America's Cup Style Racing with International Champions in Vancouver!

2014 Alexandra Cup: History in the Making

Match racing (America's Cup style boat racing) in the Pacific Northwest has a long and much storied history.

Prior to 1900 many matches in our area featured substantial cash purses put up by the skippers of the competing yachts. In 1905 Lord Dunsmuir, then Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia donated the Alexandra Cup for match racing between Seattle and Vancouver. In 1908 the Six metre class of boats were chosen as Olympic class boats.

100 years later in 2008 Six metres, representing Vancouver and Seattle met to contest the 'Alexandra Cup'. This time, the Alexandra Cup will be held again between the top Canadian and top US Six metre boat, in English Bay on September 13 & 14, 2014.

Many sailors feel that match race competition represents the pinnacle of the sport and the Six metre class certainly has been in the front line of the match racing game. In the 2014 Alexandra Cup week the objective is to capture the excitement of match racing competition, and to introduce newcomers to this exciting form of competition.

• Bob Cadranell , Podium finisher in two World Championships and North American Champion, representing San Francisco’s Saint Francis Yacht Club and challenger of record for the Cup, will be skippering 'Arunga', which has just arrived from the US for this event.

• Peter Hofmann, current British Open Champion, Former North American Champion and World Championship winner will be skippering 'Goose', a Classic 6 metre.

• Former North American Champion Andy Parker will be skippering Bear, a highly touted boat just arrived from Europe to Puget Sound.

• Local expert Steve White will be skippering 'Ca Va', a newly restored 1938 classic 6 metre, and will have current 6 Metre World Champion Tony Griffin aboard.

• Vancouver’s Match Racing expert Ben Mumford will be skippering St Francis 9, the current 6 metre World Champion boat. Ben is also a current British Open podium winner and he will have Olympic Medalist and former 6 metre World and current British Open Champion Eric Jespersen, from Vancouver Island, aboard.

• Professional yachtsman Nigel Ashman will be skippering Saskia II, a beautiful 1934 Fyfe-built classic 6 metre with a local crew.

• Vancouver 'Star' class sailor Phil Lockwood will be skippering 'Finnegan', a Vancouver built former North American champion boat.

• Local champion Reigh North will be skippering 'New Sweden', a sistership to the World Champion, and newly arrived in Vancouver from Europe.

• Local skipper John Doyle will be sailing on 'St Francis VII', another World Championship medal winning boat.

The race course on the south side of English Bay off the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club has been designed to optimize viewing from the shore of the Hastings Mill park on Point Grey Road and from the North Walk of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club where spectators can watch this exciting event beginning at 11am each day on Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sunday Sept. 14, 2014.

Vancouver will also be hosting the 2017 North American Championships and Six Metre World Cup.