Historic Trophy for NYYC Invitational Cup U.S. Qualifying Series

The Resolute Cup © NYYC

The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) announced today the dedication of the Resolute Cup to be awarded to the winner of the NYYC Invitational Cup U.S. Qualifying Series (USQS). This September 4-8, 24 yacht clubs from across America will compete for three invitations to the 2013 NYYC Invitational Cup.

The USQS was first held in 2010 in response to strong interest by U.S. yacht clubs to participate in the NYYC Invitational Cup. The success of the 2010 event, marked by the high level of competitive racing and camaraderie ashore by Corinthian sailors representing their yacht clubs, has resulted in the event taking on its own stature in the sailing community.

"The significance of this event coupled with the qualifying opportunity for an invitation to compete in the Invitational Cup, warrants the dedication of this trophy," said Thomas J. Harrington, Vice Commodore of the NYYC.

The Resolute Cup is one of two trophies originally awarded to Resolute for winning the Long Island Series in 1915 beating Vanitie. With the rededication, the Cup -- photo above -- will now be known as the Resolute Cup for the New York Yacht Club U.S. Qualifying Series. In the same year (1915), Resolute also was awarded a trophy for her performance during the New York Yacht Club Cruise. These two trophies were linked by the sailing prowess of Resolute, and they remain linked today as the second trophy has been rededicated as the Resolute Trophy for the New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, to be awarded at the discretion of the Flag Officers and Organizing Authority. It is a testament to the heritage of the Club that these trophies remain related through their rededication to two events that are integral to one another, the USQS and Invitational Cup.

Competing in the USQS are American in Rye, N.Y.; Bay Head in New Jersey; California in Marina Del Ray, Calif.; Carolina in Charleston, S.C.; Eastern in Marblehead, Mass.; Edgartown in Mass.; Fishing Bay in Deltaville, Va.; Florida in Jacksonville, Fla.; Forth Worth Boat Club in Texas; Grand Maumelle Sailing Club in Roland, Ark.; Grand Traverse in Michigan; Indian Harbor in Greenwich, Conn.; Larchmont in New York; Little Traverse in Harbor Springs, Mich.; Nantucket in Massachusetts.; Newport Harbor in Newport Beach, Calif.; Pequot in Southport, Conn.; San Francisco; Seattle; Southern in New Orleans; St. Francis in San Francisco; Storm Trysail Club; Texas Corinthian in Kemah, TX and Youngstown, in N.Y.

The USQS will continue the successful format from 2010 in which teams compete in two fleets of one-design keelboats: the new J/70 and the ubiquitous Sonar. By utilizing the J/70, a modern high-performance planing keelboat 22.7' in length with an asymmetrical spinnaker, along with the 23' Sonar with its symmetrical spinnaker, the NYYC is testing competitors' versatility across different boat designs as well as allowing the final determination to be made in a boat closer in philosophy to the NYYC Swan 42, the yacht used in the Invitational Cup.

The top three U.S. yacht-club teams will join Royal Canadian Yacht Club, of Toronto, Canada, the winner of the 2011 Invitational Cup, and some of the most prestigious international yacht clubs to compete for the 2013 NYYC Invitational Cup presented by Rolex September 7-14. The top three teams from the 2010 USQS competed in the 2011 NYYC Invitational Cup in Swan 42s. These U.S. teams placed third, fourth and fifth in the event, clearly demonstrating the high level of talent in the US Qualifying Series, and the field of competitors for the 2012 USQS is equally promising.

www.invitationalcup.org/2012-us-qualifying-series