{"id":277,"date":"2014-04-07T22:09:24","date_gmt":"2014-04-07T22:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lbpost.com\/articles\/sports\/long-beach-s-50th-congressional-cup-kicks-off-international-match-race-season\/"},"modified":"2014-04-07T22:09:24","modified_gmt":"2014-04-07T22:09:24","slug":"long-beach-s-50th-congressional-cup-kicks-off-international-match-race-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/sports\/long-beach-s-50th-congressional-cup-kicks-off-international-match-race-season","title":{"rendered":"50th Congressional Cup Kicks Off International Match Race Season in Long Beach"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"CommCup2014<\/p>\n

Photos by Brian Addison. Picture gallery below.<\/em><\/p>\n

After a series of smaller events over the weekend, the 50th Annual Congressional Cup kicked off formally with stage one of its yacht-versus-yacht battles at the Belmont Pier today.<\/p>\n

The Congressional Cup is one of the largest and most significant event of its kind in the world, one of only six others across the globe that make up the World Match Race Tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Congressional Cup used to actually be a part of the World Tour\u2014or what was called the Swedish Match Tour back in the day,\u201d said skipper and racer Taylor Canfield of the US Virgin Islands. \u201cBut it\u2019s the same concept: it\u2019s a series of events where your series score minus a couple of your worst races basically determines which racer is the winner for match racing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Skippers from all over the world\u2014from Italy to Sweden, France to Australia\u2014partake in pursuing the cup, a tradition that has made the regatta one of the most prestigious since its inception in 1963. Even more, Long Beach\u2019s annual event is the seasonal kick off for international match racing, where skippers dust off their boats after the winter and kick off racing season.<\/p>\n

Representing Long Beach is Dustin Durant, a local 25-year-old who is climbing the ranks of the match racing world, where he is ranked 28th. The skipper began sailing at age four and began racing at age eight and last year, scored the Ficker Cup at the 49th Congressional Cup.<\/p>\n

\"CommCup2014Last year\u2019s winner, Italian Simone Ferrarese (pictured left), returned to Long Beach this year to defend his title.<\/p>\n

Beyond acting as the seasonal kick-off to match racers around the globe, Long Beach also differs in one specific sense: it actually turns the sport into a spectator event. Most match races occur so far off coast that watching the races are nearly impossible. However, with the Belmont Pier acting a podium, viewers are able to watch up-close as the yachts vie for the top title.<\/p>\n

In the end, it is a competition\u2014but a family-like one. After this, these teams will continually face one another, match race after match race throughout the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Congressional Cup is like this opening laboratory\u2014just an awesome event where the best teams around the world can see where they\u2019re at and what they need to work on,\u201d Canfield said.<\/p>\n

The 50th Congressional Cup trophy will be presented on Sunday, April 13 after the finals conclude around 4PM.<\/em><\/p>\n

{gallery}addison\/2014CongressionalCup{\/gallery}<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n