The Atlantic Cup is the first and only dedicated Class40 professional sailing race in the United States. It consists of both offshore and inshore legs and was created by Manuka Sports Event Management, which is headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island.
Hugh Piggin, a New Zealand native and sailor who lives in Newport, was intent on changing the face of sailing in the United States. After joining forces with Julianna Barbieri, a sports broadcasting professional, the two created a business plan that would eventually form the Atlantic Cup. The first edition of the race was in 2011. Entrants started in New York City and finished in Newport, with an additional inshore series that was also held in Newport. The race expanded in 2012 to start from Charleston, South Carolina.
The Atlantic Cup competition has three stages. The first stage is a 648 nautical mile double-handed leg from Charleston to New York City. The second stage is a 231 nautical mile leg from New York City to Newport. Double-handed racing is vital to the race because of its ability to make the sport "more attractive and appealing to the masses." The third and final stage is sailed with a maximum crew of six for a weekend-long inshore series in Newport. Points are awarded for each race, and the team with the least amount of overall combined points from both the offshore and inshore series is crowned Atlantic Cup Champion. The total prize purse for the race is $30,000, with $15,000 awarded to the winning crew. The 2012 race was the first carbon neutral sailing race in the United States. To achieve carbon neutrality, race organizers adopted a 3-part approach: on-land, on-water, and education. On land, single-use plastic water bottles are prohibited. Only glassware or biodegradable cups are used, and recycle stations and water filtration systems for both crew members and guests alike are set up in all three race locations. Event management uses only "100% post-consumer recycled paper" that is utilized for the printing of collateral material such as event packets, tickets, and handouts.
The on-water component of the race requires all boats to use some form of alternative energy to minimize their fossil fuel engine use. Teams use either a hydrogenerator, fuel cell, or solar panels. Teams are also provided with sustainable fuel from waste vegetable oil from Newport Biodiesel. The biodiesel creates an 80/20 blend in the boat engines for instances in which engine use is necessary. In 2012, Green Mountain Energy conducted a pre and post-race assessment to determine the carbon footprint of The Atlantic Cup. Based on calculations in the pre-assessment, carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates (RECs) were retired in order to offset emissions associated with the event, such as staff air travel, ground and water transportation, staff hotel stays, and event electricity usage. In the post-race assessment, it was concluded that the event generated 15,500 pounds of carbon dioxide and 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity. The dollar costs designated to those emissions were used toward financial support of wind power. 2013 Race Results
2012 Race Results
2011 Race Results