J/22 North American Championship to be hosted by Buffalo Yacht Club

by Marty Biniasz on 17 Aug 2010 From Wednesday, August 18th to Saturday, August 21st, more than 60 sailboats from across the United States and Canada will compete on the waters of Lake Erie in the Mercedes-Benz of Buffalo 2010 J/22 North American Championship, hosted by the Buffalo Yacht Club (BYC) in Buffalo.

The International J/22 is a popular fixed keel one design racing sailboat that is normally raced with a crew of three or four people.

The event, which is attracting J/22 racing boats from as far away as Texas, Louisiana, Michigan and Quebec, is part of the Buffalo Yacht Club’s sesquicentennial anniversary celebration.

Founded in 1860 with about a dozen members, the club currently ranks more than 600. Membership over the years has included many illustrious Buffalonians including President Grover Cleveland. The Buffalo Yacht Club is one of the oldest Yacht Clubs in the United States and one of the only Yacht Clubs in the world to have stations in two counties. Since 1902, the Club has called Point Abino, Canada home. The Buffalo Yacht Club’s primary station has been located at the 'foot of Porter Avenue' since its founding in the mid-1800s.

Members, guests and the media are invited to the BYC to see the boats and view the competition. Much of the racing will be visible from the Buffalo waterfront and surrounding high-rise buildings.

The schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, Aug. 18 : 1 p.m. – practice race
Thursday, Aug. 19: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – racing
Friday, Aug. 20: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – racing
Saturday, Aug. 21 :10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. – racing

For more information, visit www.j22na.com