AC Community Grinding Challenge’s First Event
The America’s Cup invites the public to participate at the first Community Grinding Challenge this weekend during Bermuda Tourism Authority’s Rediscover the Rail Trail event on Sunday.
The challenge was launched in January at the Bermuda College with sailors from each on-Island America’s Cup team competing for the title of Best America’s Cup Grinder.
Now, the Community Grinding Challenge gives the public an opportunity to get up close and personal with what it takes to be an America’s Cup sailor by testing their fitness levels on a dedicated grinding machine.
This weekend, the Community Grinding Challenge will be a part of the action at the Rail Trail event at Shelly Bay from 1pm to 4pm.
The grinder itself captures and logs all data generated by each user. It captures the amount of spins or rounds per minute and the energy that´s being generated, giving readouts so that users can set themselves against each other, and measure their output levels.
OTUSA sailor Louis Sinclair at the launch event in January
Each participant will be on the machine between 10 and 20 seconds and the resistance of the grinder will change for each age group. Participants are allowed one try on the grinder per event but can enter the competition at as many events they wish.
The Challenge places participants in the following categories:
- Male and Female Students [14-18]
- Male and Female Open [18-39]
- Male and Female Masters [40-49]
- Male and Female Senior Masters [50-59]
- Male and Female Grand Masters [60+]
Tom Herbert-Evans, Community Sailing Manager, America’s Cup Event Authority, says: “After our successful launch event in January, we are excited to welcome the public to come out and have a go on the grinder.
“We are excited to have our first leg of the competition at the Rail Trail event this Sunday and we encourage participants aged 14 and up to test out their fitness levels on the grinder, and have a bit of fun while doing it. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the America’s Cup and at the same time, compete for great prizes.”
The Community Grinding Challenge will operate as a road show, with its next two stops at both of Bermuda’s public High Schools – the Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge Academy. The high-tech grinder will be at each school for a week with America’s Cup Endeavour team members on hand to assist.
The challenge continues in April, featuring at the St. George’s Marine Expo on April 23 and then XL Catlin End to End on May 6. The final stop will be at Harbour Nights on May 10.
The top three entrants with the best time in each category will be invited to participate in the finals, which will take place on June 3 during the 35th America’s Cup in the America’s Cup Village. After the finals, a winner will then be crowned for each category.
