US Sailing's adult competitions build on Rolex Sponsorship momentum

by Barby MacGowan on 5 Apr 2001 PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (April 4, 2001) ? Rolex Watch U.S.A., which has been supporting sailing excellence for over four decades, has returned for
its fifth year to sponsor US SAILING's 11 adult sailing competitions.

The 2001 events, which begin in April and continue through November, will be hosted by ten different yacht clubs throughout the country, utilizing direct subsidies from the Rolex sponsorship to improve the quality of racing. Offered in conjunction with ten of the regattas is a
pre-event Rolex clinic where competitors will have the opportunity to improve their racing experience through practical skill development and
individual coaching. Rolex's US SAILING support also makes possible an informative US SAILING championship poster that includes junior regatta
dates and hangs in 1800 member yacht clubs and sailing organizations across the country.

'Rolexs tradition of supporting excellence in sailboat competition is unparalleled,' said US SAILING's Championship Committee Chair Brad
Dellenbaugh (Annapolis, Md.). 'The adult championships provide challenging competition in identically matched boats where winning is a
matter of teamwork and strategy.'

New to the 2001 calendar is the U.S. Women's Match Racing Championship, which evolved from the long-running U.S. Women's Open Championship. 'We have a deep and talented pool of match racers in the U.S. and until now there hasn't been a national championship,' said Event Chair Karen Reisch (Mandeville, La.). Reformatting the regatta into a match racing event gives American sailors an opportunity to race against each other on a national level for the first time.'

Clinics Are a Hit Under Dellenbaugh's leadership last year, the Rolex clinic program began taking on a momentum of its own and has contributed to growth in participation at the US SAILING adult regattas. At the first 2001 event the U.S. Multihull Championship 20 teams will be provided with a one-day clinic featuring practice races in the Inter 20, a workshop with Inter 20 national champions Nigel Pitt and Alex Shafer (Hartwell,
Ga./Eustis, Fla.) and an evening rules seminar, incorporating changes in the new racing rules.

'Undoubtedly, the clinics are a popular and well attended feature of the championships,' said Dellenbaugh. 'Each clinic is tailored to the
audience's requirements. For example, at the match racing events the instructor might concentrate on match racing tactics and umpire calls.

At regattas where perhaps some of the participants aren't familiar with the boat being used, specific coaching on the equipment is featured.'

For the Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship, which appears on US SAILING's regatta calendar biennially, Rolex is also the
title sponsor. Before this September's regatta, up to 15 'Road to the Rolex' clinics will have been held in different locations around the world, aiming to bring personalized coaching to women planning on participating. With the regatta's switch this year from the International J/24 to the J/22, many of the Road to the Rolex clinics
will focus on boathandling issues.

For more information about any of the 11 US SAILING adult events, visit www.ussailing.org/championships; call the toll-free InfoFax at (888) USSAIL6; or contact Linda Christofersen at US SAILING, P.O. Box 1260,
Portsmouth, RI 02871-6015, 401-683-0800, Christofersen@ussailing.org.

US SAILING is the national governing body for the sport of sailing. The mission of this volunteer organization is to encourage participation and
promote excellence in sailing and racing in the United States. More information about US SAILING, which is headquartered in Portsmouth, RI, is available at www.ussailing.org.

2001 US SAILING Adult Championships

Sponsored by Rolex

U.S. MULTIHULL CHAMPIONSHIP: (ALTER CUP) Pensacola Yacht Club, Fla.
(Inter 20) April-22-26 Rolex Clinic
U.S. SINGLEHANDED CHAMPIONSHIP: (O'DAY TROPHY) St. Francis Yacht Club,
San Francisco, Calif. (Laser) August 2-5 Rolex Clinic
U.S. TEAM RACE CHAMPIONSHIP: (HINMAN TROPHY) New York Yacht Club,
Newport, R.I. (Vanguard 15) August 3-5 Rolex Clinic
U.S. INDEPENDENCE CUP/NORTH AMERICAN CHALLENGE: (HOVEY and EAGLE
TROPHIES) Chicago Yacht Club, Ill. (Martin 16) August 3-6 Rolex Clinic
U.S. WOMEN'S SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP: (ADAMS TROPHY) Rush Creek Yacht Club, Heath, Texas (J/22) September 11-15 Rolex Clinic
U.S. MEN'S SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP: (MALLORY TROPHY) Rush Creek Yacht Club,
Heath, Texas (J/22) September 11-15 Rolex Clinic
U.S. MATCH RACING CHAMPIONSHIP: (PRINCE OF WALES BOWL) Fort Worth Boat Club, Texas (J/22) October 2-6 Rolex Clinic
U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP OF CHAMPIONS: (JACK BROWN TROPHY) Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club, San Pedro, Calif. (Cal 20) October 10-14 Rolex Clinic U.S. OFFSHORE CHAMPIONSHIP: (LLOYD PHOENIX TROPHY) U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. (Navy 44) October 25-28
U.S. WOMEN's MATCH RACING CHAMPIONSHIP: Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans, La. (J/22) November 14-18 Rolex Clinic
ROLEX INTERNATIONAL WOMEN?S KEELBOAT CHAMPIONSHIP:
TROPHY) Annapolis Yacht Club, Md. (J/22), Sept. 22-28 Rolex Clinic

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