Good-Bye Key West! Thank you for having us!

Quantum Key West Race Week is an event that takes all year to arrange and there are many people to thank! Yet, it would never have been, if not for the gracious hosting of the lovely little island of Key West, Florida. This beautiful southern most point of the United States has been a perfect location for sailors. Providing world class racing for 25 years and counting.

We'll leave you with this beautiful parting shot taking by Allen Clark of PhotoBoat.com. Meanwhile, visit our listing of all the professional photographers who support Race Week to re-live the event from setting-up the venue, on-the-water action, and evening awards. These talented shooters have it covered and we appreciate their time and commitment to this event.

Congratulations!!!

It was a star-studded class of sailors from all over the country and world. Well done to all, whether or not you brought home the crystal. You came, you raced, did your best, improved your team-work, learned more about your boat, and by weeks end: are all better sailors for it. Can't think of another event in North America in the middle of Winter that provides all the conditions, with the level of competition to help any sailor bring it all to a higher level.

Here's hoping you achieve "Boat of the Day" in 2013!

Once again... THANK YOU!!!


It's always a pleasure to help share this event with both the sailors and those at home. It all comes together because of an impressive team of 100+ volunteers, and the following Industry sponsors/partners. Thank you for all the hard work, commitment, and dedication to celebrating Quantum Key West and the event's 25th Anniversary.


Quantum Key West 2012 Sponsors are Title Sponsor Quantum Sails and Day Sponsors Lewmar/Navtec (Official Marine Hardware), Mount Gay® Rum (Official Rum), and Nautica Watches (Official Timekeeper). The Supporting Sponsors are B&G (Official Marine Electronics), Marlow Ropes (Official Rope), Gill and Layline (Official Technical Gear and Retailer) and Sebago (Official Footwear).

Quantum Key West 2012 is also supported by The Florida Keys & Key West Tourism Council, which recognizes the importance of having a world-class, international regatta in Key West every year. The Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight is the Official Marina. The City of Key West and the Key West business community also play an important, long-term role in race week’s success. The Ocean Key Resort and Spa is the Official Hotel. Sapporo USA is the Official Beer Supplier and Regatta Ginger Beer is the Official Ginger Beer.

27 Industry Partners bring their support through a program that is now in its 11th year.
Quantum Key West 2012 is a US SAILING sanctioned event.

The racing will be conducted under permit in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary protects 2,900 square nautical miles of critical marine habitat, including coral reef, hard bottom, seagrass meadow, mangrove communities and sand flats.

Event information, past results and photos: www.Premiere-Racing.com

What to Expect on Final Day of Quantum Key West Week 2012

Expect a PERFET day of sailing. Period.

Mr. Weather, George Caras advised, "We'll have a Northeasterly flow while the High hugs the coast of Florida." During the start of the race (1130h), we'll see breeze in the mid-teens ranging from 050-060. As the day progresses, and sometime in the afternoon, our RC/Sailors will experience a right shift to 080-100.

Just before this righty, George advised our Race Committee there could be a line of patchy clouds to alert them to this coming shift in wind direction. While following the blogs today, if they start referring to the clouds in the horizon, this will also be your clue at home.

What does that mean?

It means they may get some insight to whether or not they have to change/tweak the race course to ensure fair racing for the respective fleets. Having to modify a race course in sailing as a result of changing wind directions is common play. Otherwise, for today's racing, this will be a minor bit of weather news as the forecast sees our sailors experiencing a steady wind for the entire day of racing.

With today's NE flow over KW, one can see there is NOTHING coming from the NW!

On a lighter note...

Today IS our last day of racing and evening activities. If you have not already, please visit with our industry partners on the "main strip" just outside Kelly's Bar and Grill. From the 25th Anniversary Layline/Gill "Swag" to gorgeous Nautica Watches, an opportunity to talk to industry reps for Lewmar/Navtec, Marlow Ropes, and B&G Electronics. Finally, your feet must slip on a pair of Sebago Dock-side shoes!

Thank you to all our sponsors, supporters, sailors, volunteers, and local Key West residents for making the 25th Anniversary of Quantum Key West Race Week one to remember and cherish! Looking forward to ending the week with all, this evening from 5:30 to 7:30 while we give out the day's and overall regatta awards. One more night of enjoying Mount Gay Rum's finest paired with a little spice from Regatta Ginger Beer.

Expect us to be back in 2013...

Thank you for joining us!


Communications Team:
Event Editor/Publisher ~ Jennifer Langille
Contributors:
Writing/Video Interviews ~ Bill Wagner
Division 1 RC/Blog ~ Susan Burnside
Division 2 RC/Blog ~ Barb Shaffer
Division 3 RC/Blog ~ Joy Dot

Back at It! Quantum Key West Race Week 2012

We are back at it here in warm and sunny Key West Florida for Quantum KWRW! Everyone is now on the water and preparing for Race 6 of this regatta. The weather forecast is more promising today and George Caras of Commander's Weather feels optimistic the Race Committee will successfully hold three races. However, we all know better than to guarantee such statements!

A Note on the Weather...

Currently, we have the remnants of a front just in-sight to our N/NE which will pass over our sailors in the next hour or two.

Division 1 RC/Blogger Susan Burnside keeping an eye to the sky!

Out first race of the day will likely be the most challenging. While this front slides over the courses, there could be a shower or two, and possibly some gusty conditions. None of which will last long, but enough to keep all on their toes! 

By around 1200 and onward, the expectation is dryer air, and sustained winds of 11-16kts between 010-030, shifting more towards 040 by mid afternoon (1500-1600h.) If all goes well, the RC will push for a three race day, as long as the conditions will allow for each race to be a fair event. 

A few images to show you all what we are looking at...

We do have a few "stories" from the water worth noting. 

Division 2: The Melges 32 fleet, Pisces and Samba Pa Ti both have 14 points, with Pisces winning the tie-breaker. With Hedgehog in third at 25 points and Mascalzone Latino trailing with 28 points. Over in the M-24 fleet, West Marine Rigging/New England Ropes has a pretty secure lead with 5 points, having won all the races so far. WTF is in second with 15 points, Blu Moon at 18, Monsoon with 20, and Convexity holding 23.

Division 3: For PHRF 1 'TeamWork' and 'Tres Hombres' are tied at 10 points each and neck-to-neck! The PHRF 2 sees 'Tangent' and 'L'Outrage' duking it out, with only one point of seperation and taking turns between the 1st and 2nd place position.

Who will be on-top of the leader-boards by end of day...

Perfect day to Race in Key West Florida

We are looking at a perfect day of racing, for Lewmar/Navtec's Day Two of racing here in Key West Florida.

Our dear friend George Caras (aka KWRW Weather Guru) tells us the earlier start will mean all participants will have a gorgeous full day on the water. We are planning on a three race day, expecting a consistent breeze between 100-130 and ranging between 13-18 kts. The models have the winds dropping off as we near 1500. However, we'll be finishing up our third race by that point, and 10-15 kts will be a welcome relief for our sailors!

Keeping this short! Join me over on the facebook wall. Will be uploading photos and stories from yesterday while we wait for racing to commence... 

Lets Talk Shop!

You are at home. We are in Key West. Want to feel like you are here?

Here's the plan, and we have five days of racing to perfect it as we go!

Join me on Facebook! We will be keeping the conversation as lively and active as possible. Our number one goal is to help everyone at home feel like they are as much apart of the action as the sailors! 

Ask questions, lets talk about the sailing, get to know our sailors, and experience the story that is Key West Race Week. I look forward to hearing from you! ~ Jennifer Langille/Editor

Big Seas and Heavy Air Expected for Day One of Quantum Key West Race Week 2012

It's all in the title today: Big Breeze. Big Seas.

The powers have met. This will be our windiest day of Key West Race Week 2012 and our RC intend to brace and embrace it completely. The team met at 0845 this morning to discuss the day's plans...

Our official weather guru George Caras of Commander's Weather discussed with us how the high pressure system currently over the Carolinas today will start moving East which means our breeze will be clocking to the right. We'll kick-off racing with a wind direction of 050-070, and expecting it to shift more 060-080 by early afternoon and finally to about 070-090 as we wrap up racing.

As stated in the title, it's a BIG breeze that will sustain itself between 18-20 kts with the potential for mid-day gusts at or above 24-25 kts. This same level of wind has been sustained overnight, kicking up the sea state to about 4-6 feet, which means our RC and sailors will be holding on all day. Hiking will be a must. The Mount Gay Rum will be well earned come end of day!

Where will our sailors be?

Who is racing in each Division?

How do I follow the racing?

There will be a number of ways to follow today's racing and if you are logged into either facebook or twitter, many if not all of our One Designers have their own fan pages and twitter feeds. 

For all day "sound bites" from the Race Management will be posted on Permiere Racing's facebook page, which will feed to our Twitter feed.

For LIVE feeds from each race course, please visit our "Race Blog" which is being updated by an individual member of the respective Divisions and truly the "Official Word" from the water!!

IMPORTANT SCOOP!!

We do have one bit of information worthy to share amongst our race participants, which is the weather for Tuesday, January 17th is looking to be "race perfect" and though not an official statement, the Race Management is considering the possibility of an earlier start tomorrow with an intention of making it a three race day.

This decision will be made official at this evening's gathering under the tent!

STAY TUNED... more to come!!!

Quantum Key West Race Week 2012… are you ready?!?

We are! 


Your team of staff and volunteers are anxiously in place putting all the final touches on what’s going to be a memorable event, and perfect way to kick-off the next twenty-five years of racing off the magical shores of Key West, Florida.

While participating teams and their crews make way to the Conch Republic, please join us on facebook while we chat amongst ourselves! You can also follow us on twitter!