Etchells North American Championship at American Yacht Club - Preview
by Jan Hodnett 9 Sep 2015 21:19 BST
10-12 September 2015
The Etchells Long Island Sound Championship wrapped up on Labor Day at Larchmont Yacht Club. Now, The Etchells North American Championship will take place in the same waters starting on Thursday, September 10th and wrapping up on Saturday September 12th. A practice race will be held Wednesday, September 9th.
The top three finishers in the Long Island Sound Championship (Steve Benjamin, Seawanhaka Corinthian YC; Jim Cunningham, San Francisco/ New York YC; and Peter Duncan, American YC) will be competing in the North Americans. A total of 37 boats from the United States and Canada have registered so far.
Fifty years ago, the IYRU announced a competition for the design of a three-man boat to replace the Dragon as the Olympic keelboat. Skip Etchells, who was a member of American Yacht Club at the time, took up the contest, which led to the design of the Etchells and eventual formation of the Class in Western Long Island Sound.
Peter Duncan, Commodore of American Yacht Club, and its' members and staff are pleased to host this important regatta in the waters where Etchells Fleet 1 became a reality.
American Yacht Club and the Etchells Fleet also wish to thank the sponsors of the Long Island and North American Championships; Vineyard Vines, Heineken, Sound Rigging, and North Sails.