Paul Callahan, Keith Burhans, and Corky Aucreman, Sonar team representing US at 2000 Paralympics. Photo by John Kruger

Paul Callahan, Keith Burhans, and Corky Aucreman, Sonar team representing US at 2000 Paralympics. Photo by John Kruger



Stamford, CT — The newly formed New England Competitive
Sailing Center (NECSC) announces its opening day ceremony to be held
Saturday, June 9, 2001 12:00 PM at Brewer Yacht Haven Marina, Stamford, CT
(at the foot of Washington Boulevard).

NECSC, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to training, coaching and
educating disabled individuals to the opportunities available in the amateur
sport of sailing. The Center will also be open to able-bodied sailors.

Reeves Potts, Brewer Yacht Yards, Westbrook, CT, has set aside space for the
NECSC to operate at Brewer Yacht Haven Marina in Stamford, CT, after seeing
the dedication and program the principles of NECSC have established to attain
their goal. Mr. Potts and Brewer Yacht Haven Marina have unselfishly made
themselves available to help in many ways to bring this endeavor forward.

Betsy Alison, US Sailing Association's Paralympic Training Coach and
five-time Rolex Yachts woman of the Year, has joined the Center's coaching
staff and will be on-hand opening day.

Alison has advised and coached the U.S. Disabled/ParalympicSailing Teams, and
coached the Team to a Bronze medal in Sydney last fall. She has aided in
designing, promoting and teaching sailing clinics in the U.S. and abroad, and
has been actively involved in the National Woman's Sailing Association's
AdventureSail program, which helps inner city and at risk young women develop
a healthy lifestyle through sailing. Alison was recently awarded the
Leadership in Women's Sailing Award for her achievement in inspiring,
educating and enriching the lives of women through sailing.

Opening day activities will include an introduction to the Center's fleet of
boats, hands-on demonstrations and trial sails, racing, literature on the
Center's membership and planned summer program, refreshments, and a chance to
win a one-year membership to the Center.

Boats available for sailing on opening day are the Norlin Mark III
International 2.4mR/US N3 Class keelboat (single-handed sailing) and the
Sonar Class crew keelboat (three-person sailing). These boats are both
sailed in the Paralympic games as medal events.

A number of notable sailors, disabled and able-bodied, are expected to be at
opening day to talk about the organization and how disabled sailing has grown
since its first demonstration at the 1996 Paralympics in Atlanta, GA.

For more information see the center's new website at:
www.necsc.org