JUNE 2002 PRESS RELEASE

The Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race

DATE
The 127-mile Thirteenth Annual Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race from Baltimore to Norfolk will be held October 17-20, 2002. The biggest event of its kind in terms of participation, duration, and challenging conditions, it demands superb seamanship and tactical skills for its unpredictable hurricane-season weather, navigational difficulties (night sailing in shallow water through heavy tug and barge traffic), and stiff competition. Thanks to its wide reputation for offering generous "southern hospitality" for the sailors, it always attracts yachts, training ships and passenger vessels from up and down the East Coast and beyond. Participation is strictly limited to schooner-rigged vessels, although there is always jealous interest from ketches, brigs, barks, yawls and sloops.

BIGGER AND BETTER
Because of the high level of interest in this event after twelve years of safe, successful races, there is a limit of 3,000 feet of participating vessels, after which potential entries join a waiting list. Over 60 entry applications have been mailed to recent participants and invitations have been sent to many others.  In order to be certain of securing their entries,  schooners planning on participating need to send their entries in as soon as possible.

SAVING THE BAY
The race is a benefit event, which generates a sizeable annual contribution to The Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The volunteers also arrange special educational opportunities for inner-city middle school children, to encourage responsible Bay stewardship in the next generation.

REGIONAL COOPERATION
This event has the very unusual feature of taking place in two widely separated locations, one at each end of the Chesapeake Bay. As usual, about 100 volunteers in Virginia and as many more in Maryland put in long hours "racing to save the Bay." Nearly all are members of four sponsoring clubs: Town Point Yacht Club (Norfolk, VA); Fells Point Yacht Club (Baltimore, MD); Portsmouth Boat Club (Portsmouth, VA); and Broad Bay Sailing Association (Virginia Beach, VA). A large proportion of race needs, from tents to tote bags, from pizzas to prizes, are donated by Individuals and businesses on the Bay. This year each schooner will receive a gift of "Made on the Bay" items, including Maryland- and Virginia-grown products.

SCHOONER VIEWING OPPORTUNITIES
Schooners will be docked in Fells Point, Baltimore, by Wednesday October 17, and many will be open for public visitation on that day. They will be at the Nauticus dock in downtown Norfolk for public enjoyment on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20.

RACING ON A SCHOONER
A number of the larger race participants book paying passengers for the race. A list of these vessels, with contact information, is available from the race office at 757.362.0001 or by e-mail from race@schoonerrace.org.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
Additional information is available on the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race web site  http://www.schoonerrace.org.