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Media Advisory and Registration (pdf) |
2007 ACURA MIAMI GRAND PRIX
--- High Stakes and
Renewed Rivalries
February 27, 2007 -- For
Immediate Release |
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The stakes will be
high when the 2007 Acura Miami Grand Prix starts on March 8. For many
of the programs, it signals a resumption of their Key West battles. In
addition to renewed rivalries and Miami class championships, the Acura
Grand Prix Awards will double the race course drama. The Farr 40 class
will also have their National Championship at stake.
The Acura Grand
Prix Awards will be presented to the boats with the lowest combined
cumulative points for Acura Key West and the Acura Miami
Grand Prix. Given the stature of both events and the
competitiveness of these four grand prix groups, the Farr 40, Mumm 30,
Melges 32 and IRC winners will be special champions.
Vincenzo Onorato’s
Mascalzone Latino is the defending Farr 40 2006 Acura Grand Prix
Champion. Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi won this year in Key
West handily. An America’s Cup warm-up in Miami? Onorato is a Valencia
challenger with Cup winning skipper Russell Coutts as his tactician.
Bertarelli is the well known defender and has Brad Butterworth as his
Miami tactician.
Given a 10 race
series with no discard, anything could happen in the Farr 40 class. In
addition to Alinghi and Mascalzone Latino, contenders
for the Farr 40 2007 Acura Grand Prix award are Flash Gordon,
Twins, Opus One and Nerone.
The IRC big boat
class is loaded with possibilities. Dan Meyers’ Farr 60 Numbers
recent one point Key West win over Edgar Cato’s Hissar
in the IRC 1 class has him tied on points with Magic Glove,
Colm Barrington’s new Ker 50 (Dublin, Ireland). Magic Glove
also had a one point win in IRC 2. TP52’s Samba Pa Ti (John
Kilroy) and Windquest (Doug DeVos) were close behind, making
them serious contenders for the combined award.
All but one of the
sixteen high-performance Melges 32s were on the line in Key West.
Italian Claudio Recchi’s impressive win last January makes Let’s
Roll the boat to beat. Mike Carroll and Marty Kullman’s New
Wave (St. Petersburg, FL), Jeff Ecklund’s Star (Ft.
Lauderdale, FL), and Simon Williams’ Fresh Guidance (Newport,
RI) are close enough in points to be serious contenders for the
combined trophy. Williams has World Champion Bill Hardesty on board in
Miami.
Watch for a good
battle between the Netherlands based Mean Machine (Peter
DeRidder) crew and the Santa Barbara, California crew on
Groovederci (Deneen Demourkas). Demourkas is the defending
Acura Grand Prix champion and DeRidder is the defending Miami class
champ, winning in 2006 by just 2 points. He recently was second in Key
West, a tie-breaker away from the class win. The Mumm 30s also race
with no discard.
Racing is March 8 –
11 and these high profile classes will all see plenty of action in
this 10-race series just south of Miami’s Government Cut.
Information, details and results on the 2007
Acura Miami Grand Prix will be posted on the Premiere Racing web site:
www.Premiere-Racing.com
TV and Internet
Productions
will bring the Miami racing excitement into homes and offices around
the world. Acura is sponsoring a special internet production which was
available nightly after racing. It can be viewed on
www.JobsonSailing.com. Acura Key
West films are also available for viewing. A special Jobson Sailing
production on the 2007 Acura Miami Grand Prix will air on ESPN 2,
Saturday, March 31 at 12:30 PM ET. The Acura Key West 2007 special
airs on Sunday, March 11 at 1:30 PM ET.
Acura has been the proud
title sponsor and Official Vehicle of SORC and Miami Race Week for the
previous 7 years. Supporting sponsor Mount Gay Rum is the
Official Rum.
The
Miami Beach Marina is the Official Site for this 2007 grand
prix event. The Avalon and South Seas Hotels are the Official
Host Hotels.
Shake-A-Leg Miami is the official charity of both the Acura Miami
Grand Prix and Acura Key West. For information about them please
visit:
www.ShakeALegMiami.org
Media Advisory and Registration (pdf) |
About Acura
Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced luxury
performance vehicles through a nationwide network of more than 260
dealers throughout the United States. The 2007 Acura lineup features
five distinctive models, the RL luxury performance sedan, the TL
performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan, the turbo-charged RDX
luxury sport utility vehicle and the award-winning MDX luxury SUV. For
more information about Acura vehicles, please visit
www.acura.com
For media inquiries, please go to
www.acuranews.com
With the support of the
Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, the Miami-Dade County
Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the
Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
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2007 ACURA MIAMI GRAND PRIX
--- World Class
Racing Shifts from Key West to Miami Beach
February 7, 2007 -- For Immediate
Release |
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Key
West champions and other top caliber sailing talent are heading for
“America’s Riviera” next month. The 2007 Acura Miami Grand Prix (March
8–11) will feature renewed rivalries that originated last January
during Acura Key West 2007. Warm Florida ocean waters and hot South
Beach nightlife are drawing grand prix programs from around the world
and across the U.S.
Three high profile one design classes - the Farr 40, Melges 32 and
Mumm 30 - along with a ‘big-boat’ IRC class, will see plenty of action
in this 10-race series just south of Miami’s Government Cut.
America’s Cup defender Ernesto Bertarelli and the Alinghi crew
will have another defense to contend with – having recently won the
ultra competitive Farr 40 class in Key West. This owner driver class
is projected to have more boats in Miami with any number of entrants
looking to avenge the Swiss walk-away victory last month. Look for
Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino, which will have their
2006 World Championship tactician Russell Coutts back onboard, to put
pressure on the Key West winner.
The
Farr 40 story line will again be an international one with early
entrants including Eivind Astrup’s Norwegian Steam (Oslo,
Norway), Wolfgang Stolz’s Opus One (Frankfurt, Germany), and
Erik Maris’ Twins (Paris, France). Norwegian Steam was a mere
point from the class win last year with Onorato a close third, Opus
One, Twins, Alesandro Barnaba’s Fiamma (Cala Galera,
Italy) and Massimo Mezzaroma’s Nerone (Savona, Italy) all
finished in the top ten last year.
The
IRC racing action will pick up right where it left off in the deciding
last race of the Key West series where Dan Meyers’ Farr 60 Numbers
edged sistership Hissar by one point in the IRC 1 class.
The scratch boat in Miami will be Hap Fauth’s 2006 Newport to
Bermuda winner Bella Mente (J/V 66).
Key
West’s top three finishers in a very competitive IRC 2 class -
finishing within 4 points of one another - will add intrigue to the
Miami handicap racing. Key West champion Magic Glove, Colm
Barrington’s new Ker 50 (Dublin, Ireland), will test herself against
the 60 footers next month. The TP52’s Samba Pa Ti (John Kilroy)
and Windquest (Doug DeVos) will be looking to improve on their
2nd and 3rd place finishes and hoping to see
planing conditions which were not present in Key West last January.
Last
year the Melges 32 class attained one design status in both Key West
and Miami. The high performance sportboats enjoyed dramatic growth in
2007 with 20 entries in Key West. The Acura Miami Grand Prix title
will be well earned with 2006 Key West Champions Mike Carroll and
Marty Kullman’s New Wave (St. Petersburg, FL) and Jeff
Ecklund’s Star (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) both boats to watch in this
very competitive class.
Monaco’s Peter DeRidder (Mean Machine) will defend his 2006
Mumm 30 class title next month, in what are bound to be some close
matches. DeRidder’s team was edged out in Key West by Australian Bruce
Eddington (Southern Sun) on a tie breaker. Deneen Demourkas (Groovederci)
and her Santa Barbara, CA based crew have the top spot in their sights
as they renew their close rivalry with DeRidder. They were second to
Mean Machine last year in Miami, and just missed 3rd
in Key West on a tie-breaker, with the Monaco team taking second.
The Acura Grand Prix Awards
will be presented to the boats with the lowest combined cumulative
points for Acura Key West and the Acura Miami Grand Prix in their
respective classes. Given the stature of both events and the
competitiveness of these four grand prix classes, these four
recipients will be special champions. Perpetual awards are in the
offing to the Farr 40, Mumm 30, Melges 32 and IRC classes.
Mascalzone Latino is the defending Farr 40 Acura Grand Prix
Champion, and Groovederci is the Mumm 30 Champion.
Information, details and results on the 2007 Acura Miami Grand Prix
will be posted on the Premiere Racing web site:
www.Premiere-Racing.com
Acura has been the proud
title sponsor and Official Vehicle of SORC and Miami Race Week for the
previous 7 years. Supporting sponsor Mount Gay Rum is the
Official Rum.
The
Miami Beach Marina is the Official Site for this 2007 grand
prix event. The Avalon and South Seas Hotels are the Official
Host Hotels.
The first entry deadline
(for no late fee) is February 9.
Event details, entries and past results
are available at
www.Premiere-Racing.com
Shake-A-Leg Miami is the official charity of both the Acura Miami
Grand Prix and Acura Key West. For information about them please
visit:
www.ShakeALegMiami.org
Media Advisory and Registration (pdf)
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About Acura
Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced luxury
performance vehicles through a nationwide network of more than 260
dealers throughout the United States. The 2007 Acura lineup features
five distinctive models, the RL luxury performance sedan, the TL
performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan, the turbo-charged RDX
luxury sport utility vehicle and the award-winning MDX luxury SUV. For
more information about Acura vehicles, please visit
www.acura.com
For media inquiries, please go to
www.acuranews.com
With the support of the
Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council, the Miami-Dade County
Department of Cultural Affairs, the Cultural Affairs Council, the
Miami-Dade County Mayor and Board of County Commissioners.
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ACURA MIAMI RACE
WEEK ANNOUNCES 2007 CHANGES
----- SORC Renaissance to continue with revised format
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August 11, 2006 -- For
Immediate Release |
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MIAMI, Fla –
Premiere Racing announced a change for their Miami event today –
shifting to a ‘Grand Prix’, single venue format for 2007.
Professionally-run keelboat racing in the waters off Miami and the
South Beach nightlife will continue to be a draw for racing sailors
from across the country and around the world.
The grand prix Farr 40’s, a “headliner class” worldwide, has already
committed to the 2007 Acura Miami Grand Prix. A second featured
class will be the ‘big-boat’ IRC class with numerous programs having
already expressed interest in the Miami event. Up to two additional
classes will be allowed to compete. The Mumm 30 class, coming off of a
November World Championship in Miami Beach, represents a potential
third class. |
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UPDATED ENTRY INFORMATION |
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In the two years since
taking over SORC, Premiere Racing grew the event from a 58-boat single
venue regatta to a 142-boat event featuring racing on both Biscayne
Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Acura Miami Race Week’s popularity and
prestige rose quickly, and included the 2006 Rolex TP52 Global
Championship last March.
The unusual 2005 hurricane season and the
subsequent effects on fuel prices and boating in South Florida, are
the driving forces in a business shift by the Miami Beach Marina. The
official site can only commit
to a limited number of transient slips. There simply will not be
enough transient slips available in the area for a multi-division
80-90 boat ocean fleet in 2007. While discontinuing the
event was considered, Acura and Premiere Racing both felt it was worth
pursuing the Grand Prix approach for 2007 and then revisiting all
alternatives for 2008 and beyond. One of the primary goals is to keep
the regatta venue, dates, visibility, and potential intact while
assessing future options. One significant factor will be the impact,
or lack thereof, that the 2006 hurricane season might have on the
marina and logistical infrastructure. |
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The “SORC Renaissance”,
which established credibility following the successful 2005 and 2006
events, will continue. "We can appreciate
the logistical challenges Premiere Racing is faced with in South
Florida and are very excited that Acura and Premiere have decided to
continue the SORC tradition next March,” said Farr 40 Class
President Jim Richardson. “The Miami Beach venue is superb for our
class and a big part of the Winter schedule for visiting overseas
owners as well as the many North American owners who travel south and
east for the winter season.”
“The legendary SORC played a meaningful role in our sport over the
years and we would like nothing better than to continue to grow this
event,” said Premiere Racing’s Peter Craig. “Despite the
logistical challenges that have been presented, both Acura and
Premiere Racing are committed to a top-tier 2007 regatta as we
evaluate and pursue solutions going forward.”
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“A Premiere Racing event has always meant the very highest quality
- both on and off the water", said Farr 60 owner Dan Meyers.
“Numbers will be doing both Key West and Miami next year because it
represents some of the best IRC racing and race management we’ll see
all year long.” At the same time, recent
one design class decisions have ruled out racing on Biscayne Bay for
2007. The Etchells class, representing half of the Biscayne Bay fleet,
has changed their winter series dates and moved their Mid-Winter’s to
within four days of Acura Miami Race Week, citing the 2007 Super Bowl
in Miami as the reason for the schedule change.
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The Southern Ocean Racing Conference – a Florida corporation
known to racing sailors around the world as “SORC” – announced in
April, 2004 that Premiere Racing would step in and produce the Miami
event beginning in March 2005. The Marblehead, MA based company built
their Key West regatta into the top annual keel boat event in North
America and one of the elite race weeks on the international racing
calendar.
“Peter has kept us apprised of the developing logistical issues since he took
over back in 2004," said SORC spokesman Buck Gillette. "The reality is that
there are only two options for 2007– discontinuing the event or changing the
format at least for the short term. We’re very pleased that the legacy of SORC
will continue as we collectively seek solutions to the issues at hand.” |
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The Miami Beach Marina will remain the Official Site for this 2007 grand
prix event. The Thursday to Sunday racing format will continue with regatta
dates March 8-11, 2007. The “Acura Grand Prix Awards” will again be
awarded to the combined winners of the Key West and Miami events for those
applicable classes. Information and details on the 2007 Acura Miami Grand Prix
will be posted on the Premiere Racing web site.
Acura has been the proud title sponsor of SORC and Miami Race Week for
the previous 7 years. For more information on Acura visit:
www.Acura.com
About Acura
Acura offers a full line of luxury performance vehicles through a nationwide
network of more than 260 dealers. The Acura lineup features six distinctive
models including the exotic NSX supercar, the RL luxury sedan, the TL
performance luxury sedan, the TSX sports sedan, the race-bred RSX sports coupe
and the award-winning MDX luxury sport utility vehicle. For more information
about Acura vehicles, please visit
www.Acura.com.
For media inquiries, please go to
www.AcuraNews.com.
Event details, entries and past results are available at
www.Premiere-Racing.com
Shake-A-Leg Miami is the official charity of both the Acura Miami Grand Prix and
Acura Key West. For Information about them please visit
www.ShakeALegMiami.org
For more information on Premiere Racing, 2007 Acura Grand Prix, and its Sponsors
and Partners:
Premiere Racing, Inc.
67B Front Street, Marblehead, MA, 01945
Tel: (781) 639-9545 Fax: (781) 639-9171
Email:
Info@Premiere-Racing.com
Web Site:
www.Premiere-Racing.com
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