Sail Newport Partners with America's Cup Challenger

America's Cup Challenger to boost community sailing programs in Rhode Island; Sail Newport hosting team presentation on March 19th at Newport's Jane Pickens Theater

NEWPORT, R.I. – New York Yacht Club American Magic, a U.S. Challenger for the 36th America’s Cup, today announced Sail Newport, Rhode Island’s Public Sailing Center, as a Sailing Community Partner. Joint events, programs and projects to boost sailing in Rhode Island and New England will continue through the Newport-based team’s participation in the America’s Cup competition in Auckland, New Zealand in 2021.

American Magic was formed in 2017 to win the America’s Cup, the highest prize in sailing and the oldest trophy in international sports.  Sail Newport is a not-for-profit sailing center dedicated to providing public access to the sport of sailing with affordable and free sailing programs for the community.  

“Sail Newport’s mission is to foster the sport of sailing and we are thrilled to be able to help mobilize our fan base as American Magic pursues the oldest and highest prize in our sport,” said Brad Read, executive director of Sail Newport. “This is an exciting team to follow, and they are committed to helping Sail Newport and its programs. American Magic is based here, and Newport has not had a ‘home team’ in the America’s Cup in over 15 years. We are looking forward to partnering with American Magic to boost sailing in our region, and leading the home town excitement.”

The two organizations will work together to enhance and promote Sail Newport’s youth and community programs and sailing activities with special events, sailor appearances, lectures and digital media content.

“American Magic seeks to win the America’s Cup while doing everything we can to help our sport grow and become more accessible,” said Terry Hutchinson, executive director and skipper of American Magic. “We are very excited to partner with Sail Newport, which has given so many people in our community access to the water and to sailing over three decades of hard work. American Magic is really pleased to grow our community involvement in Newport and to represent the city on and off the water.”

Founded due to the departure of the America’s Cup from Newport in 1983, and the wish of many local sailors to keep sailing activity and events accessible to the public, Sail Newport in 2018 celebrated their 35th anniversary of serving the community. Through a wide variety of programs and events, Sail Newport has become one of the country’s leading public sailing centers and has a significant following in the sailing community. 

New York Yacht Club, the team’s founding club and the organization that first won the America’s Cup in 1851, maintains one of its two clubhouses in Newport.

The partnership will include the direct support of American Magic sailors, who will visit Sail Newport’s Pell School Sailing Program this spring and make special appearances at other youth programs. 

Prior to the America’s Cup in 2021, American Magic will participate in the America’s Cup World Series, a circuit of regattas leading up to the Prada Cup, the Challenger Finals, and then the America’s Cup match in Auckland. 

The first event for the Community Sailing Partnership will be held on Tuesday, March 19th at 5:30 p.m. at the Jane Pickens Theater titled “Sail Newport Presents American Magic.” Read will emcee the evening and attendees will enjoy footage of American Magic’s cutting-edge boat. The audience will learn about the engineering, technology, skills and vision of the America’s Cup team. Hutchinson and several team members will join Read onstage. 

Tickets for the event can be purchased online at sailnewport.org.  Costs for the evening presentation will be $20 for individuals ($15 for Sail Newport members) $5 for students under 21.  Tickets are available online at sailnewport.org. For more information telephone (401) 846-1983.

Press interested in attending can reach out to American Magic or Sail Newport using the contacts found below. 
 
“The fact that our organization was founded because of the loss of the America’s Cup and now we’re active to support and rally the sailing community to bring it back, brings this full circle for Sail Newport. American Magic is comprised of the best of the best in our sport and it’s exciting to be a part of this exciting adventure,” Read added. 
 
The non-profit organization provides public access to sailing programs through instruction, rentals, regattas, events and sailing center services. Sail Newport was founded in 1983 after the loss of the America’s Cup –which ended the sports world’s longest winning streak. Local sailors were inspired to launch an organization that would foster the sport of sailing and attract sailing events to Newport. Thirty five years later, Sail Newport is thriving with an  internationally-recognized Youth Program, adult sailing, racing and instruction programs, a full seasonal regatta schedule and a sustainable facility located in Fort Adams State Park. The organization has hosted hundreds of local, national and world-class championships  and continues to work to recruit sailing events to the Ocean State.  Recent major events brought to Newport under Sail Newport’s leaderships have included The America’s Cup World Series in 2012 and the Volvo Ocean Race Newport in 2015 and 2018.