Acura SORC Announces 2004 Dates

MIAMI BEACH, FL, August 21, 2003 - The Acura Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) today announced the dates of competition, Wednesday, February 25 – Sunday, February 29, 2004, for the 63rd edition of North America’s premier winter ocean racing regatta, with racing to begin on Thursday, February 26th. Additional event and registration information will be available soon on www.acurasorc.com.

“The 2004 Acura SORC will be another great regatta, with Miami’s South Beach once again offering a great backdrop to perfect ocean sailing conditions,” promises Scott MacLeod, senior vice president of event manager Octagon. “With the continued increase in participation by international teams and the return of America’s Cup and Volvo personalities we’re expecting to have some of the best competition in recent memory.”

The outstanding racing conditions of Miami and another strong fleet of competitors across several classes will once again be bolstered by top-level racing management led by Peter “Luigi” Reggio, one of the best principal race officers in the business, and the veteran Acura SORC race committee.

The Acura SORC will be raced on ocean courses off Miami Beach, FL, with all shore side activities headquartered at the Miami Beach Marina. Entries for the 2004 Acura SORC will be welcomed from boats racing under handicap rules, IMS, and PHRF, as well as one-design classes such as the Farr 40, Mumm 30, Melges 24, J/105, J/80, Multihulls, Swans and any class with more than five entrants.

First-come, first-serve docking for the Acura SORC is available at the Miami Beach Marina. Call 305-673-6000 for more information. Registration queries can be addressed to Wendy Hinman, Octagon, Tel (203) 352-5217 or (877)-520-2508, or via email at wendy.hinman@octagon.com.

The SORC was founded in the late 1930's by a conference of Florida yacht clubs and a Bahamian club. As originally conceived, the SORC was a mix of long-distance overnight races plus local day racing. The series spread out over a six-week season that started in St Petersburg and took in Miami and Fort Lauderdale before finishing in Nassau. Today, the series features multiple day races with an awards presentation each evening.

The Acura SORC is currently run by five of the founding clubs, the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club, Coral Reef Yacht Club, Lauderdale Yacht Club, Miami Yacht Club and Nassau Yacht Club and is managed by global sports marketing company Octagon.