Written by Justin Scott

EFG International, the international private bank, has joined forces with the Viper 640 Class Association to create the EFG Bank Pan-American Viper Championships.  In 2010 the Championships will comprise a circuit of three Viper 640 regattas, as follows: – Miami, March 8th-13th, Viper North American Championships at Bacardi Miami Sailing Week.  – Kingston, Ontario, August 26th-29th, Viper Canadian and Atlantic Coast Championships at Canadian Olympic Regatta at Kingston (CORK).  – Rye, New York, October 9th-10th, the concluding regatta and award ceremony at American Yacht Club’s High Performance Dinghy Open.  The Championships will provide a grand prix circuit and promote a Pan-American concept, encouraging sailors from across the continent to join in friendly competition. Teams from Canada, the USA, the Caribbean and Europe will be participating.

Keith Gapp, Head of Strategic Marketing & Communications, EFG International:
“It is exciting to be involved with this new championship for the exhilarating Viper 640. Working with the Viper 640 Class Association, we hope to add more regattas in future years, extending to other countries in the Americas. For EFG International, this new championship extends our international sailing activities, and complements existing initiatives in Europe (EFG Bank Sailing Team in Melges 24) and in Asia (EFG Bank Mandrake).”

Justin Scott, Viper 640 Class President: “I am thrilled by the opportunity for the Viper 640 Class to partner with EFG International. EFG International has been highly successful with a differentiated and dynamic approach to wealth management, and their recent commitments to sailing will have a significant positive impact on our sport. This creates a grand prix circuit for the Viper class that is accessible tor everyone. The Viper 640 is fast, exciting, easy to sail and affordable. We say to one-design sailors everywhere: “come and join the fast crowd”.