PRESS RELEASE
GCSC Press Officer: Tom Horner 239-540-3200
TomHorner@GulfCoastSailingClub.org

2008 SW Florida Regatta
Porsche of Naples Cup
Special Gary Jobson Presentation
March 28-30, 2008 Naples, Florida

Colorful sails, sparkling water, amazing Porsches and fabulous festivities will all be found at the 32nd annual Southwest Florida Porsche of Naples Cup Regatta. Held by the Gulf Coast Sailing Club, the regatta will begin on Friday, March 28 and conclude on March 30 with a party sure to delight anyone who attends.

The Gulf Coast Sailing Club was formed in the summer of 1974 in Old Naples. The group’s mission: to foster and maintain members’ interests in socializing, racing, cruising and having fun. The Porsche of Naples Cup does just that by bringing together those who enjoy or are interested in sailing. Though competition is involved, as with any race, the club encourages anyone who is interested to participate in the regatta or attend the celebrations throughout the weekend.

For members, sailing is a passion, but the group is made up of many different skill levels. The main purpose of this regatta is to build interest in sailing and to simply be with others who enjoy being on the water in the most natural state. While sailing, there are no motors to compete with - only nature, sea life, and the beauty of our Naples coastline to experience. In addition to the enjoyment of nature and being on the water, there are also three days of entertainment to enjoy.

The regatta parties begin on Friday, March 28 at 5:30 p.m. at The Docks on Fifth in Naples. Registration for the event will take place at the party and attendees will enjoy burgers, brats, and beer with club members and race participants. Saturday evening after the race is the Mount Gay Rum Cocktail party, which begins at 6 p.m.

This year, the club is proud to announce its featured speaker, internationally known sailing champion Gary Jobson. Jobson, 57, is a world class sailor, television commentator and author based in Annapolis, Maryland. He has won numerous championships in one-design classes - the America’s cup with Ted Turner in 1977, the infamous Fastnet Race, and many of the world’s ocean races. In October 2003 Gary was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame by the Herreshoff Marine Museum.

In 1999, he won the Nathaniel G. Herreshoff Trophy, U.S. Sailing’s most prestigious award. The trophy is awarded annually to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing in the United States. Jobson has been ESPN’s sailing commentator since 1985. In 1988 he won an Emmy Award for his coverage of yachting at the Olympic Games in South Korea. Gary has authored more than a dozen sailing books, his most recent being Championship Sailing.

To finish up the weekend, a reception and awards party will be held on Sunday evening at 5 p.m. All events take place at The Docks on Fifth located across from Tin City in Naples.

If you are interested in attending any of the events or the regatta, log on to www.gulfcoastsailingclub.org and register to attend.

This year, the major sponsor of the regatta is Porsche of Naples, owned and operated by John Harris. The dealership has been involved in boating for many years on the east coast and was delighted to be involved in this year’s event locally. Last year, Porsche of Naples was involved in the event and has increased their sponsorship 300 percent over last year.

The overall winner of the regatta will be presented with the Porsche of Naples Cup, a traveling perpetual trophy to be presented to the sailboat with the best racing performance of the regatta. Points are awarded based on the finish place of the boat in each race - the boat with the lowest score wins its class and the boat with the overall lowest score in the regatta wins the much coveted Porsche of Naples Cup. The regatta’s water base is the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of the Naples Pier.

At the land base at The Docks on Fifth, tents will be set up and a number of brand new, beautiful Porches will be on display along with two Porsche of Naples specialists. This regatta is an invitation to the community to participate in Southwest Florida sailing, one of the areas best kept secrets and begin a relationship both with the Gulf Coast Sailing Club and Porsche of Naples.

The club looks to bring people from all walks of life together based on a common interest in boat ownership, sailboat crewing, and sailboat racing. For more information about events and membership log on to the club’s website GulfCoastSailingClub.org.

Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at Harold’s Place located at 2555 Tamiami Trail N, Naples, FL 34103.