Rolex, New York Yacht Club team up for fifth Invitational Cup

by Sean McNeill on 12 Sep 2017 The keynote event of the 2017 Rolex Yachting USA calendar, the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, is set to take place Sept. 9-16. Hosted by the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court, the fifth biennial regatta has attracted 14 teams from eight countries.

The Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup was launched in 2009 with the goal of encouraging interclub competition amongst the world’s top yacht clubs and showcasing the talents of the finest amateur sailors. All the racers must be classified as Group 1 (amateur) sailors by World Sailing, the international governing body of sailing, and they also must be members of the club they’re representing. This feature prohibits professionals, or “ringers” from joining a crew at the last minute and powering it to victory.

The history of the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup is one of great success and attributed to the lengthy partnership between Rolex Watch USA and the New York Yacht Club. Rolex timepieces don’t just tell time, they also tell history and the New York Yacht Club, founded in 1844, is rich in history. The partnership dates to 1958 and is one of Rolex’s longest standing partnerships.

Rolex first became involved in the sport of sailing in 1950, recognizing that sailing shares qualities that are akin to its core values: excellence, precision and team spirit. Rolex’s support of the Invitational Cup helps keep alive the tenets of Corinthian sailing, namely sportsmanship, and gives amateur sailors around the world the chance to compete on an international level that they may not otherwise realize. At the conclusion of the 2017 regatta, more than 950 amateur sailors from 43 clubs from 21 countries will have raced in the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.

“We believe Corinthian events such as the Invitational Cup are essential to the future of our sport, and we are extremely pleased that Rolex shares our vision and our passion for this regatta,” said NYYC Commodore Philip A. Lotz, who skippered the winning entry in the inaugural Rolex NYYC Invitational Cup in 2009. “As a former competitor, I know first-hand what a thrill it is for an amateur sailor to compete on such a grand stage. Winning a Rolex is one of the highest honors for an amateur sailor. There’s just nothing like it.”

The winner of the regatta will be presented the Invitational Cup and a Rolex Submariner Stainless Steel Date timepiece. Racing will be broadcast live on the Web at the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup Facebook page.