West Marine returns as US Open Series title sponsor

West Marine returns as US Open Series title sponsor © US Sailing

US Sailing is excited to announce West Marine will return as title sponsor for the 2022 US Open Sailing Series.

The West Marine US Open Sailing Series debuted in 2021 to fill demand for a high-level domestic training platform geared towards prospective Olympic hopefuls. The series brings six regattas to popular sailing venues across Florida and California and includes development and Olympic class boats.

"US Sailing is stoked such an iconic leader in the industry will return again in 2022 ahead of the second year of this groundbreaking event series. West Marine's support behind the event, the sailors, athletes, and volunteers is as legendary as their support for everyone in the Marine industry." says Jon Persch, US Sailing CMO.

For more than 50 years, West Marine has been the premier retailer of sailing, boating, fishing, and paddling gear. The company is committed to providing the local sailing community and all boaters with the highest quality products and expert service, all while inspiring a new generation. West Marine has a long-standing history of supporting the sport of sailing with a focus on youth and young sailors who aspire to reach new heights.

"We are passionate boaters with a mission to outfit, educate and inspire. Supporting the US Open Sailing Series allows us to do just that while bringing increased awareness and interest for elite sailing to the U.S.," said Eric Kufel, CEO of West Marine. "Through our best-in-class products and custom rigging shops, West Marine is committed to serving the sailing community. We hope the continuation of this series inspires a new generation of sailors to join us in our water adventures."

The West Marine Open Sailing Series provides a pathway for athletes looking towards an Olympic campaign. The series is an important part of the training plans for young sailors participating as part of the Olympic Development Program (ODP), a US Sailing initiative supported by the AmericaOne Foundation that provides world-class coaching support to promising American youth sailors competing in high-performance classes.

"The long-term goal is to provide a domestic training platform for US based sailors and to attract the best sailors in the world to these outstanding venues as they all prepare for and look ahead to Paris 2024 and LA 2028," said Olympic Development Director, Leandro Spina.

2022 West Marine US Open Sailing Series:

January 15-17: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Lauderdale Yacht Club

January 21-23: Miami, Florida
US Sailing Center Miami, Coconut Grove Sailing Club

February 03-06: Clearwater, Florida
Sail Life, LLC, City of Clearwater

June 17-19: San Diego, California
San Diego Yacht Club, Southwestern Yacht Club

July 15-17: Long Beach, California
Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, Long Beach Yacht Club, US Sailing Center Long Beach

August 12-14: San Francisco, California
St. Francis Yacht Club, Treasure Island Sailing Center, San Francisco Yacht Club, Richmond Yacht Club

Registration is open for the Florida events and will open soon for the California events. Register here.