Charleston Race Week - a benefit regatta

South Carolina's top regatta kicks off tomorrow

Over the past ten to 15 years, the sport of sailing has increasingly begun to tread where so many other sports have made inroads for decades - the realm of charitable events. Like tennis, running, and golf functions all over the US, many regattas now serve not only as a platform for competition, but also as important benefactors for a wide array of worthy causes ranging from cancer research to hospice care to Boys and Girls Clubs. Now, Charleston Race Week Presented by Seabrook Island is among them.

Beginning with the 2006 edition (April 6-9), Charleston Race Week Presented by Seabrook Island will become a strong support mechanism for a unique, locally based non-profit organization, the South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation. Using its burgeoning base of corporate sponsors and growing number of competitors, the four-day regatta will add its proceeds to the Foundation’s coffers. Initially, these funds will assist the organization in completing a 138ft traditional tall ship, the Spirit of South Carolina, which is currently under construction. Ultimately, the money derived from future editions of Charleston Race Week will help to support the Foundation’s efforts to enhance the education of South Carolina’s youth and reinvigorate public interest in the state’s maritime history.

“Having the Foundation involved as an organizer and benefactor of Charleston Race Week is truly a win-win scenario,” said Hank Hofford, chairman of the SCMHF’s board. In 2005, the organization formed a partnership with the Charleston Ocean Racing Association (CORA), the institution that originally created this regatta in 1996 and has managed the event up until the current year. Now, both the SCMHF and CORA jointly manage Charleston Race Week.”

“Our organization has the staff to handle the many administrative aspects of this event,” explained Hofford, “as well as the marketing expertise to help the regatta grow and maintain its sound financial footing. And having the Foundation involved should be attractive to current and prospective sponsors because now these businesses aren’t just supporting a sailing event, they’re also backing a very worthwhile educational endeavor.”

The SCMHF was established in 2001 with an ambitious mission; and the first item on the agenda is to build a traditional tall ship to serve as a platform for numerous educational programs. “We know that the experience of sailing aboard a classic ship like this can leave young students with important life lessons as well as academic ones,” said Hofford. “There are sail training programs like the one we have in mind operating all around the U.S. They really do make a difference in their communities, and we’re committed to offering that same opportunity here.”

The other winners in this equation, said Hofford, are Charleston Race Week’s competitors. “They gain as well,” he said. “Of course they’ll still take home trophies and memories of great racing as always, but now they can also leave with the knowledge that they’ve helped create future sailing and pivotal learning opportunities for the next generation.”

Charleston Race Week Presented by Seabrook Island is open to all keel sailboats from 22 to 60 feet. The event begins April 6 and runs through April 9 at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina.

The regatta is also sponsored by Raymarine, the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina, Ginn Clubs & Resorts, Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, Bauer International, Inc., Hall Marine, O’Malley Avant, LLC, Charleston Boat Works, West Marine, and Latis Yachting Solutions, as well other Charleston-based businesses.