Florida’s Emerald Coast Welcomes 2018 U.S. Multihull Championship

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FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. (April 18, 2018) – The Spring sailing season has arrived and the US Sailing National Championship season gets underway this week on Florida’s Emerald Coast in Fort Walton Beach.

The 2018 U.S. Multihull Championship, hosted by the Fort Walton Yacht Club, takes place over four days of racing on Choctawhatchee Bay beginning this Thursday, April 19 and concluding Sunday, April 22.

For the first time in event history, the U.S. Multihull Championship will be raced in trimarans. The Championship is being organized in conjunction with the Fort Walton Yacht Club’s WetaFest and sailors will be competing in the Weta trimaran as either singlehanded or doublehanded teams.

Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Randy Smyth, will be conducting on-the-water clinics for the competitors on Wednesday, April 18 to acclimate sailors to the Weta and the general sailing area.

Results and Coverage

  • For social media coverage, results and standings, photos, and more information from the 2018 U.S. Multihull Championship, please visit the event website.
  • For breaking news and real-time results from the water, follow @USSailing on Twitter or use#Alter18 to search for updates from the race course.
  • A final report from the Championship will be posted on the event website Sunday, April 22.

Championship Facts

  • The U.S. Multihull Championship was conceived by the Multihull Council in the spring of 1985 as a service to the multihull racing community.
  • The perpetual trophy was presented and named the Alter Trophy in 1986 in honor of Hobie Alter, Sr. and his extraordinary promotion of one-design multihull sailing and racing programs.
  • World Champions from numerous classes, Olympic medalists and several national champions from the multihull ranks have raced for the Hobie Alter Trophy.
  • The Championship rotates in discipline each year to showcase the depth of classes in multihull racing in the United States.
  • Previous Winners and Results

This US Sailing National Championship is sponsored by Gill North America and Hobie Polarized.

Learn more about the 2018 U.S. Multihull Championship.

US Sailing Media Contact: Jake Fish, jakefish@ussailing.org

About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the National Governing Body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and advancement for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Bristol, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.