Call for Challengers announced for Canada’s Cup

Toronto, Ontario (April 16, 2015) – The Royal Canadian Yacht Club (RCYC) of Toronto, the custodian of the Canada’s Cup, has issued a Call for Challenge to all qualified Great Lakes yacht clubs for a 2016 Canada’s Cup International Championship Match Race Series (2016 Series) in modern 8 Metre yachts.  The 2016 Series to be hosted at the RCYC’s Toronto Island clubhouse in September 2016 will represent the pinnacle of nation-to-nation grand prix yacht challenges between Canada and the United States.

Yacht clubs situated on the Great Lakes, being members of either US Sailing or Sail Canada, are eligible to compete in the 2016 Canada’s Cup International Championship Match Race Series.  The RCYC is the current defender of the Canada’s Cup, since its win over the Macatawa Bay Yacht Club of Michigan in 2011.

This historic event will mark the 120th anniversary of the Canada’s Cup competition, which has been preserved since 1896 as a perpetual challenged cup for friendly competition between qualified yacht clubs of the two nations.  There have been 23 Canada’s Cup Series with the United States winning 13 and Canada winning 10. The Canada’s Cup Series was raced in classic 8 Metre yachts multiple times from 1930 to 1954.

The 2016 Series in modern 8 Metre yachts will mark the first year since 1954 that 8 Metre yachts will compete for the Cup.  Previously, 8 Metre yachts that were raced  for the Canada’s Cup were the more classical designs of the time when raced in the 30s and 50s.

Traditionally, Canada’s Cup competition encouraged design innovation and excellence in competitive sailing.  It is particularly appropriate to now have modern 8 Metre yachts with their own distinctive design innovation to race for the Canada’s Cup.

The 2016 competition will be focused on amateur sailors of the yacht clubs, with the race course being windward and leeward legs. Each country will conduct elimination trials with the winner of each meeting in the Canada’s Cup finals.

Further information, please contact RCYC as noted below.

RELEASED BY:  The Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Canada’s premiere dual location club in Toronto, promoting competitive and leisure sailing and related lifestyle activities for members.

CONTACT: Canada’s Cup Committee Chairman
c/o julie.thompson@rcyc.ca

Tel: 416-934-4402 – Country Code 1
Fax: 416-­‐967-­‐5710