Swans in America

July heralds this year's Rolex-sponsored event in Newport, RI

One of the certain highlights of Newport’s summer sailing season will be the debut of the Rolex Swan American Regatta. This event, organised by the New York Yacht Club is scheduled for 25-29 July and marks a return to a style of competition not often seen in the legendary port. Over 50 of the majestic Swan yachts, ranging in size from 35 to 80ft, will gather at the Newport Shipyard, in downtown Newport, where a specially-designed dockside Regatta Village will serve as the hub of activity for competitors.

Social activities are planned at Harbour Court, the New York Yacht Club’s Newport clubhouse. A series of challenging around-the-buoys and distance races is planned for competitors, with a Rolex timepiece awarded to the winning Swan owner.

“We couldn’t ask for a better location than Newport for the Rolex Swan American Regatta,” said Allen Brill, President and CEO of Rolex Watch U.S.A. “With our partners at the New York Yacht Club and with Nautor’s Swan, w e look forward to welcoming everyone and sharing in spirited on-the-water competition as well as celebrating success at the awards ceremony on the final evening.”

The Swan yachts will be divided into four classes. Three of these, including the ever-popular cruising division, will race under the Nautor’s Swan Rating System (NSR), while the Swan 45 class will race as a one-design class. Races will take place daily on Narragansett Bay and Rhode Island Sound.

“We are very excited to see the Swan fleet back in Newport, one of the finest and most historic sailing venues in the world,” said Enrico Chieffi, Marketing Director of Nautor’s Swan. “I look forward to a very competitive regatta with great socializing shoreside.”
As with every Swan regatta, the social program will be an integral part of the Rolex Swan American Regatta.

ClubSwan, together with Rolex and the New York Yacht Club, has put together a packed program of entertainment throughout the regatta, which includes the Rolex Owner’s Dinner and the Rolex Crew Party. ClubSwan will be at the heart of the Regatta Village in Newport Shipyard, where Swan owners and crew will congregate before and after racing to discuss tactics and share stories of the day’s competition. ClubSwan will be hosting one of the race days. Nautor’s Swan suppliers for the event include ACE/Inamar, Bitter End Yacht Club, B&G, Henri-Lloyd, Lewmar, Peters & May, Talisker and North Sails.

From 1982 to 1994 the biennial Swan Atlantic Regatta became well established as a major attraction on the East Coast sailing calendar. In 1995, 13 years after the first Swan Atlantic Regatta was held in Newport, the Swan fleet returned to Newport for a new event, the Swan American Regatta which joined together the previous East and West Coast events and was hosted by the Ida Lewis Yacht Club. In 2001, the prestigious New York Yacht Club became the host of the Swan American Regatta, and the Nautor’s Swan Rating system was introduced as the rule for calculating the results, in line with all the other Swan regattas. This year’s event marks the debut of Rolex as title sponsor of the regatta.