Eight slots remain for Rolex US-IRC Nationals

by Talbot Springs on 18 Jun 2008 You still have a chance to win the Rolex US-IRC National Championship. But if you don’t enter, you can’t for sure. According to US-IRC Executive Director Luiz Kahl, the regatta still has space for 8 in Division 1 IRC where the battle for the championship will ensue. The division is limited to 50 entries.

The early on-line entry deadline is no later than June 20, with late entries accepted through Friday, July 18, 2008. To access on-line registration, the NOR and more information, visit www.LTYC.org and follow the links to the Yachtscoring.com interface.

IRC rating applications for US boats can be obtained from US SAILING (irc@ussailing.org) and for boats from other nations at www.rorcrating.com)

Little Traverse Yacht Club's (LTYC) 48th Annual Regatta and One Design Series, fondly known as the 'Ugotta Regatta' that follows the Mackinac Races each year, will certainly attract extra attention this year when it doubles as the second Rolex US-IRC National Championship. Scheduled for Friday through Sunday, July 25-27, 2008, the event will take place on Little Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan, adjacent to Harbor Springs, Michigan where the LTYC is located.

This year's event will follow the two most famous long distance fresh water races in the Great Lakes starting with the Bayview Mackinac Race, which was instrumental in the introduction and growth of IRC in the Midwest, and the 100th running of the Chicago-Mac Race, which is a sound reason to follow that event with the Rolex US-IRC National Championship in the Midwest this year.

All competitors should enter early as many Mackinac race boats are expected to make the approximately 50 nm delivery to Harbor Springs for the event. (One-design classes with a minimum of 10 boats will be given separate starts.) There also will be a PHRF Division 2 (with the same boat minimum required for a separate one-design start) sailing for the 2008 LTYC PHRF Regatta title.

IRC Division 1 will sail all three days, while PHRF Division II will sail only Saturday and Sunday. Scheduled are three windward-leeward races on Friday; a traditional 'Tour of the Bay' race of 7-10 legs (weighted at 1.5 in scoring) on Saturday, followed by three windward-leeward races for all classes on Sunday. Three separate courses will be utilized for the windward-leeward races.

'Little Traverse Yacht Club, established in 1895, is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the Midwest and has a long history of commitment to innovation in sailing,' said Event Chair Kevin Farrell. 'We are thrilled to host the 2008 Rolex US-IRC National Championship in Harbor Springs as part of the 48th LTYC Regatta and One Design Series.'

The Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex hosted the inaugural Rolex US-IRC National Championship during its 22nd biennial running last June. Blue Yankee, Bob and Farley Towse's (Stamford, Conn.) Reichel/Pugh 66, won the event with a string of four victories in six races.

Interested in using IRC?

Owners and Organizing Authorities wishing to adopt IRC for their events should contact Luiz E. Kahl for help with the process (luiz@us-irc.org).

The US SAILING Offshore office administers the IRC rule in the U.S. yacht owners should contact Nathan Titcomb at irc(at)ussailing.org for help with certificate application or with rating questions.

For all US-IRC latest news, events and seminars check out the US-IRC web site at www.us-irc.org and go racing with us.

About US-IRC

The US-IRC Foundation, Inc. (www.us-irc.org) works in cooperation with US Sailing (www.ussailing.org) to support and develop the use of the IRC rule in the USA. US Sailing is the authorized body that issues IRC certificates under the auspices of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) (www.rorcrating.com).

The US-IRC's mission is to promote and enhance inshore and offshore yacht racing throughout the country by expansion of the use of the rule. An IRC certificate is, in effect, an international passport for a yacht, enabling it to travel across national and international borders using the same certificate wherever it goes. The supporting partners for the US-IRC rule are Rolex Watch U.S.A., Inc., New York Yacht Club, Storm Trysail Club and St. Francis Yacht Club.