Category: Reporting

DEFENDERS AND CHALLENGERS SETTLE DOWN TO BUSINESS

NEWPORT, R.I. (September 29, 2003) - Not even a slightly late sea breeze could detract from the spectacular fall day that greeted the three Italian and four American teams who are competing in the elimination series for the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy (ICCT) being sailed on Narragansett Bay. The 23rd running of "The Little America's Cup" got underway yesterday with the completion of four flights in the elimination series.

Three Italian Teams Set Sights on Trophy.

NEWPORT, R.I. (September 24, 2003) - Organizers of the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy (ICCT) have welcomed the event's first competitors to Newport in advance of the 23rd running of this event, which makes its return with a new format after a hiatus of more than seven years. The event, better known as "The Little America's Cup," will take place September 28-October 3, 2003, from Sail Newport's facility at Fort Adams. This match racing competition, complete with pre-start maneuvers and the typical one-on-one moves that make its namesake so intriguing, adds the dynamic of being sailed in F-18HT catamarans -- mutihulls that go three times the speed of monohulls.

A local group of dedicated catamaran sailors in California are attempting to "Fight City Hall". They want to reverse years of declining public beach access in California for sailing beach catamarans from the beach as they were designed. Located only about 100 miles from the birthplace of the Hobie Cat Company, catamaran sailing in the Channel Islands Harbor area was once so common that "Hobie Beach" is the official name of the public beach in question.

You would think that sailing catamarans from a beach named "Hobie Beach" would not be a problem, but these sailors need your help. Read about the efforts of the CICDA (Channel Islands Catamaran and Dinghy Association) to regain sanctioned beach access at Hobie Beach.

International Catamaran Challenge Trophy:
Olympic Tornado Sailor John Lovell Ups the Ante

NEWPORT, R.I. (July 25, 2003) -- The International Catamaran Challenge Trophy’s (ICCT) heat got turned up another notch when U.S. Olympic Tornado sailor and five-time Tornado National Champion John Lovell of New Orleans showed up earlier this month to compete in the F-18HT class at Sail Newport’s 2003 Newport (RI) Regatta presented by Volkswagen. While in the City-By-the-Sea, Lovell confirmed his plans to return to Newport this September 28-October 3 to sail the fast, high-tech F-18HT catamarans again—in the much anticipated ICCT, better known as "The Little America’s Cup." He also proved he would be a serious threat by showing how unstoppable he was in a boat he’d never tried before.

May 12, 2003 - Ismoralda, FL to Hollywood, FL TheBeachcats.com is proud to bring you our first on-the-scene reports from the Tybee 500 long distance race now in progress. Connie Brown, our intrepid reporter, is following Team San Diego up the coast for the duration of the 6 leg 526 mile event. She has provided some early pictures and comments with much more to follow. Check this space for further reports, and see the most current catamaran pictures from the event in the Team San Diego photo album. Read the latest updates by clicking on "Read More". Updated through the finish line, read the exciting conclusion.