New Sperry Top-Sider Trophy to be added to 2012 Lake Ontario 300

by Lake Ontario 300 Media on 11 Feb 2012 The Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Group, organizer of the Lake Ontario 300 Challenge, is proud to announce the introduction a new Lake Ontario 300 Challenge major trophy to be awarded to the overall IRC Class Champion.

Since its introduction in 2008, the IRC Class has grown from six entries in the original year to two separate divisions to accommodate 14 yachts in 2011. It has been exciting to watch the tight level of competition within the IRC class; with over 100 IRC certificate holders on Lake Ontario, competitive yachts owners have clearly expressed their desire to race in this growing class. In anticipation of additional IRC divisions in upcoming years, the Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Committee, which is also responsible for the traditional Susan Hood Trophy Race and the popular Lake Ontario Short Handed Racing Series, has taken steps to properly recognize an overall IRC Champion.

In 2008, Sperry Top-Sider donated the Sperry Cup to be awarded to the overall winner of the Lake Ontario 300 Champion. At the time, a handful of yachts in the IRC Class were rescored under the PRHF rating in order to determine the best corrected-time overall. Following the Lake Ontario 300 Challenge organizer’s commitment to IRC, Sperry Top-Sider has offered a sister trophy to the Sperry Cup, the Gold Trophy, that will properly recognize an overall IRC Champion for the race.

Still in the design process, the Gold Trophy will sport a similar prestigious look as the coveted Sperry Cup, which will remain the top award for the PHRF Class. Sperry Top-Sider remains strongly committed to performance racing and has been a major sponsor of the Lake Ontario 300 Challenge for over eight years, recognizing it as the ultimate challenge in offshore racing on the Great Lakes.

Darren Gornall, Chairman of the Lake Ontario Offshore Racing Committee and past Sperry Cup winner states: ' The Lake Ontario 300 Challenge boasts an excellent record of continually improving the quality of the race experience; we now seek to increase the competitiveness at the top level. We feel this new trophy will be a reason for IRC yacht owners to put the Lake Ontario 300 Challenge on their race 2012 calendar. We also believe it will help convince current top-level PRHF yachts to consider a switch to IRC for this race'.

The race organizers are also extending an invitation to help Lake Ontario 300 Challenge participants with logistics around popular IRC events such as the LORC PCYC Open and Youngstown levels by keeping their yacht at the Port Credit Yacht Club.

About the Lake Ontario 300 Challenge, started 22 years ago as a double-handed event, the 300-mile circumnavigation of Lake Ontario has grown to become one of the premier offshore races on the Great Lakes. With 170 yachts participating in the past three years, the 'Greatest Yacht Race on the Lakes' now offers a shorter 200-mile course for slower yachts. Whether single-handed, double-handed or fully crewed, the popular event hosted by the Port Credit Yacht Club is always full of challenges.

About Sperry Top-Sider, an American Original since 1935 when Paul Sperry invented the first boat shoe for sailors, Sperry Top-Sider remain water enthusiasts creating high performance footwear for people that are passionate about the thrill of pursuits on the water.

For more information contact:
Darren Gornall
416-804-7974
dgornall@gmail.com

Guy Perrin
416- 729-4897
grperrin@me.com