|
US SAILING's 2009 Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship:
Road to Rolex Clinic Program Expands...Grants offered to prepare women sailors for competition
La Porte, Texas (July 16, 2008) - To advance growth in women's sailing, Rolex
Watch U.S.A. has announced that it will expand its sponsorship of "Road to
Rolex" clinics in 2008 and 2009, and is working with US SAILING to increase the
number of clinics offered. The clinics are known as "Road to Rolex" as they
prepare women for keelboat racing with an eye toward competing in US SAILING's
Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship (Rolex IWKC). The biennial
regatta returns to Houston Yacht Club in La Porte, Texas from October 14-17,
2009.
Organizers are seeking yacht clubs and sailing centers to host the Road to Rolex
clinics. The clinic program is designed for one- or two-day formats and
features an instruction manual developed by five-time US SAILING's Rolex
Yachtswoman of the Year Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.). Alison, an
internationally recognized sailing educator and coach, has won the Rolex IWKC
five times.
"The Road to Rolex clinics are designed to be adaptable to a group's ability
level, knowledge of the equipment and skills requiring attention," said Taran
Teague, US SAILING's International Women's Keelboat Committee, which oversees
the Rolex IWKC. "Our goal is to pair up expert sailors as coaches, such as past
Rolex IWKC competitors, with women sailors to prepare them for competition in
the Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship."
At clinics with more than five boats participating, the host organizer will run
a series of short races at the conclusion of the clinic. The winner will
receive a $200 credit toward her entry fee for the Rolex IWKC. Organizations
interested in hosting a Road to Rolex clinic should contact Jessica Willis at US
SAILING for more information, Tel: (401) 683-0800 or email:
jessicawillis@ussailing.org.
First Road to Rolex scheduled
The first scheduled Road to Rolex clinic will be held October 31 - November 2 at
the Dallas Corinthian Yacht Club (Oak Point, Texas) with Elizabeth Kratzig, a
noted international competitor and coach. Online registration is now open. For
additional details and to register. Contact Gayle Finster at Tel: (940)
686-5667or gayle@fortc.com.
The Road to Rolex clinics were initiated in 1997 to provide women sailors with
additional opportunities to hone their sailing skills. Locations where past
clinics have been held include Annapolis, Md., Rochester, N.Y., Monterey,
Calif., Oklahoma City, Okla., Chicago, Ill., and Houston, Texas, as well as Cape
Town, South Africa.
About the Rolex IWKC: Inaugurated in 1985 at the instigation of the US SAILING's
Women's Championship Committee, the Rolex International Women's Keelboat
Championship quickly became the premier women's sailing event in the U.S. and
worldwide. Held biennially, the event provides women keelboat and offshore
sailors high-quality racing and an opportunity to compete with top national and
international sailors. The Houston Yacht Club in La Porte, Texas hosted the
event in 2007; the Annapolis Yacht Club, in Annapolis, Md., hosted the event
from 2001 through 2005; and the Ida Lewis Yacht Club in Newport, R.I. hosted the
event between 1985 and 1999. Rolex Watch U.S.A. has sponsored the regatta since
its inception. The event is part of US SAILING's Championships calendar. The
Notice of Race for the 2009 Rolex IWKC will be available in early 2009 at
www.ussailing.org/riwkc. Sailors also may subscribe to receive email news
announcements about the Rolex IWKC by visiting www.usssailing.org/riwkc.
About US SAILING: The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the
national governing body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in
Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization provides leadership for the sport of
sailing in the United States. 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 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing
Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
|
Merchants
Wanted To Sell On This Site....FREE Trial Offer... Check Out
These Merchants Selling Their New & Used Items On Marine-Plus.Com 
