IOD Celebrity Invitational Regatta

2023 IOD Celebrity Invitational

August 16 - 18, 2023

Nantucket Race Week is pleased to announce the 19th annual running of the IOD Celebrity Invitational.

Karen Ryan Photography

Introduction

Imagine being provided a boat within a fleet of evenly matched IODs to be raced by your crew on Nantucket Sound. Further imagine having an America's Cup tactician, Olympic medalist or a world champion calling your tactics for the regatta. In keelboat one-design racing this is truly special.

Karen Ryan Photography

The Celebrity Invitational begins with an opening reception buffet dinner at a private home, with Master of Ceremonies Dawn Riley, followed by two days of racing and more social events. The series will consist of up to four races each day on Nantucket Sound. Each participating team will have a celebrity tactician on-board. Races will be sailed in a fleet format, and prizes will be awarded for daily and overall results. Opportunities abound for non-sailing spouses and significant others to explore and enjoy the island: beaches, bicycling, water sports, shopping, museums, sightseeing and more.

Karen Ryan Photography

Schedule of Events

2023 IOD Celebrity Invitational Chair:

Roy Weedon

Professional Race Officer:

Ken Legler: Since 1974 has been running races for countless one-design championships as well as Key West Race Week (23 times), Chester Race Week, Orange Bowl and the Youth & Junior Championships. 42 years coaching at Tufts University.

2023 Master of Ceremonies:

Dawn Riley: CEO of America True. 1^st woman to manage an America's Cup Team; competed in four America's Cups and two Whitbreads (now Volvo Ocean Race). Currently Executive Director of Oakcliff Sailing, a non-profit organization, training athletes in inshore, offshore, and high-performance sailing. Inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2021 and into the America's Cup Hall of Fame in 2022, making her the 1^st female and youngest person to become a 'dual famer.'

2023 IOD Celebrity Invitational Tacticians:

To be announced

Thank you to the 2022 IOD Celebrity Invitational Tacticians:

Steve Benjamin: US Olympic 470 Silver Medalist. Atlantic Class National Champion ('17 & '21) and Etchell National Champion ('16,'17, '21). Etchells North American Champion in 2016 & 2017. Rolex Yachtsman of the Year in 2015. US Sailing Championship of Champion winner in 2017. US Sailing delegate to the Offshore Racing Congress from 2013 to present.

Taylor Canfield: Two-time Match Racing World Champion in 2013 & 2020. Top ranked match racer for 3 of the past 5 yrs. 5x winner of the Congressional Cup, 3x winner of the Gold Cup & winner of countless World Match Racing Tours in both monohull & multihull boats. In pursuit of an America's Cup win with a homegrown, All-American team, Stars+Stripes USA.

Paul Cayard: Executive Director of the US Olympic Sailing Team. Seven-time world champion, seven-time America's Cup competitor, and was the first American to win the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1998. He is a two-time Olympian in 1984 and 2004 in the Star. Recently winning the Star Western Hemisphere in 2021. Inductions into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2011, Rolex Yachtsman of the Year in 1998, and Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2021.

Jonathan Farrar:IOD sailor (Fishers Island Fleet) 5x World Champion. 12-year member of the U.S. Sailing Team racing all types of boats along with coaching Olympic sailors. Coach of the Northeastern University Sailing Team. Two-time U.S. Tornado National Champion. Paralympic coach for the Skud class from 2009 to 2012.

Thomas Lundqvist: Won Finn Swedish Nationals, Kiel Week, and Gold Cup, & also competed in the 1972 Olympics. Competed in the Star Worlds and many regional events. Early ‘80's raced a modern 6-Metre, taking the podium in numerous European events and World championships. 6^th at NYYC Hinman Grand Masters event in Newport, RI. Now racing a Wally Nano.

Mike Marshall: Sail designer for North Sails & designing the sail inventory for the New York Yacht Club IC37. 2016 J/22 Worlds Champion, won J/22 North Americans & top ten in multiple J/24 Worlds, NAs and Nationals. Board member of Conanicut Island Sailing Foundation.

Molly O'Bryan Vandemoer: 2012 Olympian (Match Racing with teammates Anna Tunnicliffe and Debbie Capozzi). Coached at Severn Sailing Association and the US Naval Academy; currently Executive Director of Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation (PYSF), a non-profit focused on San Francisco peninsula youth. Match Racing World Champion (2011), ISAF World Cup Champion 2011-12, Snipe Women's World Champion ('11), US Sailing Team Member (2003-15 competing in 470s, Match Racing, 49er FX), College National Champion ('01), College All-American Team (2000-02), High School National Champion ('96).

Travis Odenbach: On Quantum's core team of J/22, J/24, and J/70 class experts. Won J/24 North Americans & finished in the top three multiple times at Nationals, North Americans, and World. 2nd in the 2021 J22 World Championships. Helps customers in J/70s, J/24s, J/22s as well as larger boats to reach the podium.

Peter Wickwire: Two-time helm for Canada at Nations Cup, a Canada's Cup Champion as starting helmsman and tactician for The Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Five-time IOD Vrengen Gold Cup Champion at Bermuda International Invitational Race Week, IOD North American Champion, multiple national champion in match racing and one-design classes, and a Sail Canada Rolex Sailor of the Year finalist.

Past Celebrity Tacticians: