"The spirit ofAtlantic Challenge is international friendship." others have been begun or are in the planning stages in France, Germany, G uadeloupe, No rthern Ireland , Sco tland, Switzerland, Wales, and the Yucatan . Every two years parti cipants are hosted by a member organ izatio n fo r fri endly contests of sea manship, sportsmanship and style. When the International A tlantic Challenge organ ization proposed that the 2002 co ntests he held in Rockland, Maine, the Atlantic Challenge Fo undation had just secured waterfront property in Rockland's north end but had li ttle capacity to host a fleet of boats. With tremendous support from MBNA tofu nd co nstru ction of a pier and help with renovations to our buildings, ACF's infrastr ucture was ready to welcome up to fourteen gigs and a dozen support boats. Other key playe rs helped make it possible for us to host the co ntests. WoodenBoat magazine of Brooklin , Maine, agreed to be our parmer in hosting the International Festi val of Seamanship and Boatbui lding, which, in addition to the A tlantic C hallenge Co ntests, included the WoodenBoat Show and Watercraft Challenge. More than two hundred volunteers from Maine and participati ng co untries signed on to handle crew training, plan the maritime skill events and races, organize a week of housing, feeding, and entertainin g 260 Atlantic Ch all enge crew members, and provide support fo r the Watercrafr C hallenge events. "W here do these crews come from and
where do they go now? " was an oft asked question during the event. These 16- to 26-year-old "ambassadors in seaboots" are recruited by their country's team to train in home waters aboard matched 38-foo t, three-masted and ten-oa red gigs (most of them built by rhe reams themselves). T hey came here for a week ro celebrate maritime skills, foster cultural and global understanding, and perso nally grow through challenge. T he teams came from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Norway, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. T he yo ung people participated in nin e contes t events, lived (in the local high school), played soccer, and danced togeth er. T hey worked hard and helped each other a lot, exchanging crews for the first event and souvenirs before they all left. T hey learned to communicate despite twelve different languages and gain ed cul tural understanding. They spoke passionately abo ut doing their best and trying new things. Back at home, they' ll help their local Atlantic C hallenge "stations" and foster the development of new stations. So me will become trainers and support the next generation of crews. Each team is made up of twenty crew, half of each crew must be under twentyone, and at least four of each gender. T he competitions include: the Captain's Gig, a ceremony involving laying the "Admiral" alongside his vessel; jackstay transfer of a package from the shore to the gig along a
suspended line; slalom under oars with no rudder; a race under sail and oars; a race under sail alone; man overboard and navigation ; and a !'Esprit race with crews of mixed nationality. W hat's next? The International Atlantic Challenge trustees will vote on where the 2004 and future contests will be held. W ith the momentum gained from these co ntests, Station Maine will become its own non-profit entity and will train local crews for future contests and participate in local events throughout the year. H ere at Atlantic Challenge Foundation, we will support other stations and community programs. In addition ro Communaute, an Apprenticeshop-built gig now used by Station Maine, our three other gigs are being used byo theryouth andcommunity groups: Humanite is in Belfast with Come Boating! ; Felicite is with the East River Apprenticeshop with teens from Queens, New York; and Loyauteis with Cape Challenge, the gro up that built this gig and a program over the past ten years on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. T hose wh o knew of the roots of the Atlantic C hallenge when it was created at the RockportApprenticeshop in 1986 can see how significantly it has grown. There are now roughly sixty of these elegant gigs built or being constructed worldwide, and much interest in starting more stations. With untold hours from numerous international (all volunteer) trustees, new pro-
Atlantic Challenge "ambassadors in seaboots" participate in sailing and rowing competitions.
SEA HISTORY 103, WINTER 2002-03
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