CONTACTS: Jake Fish US SAILING Communications Manager jakefish@ussailing.org (401) 683-0800
PORTSMOUTH, R.I. (December 17, 2009) – US SAILING and the U.S. Singlehanded Championship Committee have taken a long hard look at this National Championship and are making changes to better suit the needs of singlehanded racers in the U.S.
There are several classes that make up the bulk of the singlehanded sailors (Finn, Lasers, Sunfish, Force 5, MC, to name a few), but the championship has been predominately sailed in boats that were best sailed by men despite a significant increase of women’s participation in the singlehanded classes over the past 10 years. With the popularity of the U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship and the addition of the Radial class to the Olympics, US SAILING recognized that there was an opportunity for a women’s singlehanded championship.
With this in mind, the U.S. Singlehanded committee has made significant improvements to both the event and the selection process to ensure the best singlehanded sailors in the U.S. are participating in the finals. This change signifies a natural progression for the growing segment of the sport and a welcome change to the event.
The selection procedure for invitations to the event has also been changed. In 2010, 24 invitational men’s and women’s berths will be awarded based on the selection criteria outlined by the committee. These invitations range from Area level qualifications to National level singlehanded events around the country from a variety of classes including the Laser, Radial, Sunfish and Finn. A complete list of the selection procedure for both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Singlehanded Championship can also be found at: http://championships.ussailing.org/Adult/USSinglehandedChampionship.htm.
In 2010, the Laser will be the boat for the Men’s Championship and the Women’s Championship will be sailed in the Radial Rig. Make your plans now to qualify for the 2010 U.S. Singlehanded Championships, hosted by the Pensacola Yacht Club (Fla.) on July 29 - August 1, and sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. and LaserPerformance. .
About US SAILING The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US SAILING is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US SAILING offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.