12th Annual Summer Sailstice Arrives June 23rd 2012 - Celebrating Sailing Wherever You Sail

From Shanghai to San Francisco sailors around the world will celebrate the 12th annual Summer Sailstice on the weekend of June 23rd, 2012. Traditionally held the weekend closest to the summer solstice, this global celebration of sailing invites all sailors to sail ‘together’ regardless of where or what they sail. To participate is easy, sailors sign up at www.summersailstice.com and go sailing!

Every year new events join the celebration. Bill Mosher, board member of Milwaukee Community Sailing Center describes their local event on Lake Michigan, with almost 800 participants, “Milwaukee Bay comes alive with sailboats thanks to Summer Sailstice. The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, Milwaukee Yacht Club, South Shore YC and MAST club all pitch in to help make it a great day on Lake Michigan. Our poker run to 5 local favorite restaurants has become a tradition.” Like sailors on Milwaukee Bay, participants are creating their own local events with activities now occurring in all 50 states and over 40 countries.

In 2012, for the third consecutive year, Summer Sailstice will again commit to Sailors for the Sea in support of healthy oceans. Summer Sailstice sailors help by pledging funds like 2004 Olympian Carol Cronin who, in 2011, pledged $10/mile sailed on the Sailstice. As Carol described her sail, “According to our MotionX track, we sailed a total of 5.37 miles—without straying much more than a mile from the mooring. So in order to keep another promise I donated $53.70 to Sailors for the Sea.”

Dan Pingaro, Executive Director of Sailors for the Sea added, “Summer Sailstice is a wonderful event to broaden support for sailing and help raise awareness of the environment. Sailors for the Sea is pleased to join Summer Sailstice in supporting ocean health and we truly appreciate the support of the sailing community. Our Clean Regattas program allows us to connect with sailors throughout the world all year long. We’re looking forward to connecting with more sailors in 2012!”

By signing up for free, sailors become eligible to win fabulous prizes. The 2011 grand prize, a BVI charter contributed by Footloose Sailing Charters, was won by Carleen Southard of ‘Moana’, a Catalina 28 sailing out of Oceanside, CA. She and her husband, Darwin, are headed out for their Footloose BVI vacation in April! Other prize winners have won Hobie kayaks, winch handles, sailing gear from West Marine and numerous other prizes available to all sailors signed up and sailing on Summer Sailstice.

“I want to give all sailors, from the America’s Cup to bluewater cruisers to daysailors on the local lake the opportunity to celebrate together and showcase everything sailing has to offer,” says founder John Arndt.

At www.summersailstice.com sailors can sign up for free then create Sailstice events, recruit crew, post stories, win prizes and learn about other sailing events being organized in their area.

About Summer Sailstice
Summer Sailstice is the global sailing holiday celebrated on the weekend closest to the summer solstice. This international event was founded in 2001 to connect the global sailing community in a fun, creative, multifaceted, multi-location sailing holiday. Every year, Summer Sailstice connects over 17,000 sailors all over the world—cruisers, racers and recreational—to celebrate and showcase life under sail. It has expanded to include participants from Asia, across the Americas and Europe.

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