Mid-September brings Ventura Cup Weekend to Central California coast

VENTURA — The final weekend of summer means it’s time for Ventura Cup Weekend. Ventura Yacht Club will host the 2018 Ventura Cup Regatta and Santa Barbara Channel Challenge random leg race along the Central California Coast, Sept. 15-16.

The Ventura Cup Regatta will take place on waters near Ventura Harbor on both days of racing, while the Santa Barbara Channel Challenge takes place on Sept. 16.

“The Ventura Cup will be comprised of up to three windward-leeward buoy races on Saturday and the Santa Barbara Channel Challenge random leg race on Sunday,” according to the published Notice of Race. “The Santa Barbara Channel Challenge will be a single random leg race on Sunday, which will also serve as the climax race for the Ventura Cup. Skippers who enter the Ventura Cup will automatically be entered in the Santa Barbara Channel Challenge.”

Spinnaker entrants will make up the field of the Ventura Cup Regatta, while the Santa Barbara Channel Challenge race pits spinnaker boats against each other.

Participating yacht clubs are, according to the Notice of Race, permitted to designate up to three 3-boats teams to compete for the Ventura Cup. Entrants will race both days. Those competing in the Santa Barbara Channel Challenge, meanwhile will only race on Sunday, Sept. 16.

Boats with PHRF certificates are eligible to compete for the Ventura Cup, though one-designs are also valid substitutes.

The Ventura Cup Regatta entry fee is $70 through Sept. 12 and $90 afterwards. Entry forms are available online at the Regatta Network’s website. Those competing in the Santa Barbara Channel Challenge must pay an entry fee of $45 before Sept. 12 and $55 afterwards.

Ventura Yacht Club will host a trophy ceremony on Sept. 16 at 5:30 p.m.

Contact Race Chair Christina Baum at 805-415-1464 or baumsqd@yahoo.com (or the Ventura YC office at 805-642- 0426) for more information. Entrants can also find more information at venturayachtclub.org.