US SAILING AND WEST MARINE RENEW PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

Portsmouth, R.I./Watsonville, Calif. (May 27, 2004) – US SAILING and West Marine have renewed their partnership, extending a relationship that began back in 1997, and broadening the programs that will continue to promote youth sailing, safety, enhance competition, and increase participation in the sport.

“We are proud to support US SAILING's programs, especially programs that give young sailors with the opportunity to have fun on the water and improve their sailing skills." said Tom Carey, West Marine's senior vice president of marketing. "Kids are the future of boating, and potentially its greatest beneficiaries. The USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival events bring out the best in boating youth, inspiring them to learn and demonstrate sportsmanship while keeping boating fun."

Headquartered in Watsonville, Calif., West Marine has been a US SAILING partner since 1997. The new agreement names West Marine:
· “Official Marine Retailer” of US SAILING
· Presenting Sponsor of the USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festivals
· Official Sponsor of the US Youth Sailing Championship
· Official Sponsor of the Youth World Team
· Presenting Sponsor of US SAILING’s Safety at Sea Seminars

“West Marine and US SAILING share a common goal of increasing participation in sailing, and specifically focusing on youth which we all recognize as the next generation of sailors,” said US SAILING President Janet Baxter. “West Marine has been a strong supporter of US SAILING, providing valuable resources for our safety and youth programs, as well as great benefits for our members. We are very excited about the continuation of our relationship, and know that sailors of all levels and ages will benefit from this partnership.”

About West Marine
West Marine, Inc. is the nation's largest specialty retailer of boating supplies and apparel, with 351 stores in 38 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, and more than $660 million in annual sales. The Company's successful Catalog and Internet channels offer customers approximately 50,000 products and the convenience of being able to exchange Internet purchases at West Marine retail stores. More information on West Marine can be found at www.westmarine.com.  

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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