MIAMI, FLA. USA-(14-2-2005) The line up is impressive. Excitement is
building. Great racing is assured. Big boats and sporty one designs -
Floridians, Canadians, and Californians - Swan 45s, Transpac 52s and
Etchells. They'll all be in South Beach next month when Acura Miami Race
Week 2005 kicks off.
Entries have already topped 130 - more than doubling last year's 59-boat
SORC fleet. Following a short hiatus, the returning Mumm 30, Melges 24 and
Etchells classes will deliver top-tier one design racing to Miami.
There will be no shortage of world-class talent in South Beach with names
such as Butterworth, Melges, Fogh, Larson, Cutler, Dodson, Stead, Bertrand,
Haines, and many more spread throughout the Ocean and Biscayne Bay fleets.
January's Key West competition was fierce and Miami is going to see some
great rematches. Key West 2004 Boat of the Week winner Peter DeRidder (Mean
Machine - Monaco), multiple class winner George Andreadis (Atalanti -
Greece) and Wolfgang Schaefer (Struntje Light - Germany) were all at the
top of the Key West 2005 Farr 40 fleet. They'll be gunning for gold off
South Beach and the new Florida Grand Prix Award presented to the combined
winner of Premiere Racing's Key West and Miami regattas. The Melges 24,
Transpac 52, J/105 and Mumm 30 classes will also crown combined regatta
champions.
Transpac 52s are all the buzz lately and when Michael Brennan heard
Premiere Racing was taking over management of the annual winter regatta
held off Miami, he didn't hesitate to register his TP52 Sjambok. `That was
a very important aspect of my decision-making because I know Premiere
organizes great regattas,` said Brennan, an Annapolis resident. `I think
Premiere brings immediate credibility to the event. Sailors want good
racing, and Peter Craig and his people provide it.`
Craig Speck's Swan 45 (VIM - Newport, RI) will challenge William Douglass
(Goombay Smash - also Newport, RI) and Massimo Ferragamo (Bellicosa - New
York, NY). They finished 2,3 and 4 at Key West in their 2004 debut. `Miami
has the potential to become a big-time event just like Key West`, said
Speck.
J/105s set a Key West record with 40 boats on the line - and in Miami next
month their numbers will be impressive with as many as 20 of these popular
boats doubling their 2004 turnout. Look for Key West 2005 champion Tom
Coates (Masquerade - San Francisco, CA) and Key West 2004 champions Richard
Bergmann and Shawn Bennett (Zuni Bear - San Diego, CA) to continue their
good-natured rivalry. Include boats from Canada, Bermuda and at least 10
different US states and you've got an exciting J/Boat competition brewing.
Racing on the Ocean venue will feature 4 one design classes (Transpac 52,
Farr 40, J/105 and Mumm 30), and as many as 4 PHRF handicap classes on two
separate divisions run by Principal Race Officers Ken Legler and Tom
Duggan.
Handicap racing on the ocean courses is for boats with handicaps of 100 or
less. The big boat in the fleet is Dan Meyers' CM60 Numbers with Alinghi's
Brad Butterworth showing the way. Key West 2005's PHRF Boat of the Week
returns with a new owner and new name (Melges 32 Dawn Raid - Oscar
Strugstad). The Key West J/120 class winner George Petrides (Avra) will
mix it up with Othmar von Blumencorn's Beneteau 40.7 Dame Blanche (2nd in
PHRF 4).
Back by popular demand is racing on Biscayne Bay with 4 classes - Melges
24, Etchells, J/24 and a small-boat PHRF class (100-140 handicappers). Over
25 Melges 24 teams from the UK, Germany and all points of the US compass
will race under the watchful eye of PRO Dave Brennan and his crackerjack
Miami-based team. Nearly 30 Etchells will pick up where they left off
during the recently completed Jaguar series. Local racers and world
travelers will have the Etchells and other Biscayne Bay classes hopping.
Racing for this 60+ boat fleet starts on Friday, March 11.
Race dates for Acura Miami Race Week 2005 are March 10-13. Acura is the
Title Sponsor. This is the fifth consecutive year that Acura, the luxury
division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has been the title sponsor for
the Miami Beach based regatta.
The event, founded over 60 years ago, was previously known as the SORC. The
founding yacht clubs discontinued their management of the event and reached
an agreement with Key West event organizer Premiere Racing to produce a new
event that will continue the tradition of great racing in this popular
South Florida venue. Premiere Racing is committed to producing an event
that will restore the luster and loyalty that was the hallmark of this
storied regatta.
Peter Craig's organization is best known for its management of the highly
regarded Key West Race Week, now in its 18th year. `Boat owners, sponsors,
and the sailing industry have come to expect top quality at our events,`
said Craig. `We intend to apply all that we have learned and experienced to
make Acura Miami Race Week an equally outstanding event.`
The Miami Beach Marina is the Official Site, hosting the two ocean courses,
while the new Shake-A-Leg sailing facility in Coconut Grove will be the
host site for racing on the bay. The Avalon and South Seas Hotels are the
Official Hotels. Supporting sponsor Mount Gay Rum is the Official Rum.
The entry list, entry information, marina and other important logistical
information are available on the event web site: www.Premiere-Racing.com or
www.AcuraMiamiRaceWeek.com.
For more information on Premiere Racing and Acura Miami Race Week 2005:
Premiere Racing, Inc. 67B Front Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945
Tel: (781) 639-9545 Fax: (781) 639-9171
Emailto:MiamiInfo@Premiere-Racing.com
Web Site: http://www.premiere-racing.com or
http://www.acuramiamiraceweek.com
Twenty Nine Industry Partners also bring critical support to Premiere
Racing events. For more information on these important players, please
visit the web site.
With the support of the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, the
Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs
Council, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
About Acura
Acura offers a full line of luxury performance vehicles through a
nationwide network of more than 260 dealers. The Acura lineup features six
distinctive models including the exotic NSX supercar, the RL luxury sedan,
the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan, the race-bred RSX
sports coupe and the award-winning MDX luxury sport utility vehicle. For
more information about Acura vehicles, please visit www.acura.com. For
media inquiries, please go to www.acuranews.com.
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