PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas — International big boat
racing will return to The Bahamas this winter with the first running of the
Crystal Cup at Atlantis. This landmark sailing event, hosted by the Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island, will include four days of competition from December 7 - 10, 2000.


The Crystal Cup at Atlantis will include racing on short windward-leeward
courses off Nassau for ocean racing one-designs, PHRF classes and a
feeder race from Fort Lauderdale. The Notice of Race will be published in
early September.


Competing boats will berth in the protected, world-class Marina at Atlantis,
offering direct access to Nassau Harbour. The marina, the centerpiece of
Atlantis, features 63 megayacht slips. A 100-foot wide channel, located to
the west of the northbound Nassau/Paradise Island Bridge allows for
unrestricted mast height. Controlling depth in the channel and the Marina is
a minimum of 12 feet at low tide. Within the harbor, the largest of the 63
slips are 160-foot finger piers with a 37-foot beam, plus several
lay-along-side berths with no beam restrictions.


The Crystal Cup at Atlantis is managed by Octagon Marketing, Stamford, Connecticut, organizers of The Swedish Match Grand Prix world match racing circuit, the Colorcraft Gold Cup in Bermuda and the Acura SORC in Miami, Florida. For more information, including a Notice of Race, call toll-free, (877) 520-2508.