News from New York Yacht Club American Magic, Challenger for the 36th America's Cup. View this email in your browser Image: IYRS graduate and American Magic boatbuilder James Allsopp (Annapolis, Md.) works at the team’s production facility in Bristol, Rhode Island. Photo: © Amory Ross / American Magic FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 28, 2019

IYRS GRADUATES STRENGTHEN

U.S. AMERICA’S CUP CHALLENGER

A new partnership between the Rhode Island-based school and American Magic supports the present and future of the marine and composite fabrication industries.





“Our team was formed to win the America’s Cup and to help rebuild an America’s Cup culture in the United States,” said Terry Hutchinson, Skipper and Executive Director of American Magic. “IYRS is helping us to accomplish both. It is a real testament to the quality of the school’s programs that we were able to plug so many IYRS graduates directly into an America’s Cup facility building AC75 yachts. Our boatbuilders from IYRS will help ensure that the U.S. can produce the fastest racing boats in the world long into the future.”



The America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sports, and the highest prize in sailing. First contested in 1851, the competition was held in Newport from 1930 until 1983, when the team onboard Australia II defeated Liberty, the defending syndicate from New York Yacht Club. Formed in 2017, American Magic is New York Yacht Club’s Challenger for the 36th edition of the event, set to be held from March 6-21, 2021, in Auckland, New Zealand.



“IYRS is thrilled to have its graduates be a part of the team working to build American Magic’s boats,” said Jay Coogan, President of IYRS School of Technology and Trades in Newport. “The America’s Cup has fostered innovation in racing yachts throughout its history. It is exciting that American Magic is bringing together expertise across many disciplines to create this high-performance production program here in Rhode Island. An IYRS education shares the same high standards of execution using technology and hands-on knowledge that is being employed in the building of American Magic. We are honored to partner with a team doing so much for our industry.”



Rhode Island has a storied history of America’s Cup boatbuilding, with the first locally produced America’s Cup “defender” yacht, Vigilant, built in Bristol during the winter of 1892/1893 by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. American Magic’s production facility is located a short distance from the Herreshoff yard, which now houses the Herreshoff Marine Museum and the America’s Cup Hall of Fame. Other Cup contenders have been built by Rhode Island companies including Goetz Composites in Bristol and New England Boatworks (NEB) in Portsmouth.



“Working on an America’s Cup program is a dream come true for someone in the composites industry, and especially for someone who loves sailing,” said James Allsopp, IYRS ’13 and American Magic boatbuilder. “The boats we are building in Bristol are pretty special, and I think they will generate a lot of pride for IYRS grads, American Magic fans, and everyone in the marine industry.”



To celebrate the new partnership, American Magic Chief Operating Officer Rob Ouellette will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming IYRS Winter Celebration on March 28, 2019 at New York Yacht Club in New York City. Newport, R.I. - With nine graduates of Newport’s IYRS School of Technology and Trades already working in the Bristol, R.I. production facility of New York Yacht Club American Magic, a U.S. Challenger for the 36th America’s Cup, the two organizations have announced plans to formally collaborate and strengthen the marine and composite fabrication industries in the United States. IYRS has been named a Sailing Community Partner of American Magic, and the team will work to continue providing the school’s graduates with professional opportunities at the pinnacle of the sport.“Our team was formed to win the America’s Cup and to help rebuild an America’s Cup culture in the United States,” said Terry Hutchinson, Skipper and Executive Director of American Magic. “IYRS is helping us to accomplish both. It is a real testament to the quality of the school’s programs that we were able to plug so many IYRS graduates directly into an America’s Cup facility building AC75 yachts. Our boatbuilders from IYRS will help ensure that the U.S. can produce the fastest racing boats in the world long into the future.”The America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in international sports, and the highest prize in sailing. First contested in 1851, the competition was held in Newport from 1930 until 1983, when the team onboard Australia II defeated Liberty, the defending syndicate from New York Yacht Club. Formed in 2017, American Magic is New York Yacht Club’s Challenger for the 36th edition of the event, set to be held from March 6-21, 2021, in Auckland, New Zealand.“IYRS is thrilled to have its graduates be a part of the team working to build American Magic’s boats,” said Jay Coogan, President of IYRS School of Technology and Trades in Newport. “The America’s Cup has fostered innovation in racing yachts throughout its history. It is exciting that American Magic is bringing together expertise across many disciplines to create this high-performance production program here in Rhode Island. An IYRS education shares the same high standards of execution using technology and hands-on knowledge that is being employed in the building of American Magic. We are honored to partner with a team doing so much for our industry.”Rhode Island has a storied history of America’s Cup boatbuilding, with the first locally produced America’s Cup “defender” yacht, Vigilant, built in Bristol during the winter of 1892/1893 by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. American Magic’s production facility is located a short distance from the Herreshoff yard, which now houses the Herreshoff Marine Museum and the America’s Cup Hall of Fame. Other Cup contenders have been built by Rhode Island companies including Goetz Composites in Bristol and New England Boatworks (NEB) in Portsmouth.“Working on an America’s Cup program is a dream come true for someone in the composites industry, and especially for someone who loves sailing,” said James Allsopp, IYRS ’13 and American Magic boatbuilder. “The boats we are building in Bristol are pretty special, and I think they will generate a lot of pride for IYRS grads, American Magic fans, and everyone in the marine industry.”To celebrate the new partnership, American Magic Chief Operating Officer Rob Ouellette will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming IYRS Winter Celebration on March 28, 2019 at New York Yacht Club in New York City. For tickets, please go here. Image: The Mule, American Magic's test boat, sails near Newport, Rhode Island in late 2018. The Mule was built by a production team based in Bristol, Rhode Island that included multiple IYRS graduates. Photo: © Amory Ross / American Magic Read Online: American Magic Homepage

American Magic Homepage Photos for Press: Download Images (Editorial use only) About IYRS School of Technology & Trades



IYRS School of Technology & Trades is a non-profit, post-secondary school that provides experiential learning in the heart of downtown Newport, Rhode Island. IYRS helps prepare students to enter a global maker and manufacturing workforce by teaching the art and science of making, building, restoring and maintaining, and in the process, helps its graduates build both careers and more meaningful lives. IYRS is accredited by the ACCSC and offers training programs in Boatbuilding & Restoration, Composites Technology, Digital Modeling & Fabrication, and Marine Systems. Learn more at http://www.iyrs.edu.



About New York Yacht Club American Magic



Formed in October 2017 by Bella Mente Racing, Quantum Racing and the New York Yacht Club, American Magic brings together two highly successful racing programs with one of the foremost yacht clubs in the world. The team represents a shared vision of launching a campaign for the 36th America's Cup competition, reconnecting the American sailing base with sailing's premier event and elevating the quality of competitive sailing in the United States.



American Magic will develop and support a team that will participate in the America's Cup competition, the Prada Cup and the America's Cup World Series events that lead up to both. American Magic’s Official Innovation Partner is Airbus. Other partnerships include Official Apparel Sponsor Helly Hansen and Official Control Systems Sponsor Parker Hannifin. American Magic is a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. www.americanmagic.com



About the New York Yacht Club



The New York Yacht Club was founded in 1844 when nine New York yachtsmen met aboard John Cox Stevens' yacht and a year later its original clubhouse was built in Hoboken, N.J. The Club's Annual Regatta was first run in 1845. The Club was the keeper of the America's Cup from 1851 to 1983, and it organized the first transatlantic race in 1866. The Club maintains two exquisite clubhouses, on 44th Street in the heart of New York City, known for its Model Room and extensive nautical library, and Harbour Court in Newport, R.I., which annually hosts some of North America's most prestigious sailing events, including the Annual Regatta, Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex, the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup and the Queen's Cup. www.nyyc.org

Press Contacts: Will Ricketson

New York Yacht Club American Magic

Communications Director

T: +1 978 697 2384 (USA)

E: will@americanmagic.com



Josh Singer

Marketing Manager

IYRS School of Technology and Trades

T: 401-848-5777 ext 202

E: jsinger@iyrs.edu