Authored by: Sean Stark
September 11th, 2008
I want to help promote this great effort by a great few in celebrating and taking part in this local sailing event. As you may or may not know, we are avid sailors here in our local waters of Eastern Long Island and the Peconics. So it is of great interest to see something from former sailing generations being polished up for us today. The Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup, 2008.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Chinese Y.C. and Old Cove Y.C. to host centennial
Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup – October 3rd, 2008
Greenport, New York, September 8th, 2008 – The Chinese Y.C. and Old Cove Y.C. will host the centennial Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup on October 3, 2008. The race originating in Greenport Harbor and around Block Island will revive the historic CYC perpetual Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup, first contested in 1905.
The Cup is recognized as one of contemporary yachting’s inaugural ocean challenges and regarded amongst the most prized Long Island yachting trophies. An account of the 1909 race deemed the race “the blue ribbon of the sea for small sailboat ocean racing”. In 1922 the New York Times described the cup as “one of the most sought for of the metropolitan trophies”.
The history of the esteemed Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup dates back to 1904 when the late William Randolph Hearst, then commodore of the prestigious Brooklyn Y.C., deeded a magnificent silver trophy for open ocean racing to the club. The first race, from New York to Hampton Roads, Virginia, took place in 1905 and was won by Frank Maier’s Tamerlane.
Following the Great Depression the competition landed “on the beach.” Indeed the Cup was reported lost or destroyed in the American Y.C.
fire of 1952. Fortunately, the reports turned out to be groundless, but they received sufficient attention to raise the Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup to a somewhat legendary level. Actually it was safe in the possession of James Heatherton. Heatherton was the sole surviving member, officer and director of the Brooklyn Y.C.
In 1953 Mr. Heatherton deeded the Cup to the CYC as a perpetual trophy for long distance sailing races. The Cup returned to competition the following year. The last competition for the cup was in 1979 and was won by Pat Malloy’s Mandrake. Since 1905 the cup has been under the auspices of more than 10 yacht clubs has been contested for 26 times. A full account of the Cup’s race history is available at www.brooklyncup.com.
The centennial race is being organized by the CYC and OCYC in cooperation with Shelter Island Y.C., the Village of Greenport and the East End Museum and Maritime Foundation. In addition to the CYC perpetual Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup the Village of Greenport will sponsor the Greenport Perpetual Trophy, awarded to the yacht taking line honors. SIYC will sponsor a team racing trophy. The organizers are enthusiastic that the BOCC will become an annual event.
CONTACT:
CYC Perpetual Brooklyn Ocean Challenge Cup
Andrew Wolf
917.464.5724
BOCC@chineseyachtclub.com
www.brooklyncup.com
Regatta / Registration Information
Chris Dowling
917.854.5971
chris@taityachts.com
www.brooklynoceanchallengecup.com
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