EAGAN WINS U.S. OFFSHORE CHAMPIONSHIP

Portsmouth, RI (September 28, 2004) – After three days of racing at the U.S. Offshore Championship hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club in California, it ultimately boiled down to a duel between Marc Eagan (Metairie, La.) and Aaron Houston (Chicago, IL) to determine the winner. In the end, Eagan’s consistent placing in the top four every race throughout the regatta earned him the National Champion title and US SAILING’s Lloyd Phoenix Trophy. The U.S. Naval Academy’s team (Annapolis, Md.) demonstrated a consistent performance throughout the Championship sailed in Catalina 37s, taking home third place. Rolex Watch U.S.A. sponsors this and all other US SAILING Adult National Championships.

Joining Eagan on the winning boat were Stephen Murray, Jr. (New Orleans, La.), Quinn Eagan (New Orleans, La.), Jeff Hampton III (Metairie, La.), Karl Schutte (New Orleans, La.), Tim Molony (Metairie, La.), and Charles Thompson (New Orleans, La).

On the first day of the U.S. Offshore Championship, two races were completed in good breezes, averaging 12 –18 knots with long inshore courses. On the second day, Saturday, the winds moderated for the longer offshore course. The final day of the regatta, Sunday, began light, with the first race of the day having to be shortened. Luckily the breeze filled in for the last race. This was the first year that a team from Hawaii participated in the U.S. Offshore Championship.

For complete results and photos of the U.S. Offshore Championship, please visit www.ussailing.org/championships/lloyd.

A total of 11 teams competed in this year’s Championship, including a team from the U.S. Naval Academy. The U.S. Offshore Championship is a fleet racing competition in offshore keelboats on a closed course, except for one long-distance race. Teams representing each of the US SAILING Areas are seeded through Area eliminations or by sailing resume. Each team must have competed in at least five regattas in IOR, IMS, PHRF, MORC or Portsmouth Numbers rating systems in its respective Area during the current season. Since 1994, racing has alternated between the Naval Academy in the Navy 44s and Long Beach Yacht Club in Catalina 37s.

The U.S. Offshore Championship is part of US SAILING's National Championships series. For more information about the U.S. National Championships, visit www.ussailing.org/championships or contact US SAILING's Championships Manager Liz Walker at championships@ussailing.org.

About Rolex Watch U.S.A.
Since Rolex Watch U.S.A. first presented timepieces to America’s Cup defenders in 1958, the company has consistently recognized and encouraged excellence in every important arena of competitive sailing, including Olympic Games preparation, US SAILING championships, disabled sailing, and offshore, one-design and women’s events. In 2004, Rolex returns for its eighth year of sponsoring US SAILING's adult sailing competitions. The 10-event series provides unparalleled competition in identically matched boats where winning is a matter of teamwork and strategy, not design and equipment. Since 1997, Rolex’s sponsorship has provided grants to host clubs for the purpose of improving competition and subsidizing clinics.

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing and sailboat racing. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization’s mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.

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