Onshore​ ​Festival​ ​Adds​ ​Dimension​ ​to​ ​World​ ​Cup

@Jesus Renedo / Sailing Energy / World Sailing

On January 27 and 28, while Olympic sailing hopefuls from all corners of the globe are battling for top honors on Biscayne Bay, Miami locals and visitors can enjoy a festival experience at Regatta Park in Coconut Grove complete with food trucks, fun and educational activities for all ages and a jumbotron to watch the deciding races from the comfort of shore. 

The US Sailing Education Zone will be open January 27 to 28 from 11 am to 4 pm.

The 2018 World Cup Series Miami USA is one of four stops on World Sailing's World Cup Series tour, the premiere competitive circuit for sailors with aspirations of representing their country at the Tokyo Games in 2020. The World Cup Series Miami USA, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2019, is known around the world for reliable wind, great mid-winter weather and the famous South Florida hospitality.

Many national teams make Miami a de facto winter training base, which ensures that the competition at the World Cup Series Miami USA is always of the highest level. Many of the sailors competing in the event will be standing on the podium in Tokyo in two a half years time.

The Education Zone will provide fun learning activities for youth patrons as part of the US Sailing Reach Initiative for STEM education and sport outreach. The Education Zone activities will focus on hurricanes and their impact, connecting youth to sailing, stewardship, and the local waters of Miami. Through interactive and hands-on activities, children will have the opportunity to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics through the sport of sailing. US Sailing partnered with Sailors for the Sea, University of Miami and Harken to create the Education Zone experience.

● Strengthen those abdominal muscles. US Sailing is organizing the “Don’t be a Wet Plastic Bag Hiking Challenge” in which individuals will have one minute to pick up as many pieces of debris while hiking out as if they were out dinghy sailing. After storms the local mangroves and waterways are filled with debris. Will you make the leaderboard?

● The “Reach Simple Machine Scavenger Hunt” will feature a hands on display of simple machines on sailboats while students learn about mechanical advantage. Hundreds of participating youth have a special opportunity to connect science and sailing through mechanical advantage by exploring the association between six simple machines: wheel and axle, lever, pulley, screw, wedge and inclined plane. The youth participating in the scavenger hunt will be challenged to find examples of all six simple machines in the Race Village. Those who complete the challenge will receive their very own ‘simple machine’ to take home, a block key chain from Harken. Thanks to Harken, kids will explore a winch (wheel and axle), winch handle (lever), blocks with various purchase systems (pulleys) and a vang system (pulley).

● US Sailing’s “GPS Navigation Challenge” will feature a list of items with clues for students to locate using a compass. Students will navigate their way throughout the Education Zone and Race Village to various locations for a final prize.

● Sailors for the Sea will feature three different activities from their KELP (Kids Environmental Lesson Plans) program. All of these activities are focused on how humans impact the ocean and sea life with a specific focus on plastic pollution and marine debris. Participating youth will learn how they can make a difference and become stewards of our waterways and ocean.

● University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science will feature two
activities from the Rescue a Reef program & the Canes on Canes Program.