WATERFORD® CRYSTAL COMMISSIONED TO CREATE TROPHY FOR CRYSTAL CUP SAILING REGATTA AT ATLANTIS, PARADISE ISLAND

by Keith Taylor on 5 Dec 2000 PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas -- (December 4, 2000) – It’s crystal clear that
the trophy created by Waterford® for the Crystal Cup at Atlantis sailing
regatta is in a class of its own. Standing more than three feet high and
weighing 30 pounds, the trophy, which will be presented at the Atlantis,
Paradise Island resort on Dec. 10, is one of the largest sporting awards
ever created.

To produce the Crystal Cup, Sun International commissioned the work from
Waterford®, one of the world’s most respected crystal manufacturers.
Throughout the years, the renowned company has created spectacular trophies
to honor winners of some of the world’s most esteemed sporting competitions
including the Super Bowl, The Tennis Masters Cup and the Players
Championship in Golf.

“As we developed plans for the Crystal Cup sailing regatta, we felt it was
natural to partner with Waterford®,” said Stuart Rogers Brown, vice
president strategic alliances for Sun International. “We wanted a trophy
that would be like no other and we knew they had the talent and experience
to deliver this.”

More than 250 hours of work went into the making of the trophy. A team of
four glass blowers heated nearly 50 pounds of crystal to temperatures of
more than 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit to form the body of the cup. Three cups
were created before the perfect one was produced and passed to the cutting
department.

With more than 60 years of combined experience, Waterford® Master Cutters
Eamonn Walsh and Sean Burke, then set out to fashion the intricate design.
The cup features traditional diamond, wedge and flat cutting.

'Throughout the years Waterford® has created trophies for many of the world’
s top events,” said Mel Morgan, commercial manager, World Sports at
Waterford Crystal. “But the Crystal Cup represents one of the largest and
most spectacular.”

In addition to the production of the Crystal Cup, Waterford® also produced
scaled down versions of the trophy – one for each crewmember of the winning
team of the regatta to keep. The official Cup will be housed at Atlantis,
Paradise Island.

“At Atlantis, everything we do is top-of-the-line and this extraordinary
trophy is going to be a magnificent addition to the resort,” said Rogers
Brown.

The Crystal Cup at Atlantis is a landmark sailing event, hosted by Atlantis,
Paradise Island, featuring four days of riveting competition from Dec. 7 to
10.

Competing boats will berth in the protected, world-class Marina at Atlantis,
offering direct access to Nassau Harbour. The Marina, the centerpiece of
Atlantis, features 63 megayacht slips. A 100-foot-wide channel, located to
the west of the northbound Nassau / Paradise Island Bridge allows for
unrestricted mast height. Controlling depth in the channel and the Marina
is a minimum of 12 feet at low tide. Within the harbour, the largest of the
63 slips are 160-foot finger piers with a 37-foot beam, plus several
lay-along-side berths with no beam restrictions.

Atlantis, Paradise Island accommodations include the incomparable,
1,201-room luxury Royal Towers, and the Coral and Beach Towers; 38
restaurants, bars and lounges; an innovatively designed casino; an
impressive collection of luxury boutiques and shops; a full-service spa and
extensive meeting and convention facilities. The marine habitat, the world’
s largest – second only to mother nature, is home to more than 50,000 marine
animals and The Dig, an elaborate underground maze of passageways and rooms
representing what life may have been like for Atlanteans more than 11,000
years ago Guests also enjoy 11 swimming areas, including amazing water
slides in a life-sized Mayan Temple and other gentler water rides, cascading
waterfalls, a snorkeling lagoon and a seemingly endless stretch of beach
that has been called the most beautiful in the world.

The Atlantis Sports Center features tennis, basketball, and volleyball
courts, a four-lane lap pool and an 18-hole putting course. For young
guests, the Discovery Channel Camp at Atlantis is a revolutionary concept in
educational, entertaining children’s vacations in partnership with The
Discovery Channel.

The Crystal Cup at Atlantis is managed by Octagon Marketing, Stamfort, CT,
organizers of The Swedish Match Grand Prix world match racing circuit, the
Colorcraft Gold Cup in Bermuda and the Acura SORC in Miami, FL. For more
information, call toll free, (877) 520-2508.