Sailing

Another Covid Cancelation: 2020 U.S. Team Racing Championship

US Sailing and Bristol Yacht Club will not host this year’s regatta, but competition for the George R. Hinman Trophy will happen in Rhode Island in 2021.

BRISTOL, Rhode Island—Here we are in the final few months of 2020 and sailing competitions are still being canceled. The 2020 U.S. Team Racing Championship was officially canceled, it was announced on Aug. 18. US Sailing and host Bristol Yacht Club (Rhode Island) agreed to cancel the competition due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Bristol YC and US Sailing planned to host the championship Sept. 11-13. The yacht club agreed to instead host the 2021 U.S. Team Racing Championship, in the summer or fall of next year. Competitors of that race will complete for the George R. Hinman Trophy. Exact dates for next year’s championship will be announced later, according to a statement released by US Sailing.

“We appreciate the energy and effort Bristol Yacht Club put into the 2020 edition of the U.S. Team Racing Championship,” U.S. Team Racing Committee Chair Clinton Hayes said in a released statement. “Their planning for the safety of sailors, umpires and volunteers was second to none. Though the 2020 edition of the championship for the Hinman will not happen, we look forward to returning to Bristol in 2021 for an event that will surpass the expectations of everyone involved.”

Qualifiers for this championship were canceled in the spring.

The U.S. Team Racing Championship features races in three-boat/six-person teams. This year’s championship event was to be raced in newly redesigned Zim 420E sailboats, which were provided by Zim Sailing.

The championship event in general pits teams “steeped in team racing experience and deep in college sailing talent of today and past years, including current and former college sailors, coaches, and alumni from major programs,” according to a US Sailing statement about this year’s event cancelation.

The U.S. Team Racing Championship is generally a qualifier for the World Sailing Team Racing World Championship.

Hobie Polarized was the sponsor of the 2020 U.S. Team Racing Championship.

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