Ships ahoy! An international regatta will sail through North Cove next week. Seventeen teams hailing from 13 countries will compete in the five-day long “Dennis Conner International Yacht Club Challenge.”
“We wanted to share this beautiful community with people from all over the world,” said Michael Fortenbaugh, commodore of the Manhattan Sailing Club, which will be competing in the race. “We hope that the home team wins!”
Although America’s Cup winner Dennis Conner will not compete in the event, he will greet the sailors at the City Hall Rotunda next Tuesday. Participants will then hop over to the Bubble Lounge in Tribeca for a champagne soiree. Conner took over the North Cove marina last year in the hopes of bringing more sailing to the New York Harbor.
The Manhattan Sailing Club has held three other international races — in 1988, 1989 and 1991 — but this is the first one in more than a decade and the club will provide identical boats for all the racing teams. “We thought it would be appropriate year to do it,” said Fortenbaugh, referring to the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. Fortenbaugh will watch many of the nine races from his club’s floating clubhouse in the New York Harbor near Ellis Island.
Teams hail from Bulgaria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States and Wales.
Nautical novices can enjoy the race, too. “Anyone can come out,” said Fortenbaugh, noting that the public can take an Admiral’s Launch for $5 out into the harbor from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, to watch the races.
The regatta will be held in New York Harbor from Tuesday, August 22 through Saturday, August 26 and also include evening events around Downtown. For more information on the race and week’s events, visit www.myc.org/iycc.
— Ronda Kaysen
