Online registration

Big turnout expected for this years Rolex Miami OCR

US Sailing has announced that on-line registration for the 2006 Rolex Miami OCR is now open. A mainstay on the winter circuit for Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, the 17th Annual Rolex Miami OCR is expected to bring together hundreds of sailors from about 30 countries to Biscayne Bay from 22-27 January, 2006.

The event - ranked as grade one by ISAF - is a mandatory event for the 2006 US Sailing Teams as well as the Canadian Team; a country qualifier event for the 2007 Pan American Games; and one of the first grade one events for the new Neil Pryde RS:X board. Competitors will also enjoy exciting racing, improved facilities, and new race formats with on-the-water judging in the finals.

The competition will be raced in all classes selected for the next Olympic Games: 49er, 470 (Men & Women), Finn, Laser, Laser Radial, Neil Pryde RS:X (Men & Women), Star, Tornado, and Yngling. Racing will also be held for the 2.4mR and Sonar, two of the three events selected for the 2008 Paralympic Games. ISAF recently announced that the UD-18 will be the third and new Paralympic class, but because the equipment is currently not widely available, it will not be used in the 2006 Rolex Miami OCR.

On-line registration is now open for competitors and coaches at www.ussailing.com/Olympics/RolexMiamiOCR . Early registration is recommended and encouraged by discounted fees for entries received by January 16, 2006. Registrations received after January 16, 2006 will be subject to late fees.

To ensure sailors can maximize their time in Florida training, US Sailing has teamed up with several U.S. and North American Class Associations to create a new Winter Circuit for Olympic and Paralympic class sailors in the Biscayne Bay area. Thus far, more than twenty regattas and training camps in various classes complementing the Rolex Miami OCR have been scheduled to date, with more to come.