Contact: Marc Hittner
(631) 499-4568
vsbipakave@aol.com 

2005 AROUND LONG ISLAND REGATTA TO BENEFIT THE MARCH OF DIMES

Sea Cliff, NY -- July 20, 2005 -- The Around Long Island Regatta ALIR), hosted by the Sea Cliff Yacht Club, is the regional jewel of ocean racing.  This year will be the twenty-ninth consecutive running of the ALIR, scheduled for July 28 – 31, 2005.  And, with the http://www.alir.org/ website already up and running and posting this year’s entry applications, New York’s only open ocean sailboat race is gearing up for the starting line. The organizers happily announced today that Pete Bethge, one of the original founders of the Around Long Island Regatta, will be in attendance along with contributions from the other four succeeding regatta chairmen, Bill Nelson, Doug Wefer, Fred Bauerschmidt, and Carl Larsen.

As the boats prepare to start off Sheepshead Bay, Marty Markowitz, the Brooklyn Borough President, will officiate the regatta’s opening ceremonies.  The race will be hosted by New York’s radio personality, Bob Buchmann, of Q104.3, who will emcee the various live venues, including a Thursday evening concert at Jones Beach and a sunrise welcome from the top of the Montauk lighthouse, early Friday morning.

For those sailors interested in entering the race, fill out the entry form found on the http://www.alir.org/ website.  A tax deductible portion of the entry fee goes directly to the March of Dimes, a national, voluntary health organization, whose mission, to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality, is accomplished through programs of community service, advocacy, education, and research.  The March of Dimes will also hold a raffle in conjunction with the ALIR.  Raffle tickets will be on sale at the Jones Beach concert and at the Sea Cliff Yacht Club on Sunday, July 31, 2005.  For more information about the March of Dimes visit www.marchofdimes.com/greaternewyork.