Green Class 40 race

The Atlantic Cup goes for Sailors for the Sea's Gold level Clean Regattas certification

The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing, a new, professional Class40 race for the top shorthanded sailors in the US, are aiming for Gold level Clean Regattas certification from Sailors for the Sea - the only ocean conservation non-profit focused on the sailing and boating communities.

Clean Regattas certification provides independent, third-party verification that a yacht club, sailing program, or regatta is environmentally responsible, and is doing its utmost to protect the waters upon which people sail. This program is an effort by Sailors for the Sea, in conjunction with committed participants, to reduce our impact on oceans and coastal waters.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to work with 11th Hour Racing and the organizers of the Atlantic Cup to support efforts to serve as a model for ocean conservation and protection," said Dan Pingaro, executive director and CEO, Sailors for the Sea. "By committing to our Clean Regattas program the Atlantic Cup extends the mission of 11th Hour Racing - promoting a fuller understanding of the impact of human activity on the world around us. 11th Hour Racing showcases conscientious behavior and ocean stewardship and serves as a catalyst to promote and propagate this attitude. The Atlantic Cup is a wonderful new regatta designed with eco-conscientious as the basis of its formation."

The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing will start from New York Harbor on 7 May 2011. From there, competitors will race doublehanded the 240 nautical mile course to Newport, Rhode Island. Once in Newport, skippers will race a two-day, inshore series with a crew of six. The combined overall winner of both stages becomes the first Atlantic Cup Champion and receives the $15,000 prize purse, which is one of the largest purses for professional sailing in the United States.

As part of their partnership with 11th Hour Racing, race organisers have worked on implementing green technology throughout the race, which includes ensuring at least four boats in the fleet use hydro-generators and convert their engines to run on bio-diesel. Race Director Hugh Piggin stated: "Manuka Sports Event Management has committed to minimizing our environmental impact from the outset. Committing to Sailors for the Sea Clean Regattas certification is a terrific next step for us to formalize and monitor our efforts and run an environmentally responsible, entertaining event."

The Atlantic Cup together with Sailors for the Sea will undertake several efforts in their Clean Regattas campaign, including:

- Buying carbon credit for boats not using a hydro-generator to offset their diesel usage
- Using canteen water bottles on the boats while racing and set up and maintain water filling stations during the event
- Using environmentally friendly cleaning products on all boats
- Recycling at all sites during the race
- Recycling by all boats when completing the off-shore and in-shore portion of the race
- Using biodegradable plastic throughout the race including at pre and post-race parties and dinners
- Using 100% post-consumer recycled paper for all event packets
- Organizing a green team to maintain a trash-free site at both hospitality events
- Preventing discharge of untreated sewage or blackwater in harbor areas and on race courses throughout the event
- Asking all race participants to use water only when washing down their boats during the course of the regatta
- Requiring that motorized vessels carry and use at least one bilge sponge and one fueling spill pad