100 days to the Atlantic Cup start

100 days to the Atlantic Cup start © Atlantic Cup

The 2018 Atlantic Cup will start its sixth edition 100 days from today on May 26th from Charleston, South Carolina. Race organizers announced two additional teams bringing the international field of Class 40s from the USA, France, and South Africa to eight.

A further four teams will be announced in the next two months. In addition, Sea Bags Maine returns as the Official Sustainability Partner and North Sails returns as the Official Sailmaker. Sea Bags and North Sails join Bainbridge International, Hyatt Place, United MileagePlus and Code-Zero as official partners.

Several accomplished skippers recently joined the field including 2013 OSTAR winner, Jonathan Green (Privateer – USA). UK sailor Paul Peggs, who placed 2nd in the 2011-12 Global Ocean Race, will join South African Donald Alexander on South African entry Power of One. Returning for his fourth Atlantic Cup, veteran offshore sailor and first to finish in the 2015 single-handed leg of the Bermuda 1-2, Newport, R.I. native, Tristan Mouligné will join Mike Dreese for a second time on Toothface II.

The Class40 teams will set sail from Charleston, S.C., on Saturday, May 26 at 12 p.m. ET en route to Brooklyn, N.Y., for the second leg of the competition and a Pro-Am event, May 29-June 1, before departing on June 2 at 12 p.m. ET, on the final leg of competition. The biennial event culminates in Portland, Maine, with two days of inshore racing June 9 and 10.

The North Sails partnership will include the popular feature 'Ask the Expert' which will be backed by North Sails Experts. This year fans of the Atlantic Cup will be able to ask questions of Volvo Ocean Race Skipper Charlie Enright, Pro Sailor Kimo Worthington, America's Cup Skipper and North Sails president Ken Read and North Sails sail designer Steve Calder. In addition to the experts answering Atlantic Cup questions, they'll be previewing, recapping and providing insight into tactics and strategy.

North Sails President and EVP of North Technology Group, Ken Read "North Sails involvement with events like the Atlantic Cup typically happens for two reasons. First, we are aligned with what the race stands for; innovation, toughness, adventure, achievement and sustainability. Secondly, most of us within the company would rather be out sailing on one of these very cool boats. If only these 40 footers were around when my generation was learning how to sail offshore. What a rush!"

Atlantic Cup Race Director Hugh Piggin said, "Following today's announcement, we now have made public 8 of our 12 current entries. So many things excite us about this upcoming edition of the Atlantic Cup. First, the caliber of entries, which will make for a very tough and hard fought race, second the amount of international boats coming to compete this year, and thirdly that the race is achieving its goal of cementing the Class40 as America's short-handed offshore sailboat. To be able to do this while championing sustainability and providing our followers with an exciting sporting event is the icing on the cake."