Now the hard part begins...

The Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup is a biennial event hosted by NYYC in Newport, Rhode Island in September at its Harbour Court clubhouse. The Invitational Cup is a regatta for yacht clubs from around the world and their sailors. It has become arguably the most prestigious Corinthian (amateur) sailing competition in the U.S. if not the world.

The Invitational Cup is raced in NYYC Swan 42s, the ninth one-design class created by New York Yacht Club since 1900.  Typically, competing yacht clubs must charter a Swan 42 for the event, but SYC's Steve Murray and Stephen Murray, Jr. have purchased a race-ready Swan 42 and renamed her SOUTHERN.  Thanks to the Murray's generosity, our team can train aboard the SOUTHERN all year leading up to the Invitational Cup this September. After training at home, the SOUTHERN will compete in the NYYC Annual Regatta and the Swan 42 Nationals, against many of the same teams she will face in the Invitational Cup.

SOUTHERN departs South Shore Harbor at low tide as CITY OF NEW ORLEANS stands by to assist.

Marcus Eagan will again serve as skipper of our team and helmsman. The core crew includes Clerc Cooper, Andrew Eagan, Colin Kirby, Jay Kuebel, John Loe, Johnny Lovell, Stephen Murray Jr., Rob Rogers, Scott Young and coach Ed Adams. At least two more crew will be named later. “We are confident that we have recruited a great team that will compete successfully in Newport for the Invitational Cup,” said Marcus Eagan. “Having our own Swan 42 to train and sail all year leading up to the Invitational [Cup] gives us an additional advantage that we hope will put us on the winner’s podium in September,” he added.

Competing at this level is costly...

Commodore Scott Sonnier is leading the effort to raise the funds needed to put on a winning campaign. The goal is to raise $150,000 to cover expenses for equipment, insurance, coaching, training, travel, housing, gear and entry fees. Commodore Sonnier’s fund-raising team is planning a program of events to give all SYC members the opportunity to participate. In addition, donors of $1,000 and up will receive items ranging all the way up to a ride on the Swan 42 and full team uniforms. All gifts will be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, since they will be made directly to the Southern Sailing Foundation, a
501(c)3 charitable organization. New York Yacht Club also allows limited advertising on the competing boats, giving one enterprise the ability to showcase a corporate brand in the most prestigious sailing grounds in the U.S. along the Gulf Coast and in the Northeast.

The format of the regatta is unusual in that it calls for 11 races without a single throw-out, so consistency is critical to a top finish. Considering that the SYC team won the Resolute Cup in September with no worse than a third place in one race and bullets in six of the nine, they know high finishes.