111027_ACWS_Plymouth
The third stop of the 2011-’12 America’s Cup World Series tour will take place in San Diego, Nov. 12 to 20. Sailing World will be there to cover all the action, to find out whether anyone can knock Emirates Team New Zealand off the top of the leader board, how well multiple Olympic medalist Darren Bundock does stepping in for Russell Coutts at the helm of one of Oracle Racing’s two entries, and whether Team Korea can further separate itself from the other second-tier teams with another strong performance.
Of course, half the fun of live sports is trying to determine in advance who will win. So Sailing World has launched our second Fantasy Sailing League competition for this regatta. Clicking on the link will take you to a survey that will allow you to pick your favorites for the regatta. You’ll receive points for each correct selection, and the entry with the most points wins: First prize is an ensemble of Harken soft gear. Second prize is a pair of water-resistant binoculars from West Marine. For the full prize list, scroll down.
While the format of the America’s Cup World Series can be a little confusing, ours couldn’t be simpler. All you need to do is predict the top five finishers in the two main portions of the regatta: the match-racing championship, which will be decided from Nov. 16 to Nov. 19, and the one-race fleet-racing championship, which will be decided on Nov. 20. For correctly predicting the champion in either of those events, you’ll earn 10 points. Correctly predicting second will net you 8 points, with third earning 6, fourth 4, and fifth 2. The most total points wins.
You can find the results from the most recent ACWS events here.
We’ve also thrown in a “capsize bonus” where you can earn 5 points if the team you select puts the mast tip in the water during any of the competitive portions of the regatta (capsizes during training or practice racing don’t count).
Finally, we’ve got two tie-breakers that will rely on the speed test portion of the regatta, where the teams see who can sail down a 500-meter course in the shortest amount of time. There are two speed test sessions. The fastest time/average speed during either of those two sessions is the winner.
You can enter now, or at any time before the first race starts on Nov. 16 (scheduled start time of 1:05 p.m. PST). You can also revise your entry if you like by simply filling out the entry form again and answering “yes” to question No. 4.
The ability to revise your entry may come in handy after the Port Cities Challenge on Nov. 12 and 13. This won’t count for ACWS standings and won’t be used for our competition, but it will give you a good idea which teams have their boat up to speed on San Diego Bay.
If you have any questions, you can email defacto league commissioner stuart.streuli (at) sailingworld.com
The Prizes:
First Place
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Harkenize Your Life. You know what Harken can do for your boat. Now find out what they can do for you. The package includes:
• Eco UV Shirt, Short Sleeve: Worn next to the skin as a base layer, this quick-drying, antimicrobial Eco UV Shirt shields against abrasion and provides maximum sun protection at UPF 50+. It is soft and comfortable with flat-lock seams in friction zones to prevent chafing. Fabric: recycled polyester, bamboo charcoal. Sizes: S – XXL
• Men’s Ballistic Eco Shorts: These padded sailing shorts are exactly what sailors have been looking for. Sustainable fabrics are made with renewable bamboo fibers and odor-fighting carbon. Fabric: bamboo, carbon, nylon, spandex with 4-way stretch. Even sizes 28-42
• Hydroflux Shoe: The lightweight HydroFlux is cool and shows off its quick-drying materials in wet conditions. Thin nylon micro-mesh interior is easy on your feet with a TPU toe cap to protect your toes. Great for medium to wide feet. Features Harken’s 360-Degree Radial Traction Zones, silver-woven footbeds, one-way drainage system and quick-dry materials. Imported. Sizes: from 7 to 14, half from 7.5 to 11.5
Second Place
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West Marine Huahine 7×50 binoculars. These precision-ground optics are equipped with the same outstanding optical-correction technology found in our higher-priced models. That means you’ll get minimized field curvature, less image distortion and a greater percentage of ambient light reaching your eye. Includes case.
• BAK-7 prisms enable high light transmission efficiency
• Center-focus control
• 305′ field of view @ 1000 yards
• 27.4mm eye relief
• Rubber-armored for impact protection
• Limited lifetime warranty
Third Place
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West Marine Full-Finger Sailing Gloves: These sailing gloves feature seamless finger construction to ensure longevity, grip and dexterity. Dura-Grip™ fabric on the palm and fingers provides incredible levels of grip. Pre-shaped V-cut construction fits your natural finger shape, and stretch fabric on the back maximizes comfort. Inside wrist closures prevent the gloves from accidentally “false starting” the buttons on your stopwatch. The contoured fit makes these our most comfortable sailing gloves ever.
Fourth and Fifth Place
Sailing World prize pack including hat, T-shirt, and water bottle
