CAROLINA SAILING A Blueprint for Future Events
The Atlantic Cup What happens on the water in this doublehanded, biennial odyssey is only half the story. By Dan Dickison The lone Spanish entry, Tales II, nears the finish line of Leg I in New York. Atlantic Cup/Billy Black photo.
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rienced professional, both of he last Saturday in May was whom are more accustomed to calm yet foreboding out on crewed competition than doubleCharleston Harbor. The big handed action. In contrast, both Carolina sky crouched low with Botin and Santurde are full-time clouds while a building southprofessional sailors with signifieasterly only hinted that the first cant offshore racing experience in tropical storm of the North doublehanded events. Atlantic season—Bonnie—hung Given all that, it’s not surprisjust 150 miles off the coast of the ing that the Pleaid crew could Lowcountry. On the water, a only hold off the Spaniards for a dozen spectator craft had musshort portion of that initial fetch. tered for the start of Leg I of the By the time Cesare and Brock 2016 Atlantic Cup, with nine reached the first turning mark, the Class 40s readying for the start. Spaniards—and the French—had Off and on, a light drizzle passed them, and both foreign came down as the seconds ticked entries were legging out on the off the clock and the starting gun fleet as everyone disappeared fired. First across the line were Ed upwind into the rainy haze, Cesare and Jeff Brock on board bound for New York Harbor. Pleaid. “All clear!” came the Held every other year, the announcement over the VHF. Atlantic Cup bills itself with the Pleaid was just to weather and a tagline “America’s Premier boat length ahead of the Offshore Race.” Despite a relative Spaniards Gonzalo Botin and lack of notoriety (you won’t see Pablo Santurde on board Tales II. too many newspaper headlines Like most of the other Class 40s about the race), the Atlantic Cup here, these two had unfurled their is certainly the country’s top sailCode Zero headsails for the short ing event in a number of key fetch to the first turning mark just areas. For one, it’s undoubtedly a mile away. among the hippest. Think about This starting-line vignette it. The race has an educational and the next five minutes Public school kids from Charleston tour a Class 40 as between these two craft, say a lot part of the Atlantic Cup’s educational outreach. Atlantic outreach component for elementary and middle school kids that about the Atlantic Cup. Launched Cup/Billy Black photo. engaged 600 public school stuin 2007, Cesare and Brock’s steed dents in Charleston and another is one of the oldest boats in the 200 in New York. It’s branded as the most environmentally event. It’s regarded as a first-generation Class 40. The 2013sensitive sailing event in the U.S. It starts in Charleston, SC, vintage Tales II, on the other hand, is a third-generation an enclave for hip technocrats. And it features social boat. Along with French entry Earendil (launched in 2015), engagements in Brooklyn during its New York stopover. it’s regarded as among the fastest Class 40s in this fleet. In That’s nothing if not hip. addition, Cesare is an amateur sailor and Brock a well-expe-
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July 2016
SOUTHWINDS
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