiki Hut and Trash Wave, Bike Newport’s Bike Tune Up, the Surfrider Foundation, Aquidneck Land Trust, and Team One Newport, who will have sailing merchandise including official Atlantic Cup Atlantis Weathergear apparel.

Clean Ocean Access is hosting the first Narragansett Bay Shore Wide Cleanup on Saturday, May 24 from 9 am to 12 pm. The goal is to remove marine debris along the entire coastline of The Atlantic Cup racecourse from Beavertail Point to the Pell Bridge in Jamestown, and from Brenton Point to Fort Adams State Park in Newport. Following the cleanup, portions of the debris will be displayed at Fort Adams during the Inshore Series (May 24 & 25 from 11 am - 3 pm) allowing spectators and residents to see what is

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along our shores. We’re trying to mobilize 500 volunteers to participate in the cleanup! To get involved, please email info@cleanoceanaccess.org.

Prize Giving

The prize giving party is Sunday, May 25 from 6 pm - 8 pm at The Landing in downtown Newport. We will be set up outside, adjacent to The Landing and in front of the Lobster Bar. PBR drink specials will be served to celebrate the conclusion of the 4th Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing. The event is free and open to the public.

The First Carbon Neutral Sailing Race in the U.S.

The Atlantic Cup is committed to being the most environmentally responsible sailing race in the United States.

In the past two years, teams and race management have worked together to create a fully carbon neutral event. As the race grows, race management will continue to seek innovative ideas and products that align with its mission. We encourage you to visit AtlanticCup.org to learn more about the unique steps the race, its teams and Presenting Sponsor 11th Hour Racing are taking to make this a truly sustainable event.

The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing is a carbon neutral event. It seems natural that a sailing race would be carbon neutral, as sails are powered by wind and therefore you aren’t using any fossil fuel, so how could there be carbon impact? Not everyone realizes that to race offshore, teams need electronics and those electronics don’t mysteriously power themselves. The Class40, the boat used in The Atlantic Cup, is designed to race offshore and has numerous electronic systems on board: standard navigational displays, routing computers, moveable water ballast and an autopilot, to name a few. Additionally, race management’s operations require electricity and fossil fuel to bring The Atlantic Cup to you.

Based on calculations, in 2013 The Atlantic Cup emitted 30 metric tons of CO2 and 1 mega-watt hour of electricity.

In addition, for three years running The Atlantic Cup has achieved the highest Clean Regatta certification possible from Sailors for the Sea. In 2013 Sailors for the Sea announced a new Platinum Level Certification, which the Atlantic Cup was the first event to meet all of its requirements. Clean Regattas is a certification program that helps sailing events voluntarily achieve higher environmental standards. Event organizers work to fulfill comprehensive Best Practices, and Sailors for the Sea provides the support and final certification.

Working with Presenting Sponsor 11th Hour Racing, Carbon Offset Partner Nexus, Citizen Science Partner 5 Gyres and Race Partner Sailors for the Sea, Atlantic Cup Race Management is again undertaking a variety of steps to minimize its carbon footprint and ultimately achieve carbon neutrality while promoting environmental awareness to fans and teams alike.

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© Billy Black

The Atlantic Cup takes an overarching approach to creating a sustainable event so that all team- and land-based operations are looked at through the lens of ‘how can we minimize impact?’

Some of the areas Race Management tracks usage for during the race include electricity, hours of monitor use, hotel stays, attendee travel, printing of signage, food production, food waste and other waste, shipping, creation of event materials (programs, tickets etc.), office supplies, and water bottles. Now add in the sailboats and teams’ support and competitor fuel consumption, on-board energy production, competitor trash, water (not the water they sail on), cleaning products, and waste.

Below are some of the steps that Race Management takes to mitigate their fossil usage.

• Race Management tracks all carbon emissions from miles driven, hotel nights stayed, guest and competitor transportation, and hours of electricity used during the race.

• Recycling and compost stations are set up in all three host marinas and at all hospitality parties. Race Management tracks the distance waste travels to fully understand the complete effect of waste generation.

• All hospitality parties use glassware or biodegradable plastic to minimize waste entering landfills.

• Race Management provides filling stations in each city so that teams and guests can fill their canteens. No plastic water bottles are sold or available to guests or teams.

• 100% post-consumer recycled paper is used in the Manuka Sports Event Management offices and will also be used for all event packets, tickets and handouts.

• To compete in The Atlantic Cup, Class40 teams must agree to have an alternative fuel source, commit to not using single-use plastic water bottles, and utilize environmentally friendly boat cleaning products.

Below in greater detail are more specific examples of what the teams do to help The Atlantic Cup achieve carbon neutrality.

• Teams must use an alternative fuel source to charge batteries, which power all the on-board electronics while offshore. This may include fuel cells, solar panels and/or a hydrogenerator.

• While some fuel is needed to run the boat’s engine while getting to and from the docks, biodiesel is provided for the fleet to use as a blend in their engines. Newport Biodiesel supplies all of the boats with biodiesel to create a

B20 blend (that’s 80% petroleum-based diesel and 20% biodiesel).

• The Atlantic Cup is a plastic water bottle-free event, and as such all teams are required to use their water tanks and reusable canteens for water.

• All teams are required to recycle any waste from the offshore and inshore portion of the race. Race Management supplies each team with compostable trash bags. Most of the waste that the teams create that isn’t recyclable while offshore will break down over time in a landfill, so it’s important to give the teams a trash bag that will break down in the landfill.

•All teams use environmentally friendly cleaning products to wash down and clean their boat.

New for 2014: On-Board Media Crew Members will collect marine debris data for 5 Gyres.

5 Gyres is a non-profit organization with a mission to conduct research and communicate about the impact of plastic pollution in the world’s oceans, and employ strategies to eliminate the accumulation of plastic pollution in the subtropical ocean gyres. Plastic pollution is litter or trash that is found on beaches and throughout the oceans worldwide. It continues to be an important environmental concern locally, nationally and globally.

What kind of data will the sailors collect for 5 Gyres in The Atlantic Cup? Following 5 Gyres protocols, each sailboat in the race will conduct daily Marine Debris Visual Observation Surveys that will document all marine debris spotted from one side of the vessel over 60 minutes. The quantity and type of marine debris will be recorded. The most common items spotted on past 5 Gyres expeditions were pieces of polystyrene foam of various sizes. The data that Atlantic Cup sailors collect will be incorporated into 5 Gyres’ baseline data that will be used in oceanographic models that will help 5 Gyres predict where and how much plastic pollution is in our oceans.

How does trash get into the ocean? Most ocean-bound trash is entering our waterways through land-based activities, including litter WindCheck Magazine

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Special Section: The Atlantic Cup along shorelines and rivers, and poor trash management. Some trash enters the oceans through ocean dumping and the fishing industry.

Countries around the world are increasing their use of single-use plastic items, and these countries are often not equipped to recycle or dispose of these products. Together, these countries are contributing to the global issue of plastic pollution.

What can people do to help reduce trash from entering the ocean? One of the most immediate things you can do is participate in The Atlantic Cup Course Wide Clean Up in Newport and Jamestown, RI, hosted by Clean Ocean Access on Saturday, May 24. Longer term, try to reduce your single-use plastic footprint and support companies that have taken steps to use alternatives to plastic. 5 Gyres also has citizen science programs where volunteers can collect plastic pollution data. The 5 Gyres iGyre Program allows for individuals to borrow a scientific trawl to collect samples on their own voyages.

school students that can be downloaded on the Atlantic Cup Kids web page. Although Captain Dave won’t be racing in this year’s Atlantic Cup, he will be answering kids’ questions online and providing insight as he continues his solo circumnavigation. To learn more, visit AtlanticCup.org/kids.

Education Program

About the Class40

In 2012, The Atlantic Cup embarked on creating an education program for elementary school students to learn about the history of sailboat racing, the life cycle of plastic water bottles, and the basic science behind how boats float. The program worked with 200 children from Charleston to Newport, and each visit culminated with a meeting of the teams and a tour of a Class40. In an effort to grow and expand the program, The Atlantic Cup expanded its efforts in 2013 and reached over 500 students across all three cities.

In 2014, Race Management is endeavoring to reach more than 700 students in person, and countless more online with Atlantic Cup Kids. Atlantic Cup Kids is a way for children of all ages to follow the race, learn about the teams, geography and marine life.

Dave Rearick, co-skipper of 2013 Atlantic Cup Champion Bodacious Dream, and his expert team have created worksheets for elementary 36 May 2014 WindCheck Magazine

© Billy Black

The Class40 is a high performanceracing sailboat with a maximum length of 40 feet. Class40 has a strict boxrule, which means boats must not exceed maximum length, beam, height, draft and weight requirements. Competitors are free to manipulate their own boat designs, as long as they do not exceed the box-rule. The Class40 box-rule helps keep costs down, while allowing for design innovation and development.

Consequently, boats are very competitive and racing is extremely close over long distances.

Class40 was established in 2004 and has experienced the greatest growth of any of the short-handed classes in the last eight years. Many classic short-handed races, including the Transat Jacques Vabre, the Route du Rhum and the Tranat Québec St. Malo, all have dedicated Class40 divisions.

The Class40 was chosen for The Atlantic Cup because it is a fast, versatile, affordable platform. This 40-footer is designed to be sailed safely, by one or two crew, in extreme offshore conditions, which is necessary for the offshore portion of The Atlantic Cup. The Class40 will also guarantee very competitive, fast racing.

Why have offshore and inshore legs? The Atlantic Cup demands that competitors be skilled at both ocean racing and buoy racing. This will result in a competitive event and ensure the winners are complete sailors.

Additionally, the boats will have to be all-around performers meaning competitors will not be able to tailor their designs to specific racing criteria.

This will level the field between different designs even further, and result in very close competition.

Why have shorthanded offshore races? Double-handed sailboat racing is a very tough discipline that requires sailors to be in top physical and mental condition and to navigate through potentially difficult weather systems while sailing the boat to its maximum potential. With only two on board, they’ll have to balance how hard they can drive their bodies and their boat without damaging either. Crews will get very little sleep, as they will have to push at close to 100% for the entire leg. F Printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink.

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