The preeminent championship circuit for three person sport boats in North America is the EFG Bank Pan American Viper Championships In 2010, 43 Vipers participated in the inaugural Pan American Championships. After 30 races spanning three premier regattas in Miami, Kingston, and New York, the series’ leaders were tied. The team of Brad Boston (Canada)/Lee Shuckrow (USA) edged out Barry Parkin (Great Britain) in a tiebreaker to take the title.
In 2011, the EFG Bank Pan American Championships will once again commence in March at Bacardi Miami Sailing Week. The second round in late June represents an exciting innovation for the 2011 series with simultaneous Viper racing on both the East and West coasts. On June 24-26, Vipers will be racing as part of both, the Viper Pacific Coast Championships at Long Beach Race Week in California, and the Viper Atlantic Coast Championships at Bacardi Newport Sailing Week in Rhode Island, with both Coastal championships scoring towards the EFG Pan American Championships. The series will culminate in September when the fleets meet in Canada at Sarnia Yacht Club for the Viper North American Championship.
The EFG Bank Pan American Viper Championships is an open international competition for Viper sailors and last year the series included competitors from Canada, Bermuda, the USA, Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK and the Turks and Caicos.
This year the series will include trophies for the top five finishes overall and the top five finishes on a handicap score. For overall scoring competitors may throw out 1/3rd of total races sailed. This allows a competitor to miss one of the regattas and still be competitive. The handicap scoring will use a ranking based on a competitor’s previous results which can be adjusted mid- year. More details of scoring will be on the class website. All entrants will have the opportunity to receive a set of three engraved lead crystal glasses and to acquire Pan Am Championship shirts.
The results from 2010 series are attached.
We anticipate over 60 Vipers participating in the 2011 series.
EFG Bank Pan American Championship 2011 Schedule
- Round One: March 10-12 Viper Midwinter Championship at Bacardi Miami Sailing Week. miamisailingweek.com
- Round Two: June 24-26 Viper Pacific Coast Championships at Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week lrbw.com AND Viper Atlantic Coast Championships at Bacardi Newport Race Week.
- Round Three: September28- October 1 Viper North American Championships at Sarnia Yacht Club, Canada.
