AMERICA’S CLASS 40 GRAND PRIX
The Atlantic Cup is the United States’ premier and only dedicated Class 40 sailing race. The race showcases some of the top Class 40 sailors in the U.S. and world as they compete in the 3-leg event. The Atlantic Cup challenges the sailors in multiple ways. The two offshore legs will be sailed double handed (two People). The first leg of the race is a long offshore leg covering 640 nautical miles(3+ days). The second leg will be a shorter 360 nautical mile (2+ days) offshore sprint. Both the offshore legs will demand high physical input and provide little rest. The third leg will force the sailors to switch their boats to an inshore mode and race with a crew of six. The combined overall winner of all 3 legs will be crowned Atlantic Cup Champion.
Additionally, The Atlantic Cup, is one of the most environmentally sustainable races in the United States. Since the 2012 edition of the race the Atlantic Cup has been a carbon neutral race, the only sailing race to consistently reach that achievement in the United States. In addition, in 2016 the Atlantic Cup was the first sports event in the U.S. to be ISO 20121 compliant. For all of the details on the Atlantic Cup’s environmental commitment you can check out our green page.
Points
Scoring for the Atlantic Cup will be based upon a “High Point” scoring system. Each boat’s overall score will equal the total points earned in both offshore legs plus the points earned from the inshore races. At the conclusion of the event, the boat with the total highest score will be declared the winner.
To determine the podium winners, the “High Point” scoring system combines all three legs of the race into the boat’s overall score. The points for individual race scores are based upon the number of entrants (unless disqualified or retiring after finishing). The points for each leg are allotted as follows: 1st place will be awarded points equal to the number of entrants; 2nd place points equal the number of entrants minus 1; 3rd place – points equal the number of entrants minus 2; 4th place – points equal the number of entrants minus 3; and so on.
For two the offshore legs, points awarded will be weighted by a factor of 2. For each inshore series, points will be weighted by a factor of one. The inshore series will consist of a maximum of five races, should four or less inshore races be completed; all races will count toward the boat’s overall score. If five inshore series are completed, a boats overall score will consist of the four best inshore races. In the event of a score tie between two or more boats, the tie will be broken in favor of the boat with the most points earned amongst the two offshore legs.