Tarpon Springs, FL JUNE 22, 2016 - The International Lightning Class Association is pleased to announce Samson, the worldwide leader in high performance synthetic rope, as the title sponsor for the 2016 Samson Lightning North American Championships to be held at the Rochester Yacht Club, Rochester, New York, August 10-19, 2016.
"Samson is thrilled to become part of the prestigious Lightning Class' premier North American event. Our title sponsorship provides us the opportunity to support sailors doing what they love and these sailors represent a vital segment of our core rope business. We wish all participants the best of luck and great sailing!"
David Krupka0–Rec Marine Sales Manager, Samson
The Rochester Yacht Club offers a beautiful venue for sailboat racing located on the shore of Lake Ontario and the Genesee River. "We are excited about this partnership with Samson and the opportunity it gives the Rochester Yacht Club to enhance the regatta experience for the hundreds of sailors that will be attending," said ILCA Executive Committee member Todd Wake. "With over 200 combined years of experience, the ILCA and Sampson are an obvious fit."
Competition will begin August 12, with three days of racing for the Women's, Junior and Master North American Championships. Then the North American Championship will feature two days of qualifying and three days of championship racing. The Lightning Class is offering special registration subsidies for teams under the age of 30 through the support of the Helen & Jay Limbaugh Fund. In addition to racing, a 10th Anniversary Celebration of the ILCA Boat Grant Program will take place. All alumni and mentors are encouraged to attend.
The 2016 Samson Lightning North American Championships will be one of the premier events hosted by Rochester Yacht Club this year.
About Samson
For over 130 years, Samson has been recognized as a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of high-performance ropes. Among its many innovations, Samson invented the double braid and pioneered the first high modulus polyethylene fiber ropes. Today, Samson engineers continue to pioneer the use of new fiber technology and the development of innovative coatings and constructions to produce ropes with unprecedented performance characteristics. Samson's research and development team is meeting an ever-expanding market need for products with exceptional performance in critical applications. Samson is part of Wind River Holdings® portfolio of operating companies. For more information about Wind River Holdings® visit
www.windriverholdings.com
About International Lightning Class Association
The Lightning, a 19-foot sloop, was originally designed by Sparkman & Stephens in 1938. Billed as an affordable family day-sailor and racing boat. She has evolved into one of the most popular and arguably the most competitive one-design racing classes in the World. The International Lightning Class has fleets in more than 13 countries on 5 continents The professionally managed association is among the largest in all of one-design sailing. Lightning's are extremely technical & tactical to race due to a hard-chine hull and an advanced sail plan. It offers some of the highest level of one design competition and skill development at minimal cost. The racing attracts some of the finest sailors in the World including, past Yachtsmen and Yachtswoman of the Year, World Champions, Olympic Medalists, America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race sailors. For more information about the ILCA visit
www.lightningclass.org
Media Contact
More information on the 2016 Samson North American Championships:
http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/11560#_home
Laura Jeffers
ILCA Executive Secretary
office@lightningclass.org
727-942-7969