11th Hour Racing Returns as Presenting Sponsor for 5th Ed. of Atlantic Cup
Race Organizers launch #AtCup1Thing campaign to engage fans to ‘do 1 thing’ for the planet
JANUARY 20, 2016 – Newport, Rhode Island – Manuka Sports Event Management is pleased to announce 11th Hour Racing as the presenting sponsor for the 2016 Atlantic Cup. With 11th Hour Racing’s support, the Atlantic Cup is the most environmentally sustainable sailing race in the United States.
The 5th edition of the Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing will start May 28, 2016, in Charleston, South Carolina. At 1,008nm of offshore racing, and the only race to sail around both capes (Hatteras and Cod), the Atlantic Cup is the longest and toughest race in the United States. Teams of two will race 648nm from Charleston to New York City. After a brief stopover in New York, teams will race the second leg of 360nm to Portland, Maine where the race will culminate the weekend of June 11th with an inshore series.
As with the previous editions, the Atlantic Cup will offer environmentally themed events to coincide with racing in each city, and a robust Kids Education program, combining offshore sailing and the marine environment. Race organizers will again calculate the Atlantic Cup’s carbon footprint and carbon-offset supplier, We Are Neutral, will offset it at the conclusion of the race. A comprehensive list of the sustainability actions of the Atlantic Cup can be found here.
In addition, the Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing launched #AtCup1Thing, which is designed to engage fans and spectators to ‘do 1 thing’ for the planet. Each month in the lead up to the race, the Atlantic Cup’s social channels will offer small steps ranging from food sourcing, energy use, plastics and more. Members of the press are invited to share #AtCup1Thing images and infographics, which can be found here and by following the Atlantic Cup’s twitter feed @TheAtlanticCup.
11th Hour Racing Co-Founder, Rob MacMillan said, “The Atlantic Cup continues to set the standard for sustainable events in sailing, leading the way for other organizers and teams to follow suit. The Class40 boats and the race itself are an excellent stage for innovation in practice and technology. The event pioneered major changes in the sport – such as mandating the use of non petro-fuels for power generation, prohibiting single-use plastic bottles, banning the use of toxic cleaning products, and more – and emphasizes community outreach and education. 11th Hour Racing is proud to have been involved with The Atlantic Cup since its inception, and looks forward to highlighting our partner’s commitment to support the health of our oceans.”
Manuka Sports Event Management Founder and Atlantic Cup Race Director, Hugh Piggin, said, “The oceans are our playground and we need to look after them. If we have healthy oceans, we’ll have a healthy planet and we’ll be able to continue to pursue sport and recreation well into the future. But, to keep our oceans healthy requires some effort, so we need everyone’s support in starting with just one thing to keep our resources natural, alive and enjoyable.”
About The Atlantic Cup
The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing is, at 1,008 nautical miles, the longest offshore in the Western Atlantic. The Atlantic Cup was created and is owned by Manuka Sports Event Management. It started in 2011 as a concept event and grew to a multi-stage race. Since its inception, the Atlantic Cup has aimed to be the most environmentally responsible sailing race in the United States. The race is sailed solely in Class40s, a monohull race boat designed for shorthanded racing.
The Atlantic Cup ran annually in May from 2011 through 2014. After 2014, the raced moved to a biennial event. The course in 2011 was a sprint from New York to Newport with an inshore series in Newport. From 2012-2014, the race was a three-stage event that started in Charleston, South Carolina included a stop-over in New York City and finished in Newport, Rhode Island. In 2016, the Atlantic Cup will continue to comprise of three legs, with stop-overs in Charleston, South Carolina, New York City and for the first time, Portland, Maine.
2016 Atlantic Cup Schedule
May 28 – Leg 1 – Charleston, SC to New York, NY – 648nm
June 4 – Leg 2 – New York, NY to Portland, ME – 360nm
June 10 & 11 – Leg 3 – Inshore Series in Portland, ME
2016 Atlantic Cup Announced Teams
| Boat Name | Country | Skipper | Co-Skipper |
| #39 Pleiad Racing | USA | Ed Cesare | TBD |
| #54 Dragon Ocean Racing | USA | Mike Hennessy | TBD |
| #118 Oakcliff Racing | USA | TBD | TBD |
| #123 Tales II | Spain | Gonzalo Botín | Pablo Santurde |
| #128 Toothface II | USA | Mike Dreese | Tristan Mouligne |
| #143 Longbow | USA | FK Day | Linc Day |
For more on the Atlantic Cup, visit AtlanticCup.org
For print-quality images, please click here
About 11th Hour Racing
11th Hour Racing, a program of The Schmidt Family Foundation, establishes strategic partnerships with the sailing community to promote collaborative systemic change for the health of the marine environment. 11th Hour Racing believes that fostering environmentally sustainable practices on and off the water is critical to the preservation of the oceans and its vital resources. 11th Hour Racing works to advance solutions and sustainable practices, while integrating ocean stewardship into the values of every sailing team, class, and series, and beyond. For more information, please visit www.11thhourracing.org
MEDIA CONTACT – Atlantic Cup
Julianna Barbieri
Manuka Sports Event Management
Julianna@ManukaSEM.com
+1 917-693-1656
MEDIA CONTACT – 11th Hour Racing
Alessandra Ghezzi
11th Hour Racing
aghezzi@team11thhourracing.com
+1 401-536-5031