NEWPORT, R.I. – Sailing World, owner and organizer of the Sperry Top-Sider National Offshore One-Design (NOOD) Regatta, announced today the newest addition to its 2008 national schedule of nine regattas is a stop in Seattle. The Seattle NOOD will be co-hosted by the Seattle Yacht Club and the Corinthian Yacht Club and is set to take place on Puget Sound, May 16-18, 2008, with registration scheduled for Thursday, May 15.

"Having the NOOD Regatta in Seattle already has excitement building among the one-design fleets in the Northwest," stated Bobbi Campbell, Seattle Yacht Club's chair for the event. Joe James, commodore of Corinthian Yacht Club, adds, "Both yacht clubs look forward to working together to present exciting races, great onshore activities and showcasing the new port facilities at Shilshole Bay Marina for this significant event."

Seattle has an excellent sailing community and the NOOD Regatta looks to kick off the first Seattle NOOD with great representation and support from local and traveling one-design fleets.

The addition of Seattle will round out the NOOD's presence on the West Coast, following the San Diego NOOD, and will mark the first time an NOOD has taken place in the Pacific Northwest.

"As title sponsor of the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta, we are very excited to add the Pacific Northwest to our lineup of exciting regattas in 2008," said Karen Pitts, vice president of marketing for Sperry Top-Sider. "We are looking forward to working with hosts Seattle Yacht Club and Corinthian Yacht Club to offer an outstanding event to Seattle-area sailors."

Created by Sailing World in 1988, the NOODs attract nearly 2,000 boats and more than 30,000 competitors and spectators annually. Each event in the series features three days of sailboat racing for one-design models from 20 to 70 feet in length. In addition to local sailors, sailing's top stars - including America's Cup and Olympic champions - are well-represented at the NOODs. Competitive sailors rate the NOODs as the top national event in each region of the country.

For more information on the 2008 Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regattas, visit sailingworld.com.

About Sperry Top-Sider
Since 1935, Sperry Top-Sider has been the leading brand of footwear for those who love the water. From its introduction of the world's first siped rubber outsole for nonmarking traction to advanced technical fabrication to combat the elements, Sperry Top-Sider remains the vanguard of high-performance amphibious footwear and apparel. Available around the globe in fine independent, marine, outdoor and department stores, Sperry Top-Sider is the official footwear of US Sailing, National Safe Boating Council and Team 7, the gold medal favorites for the 2008 Olympic Games. Based in historic Lexington, Massachusetts, Sperry Top-Sider supports a wide range of water-related activities through its many sponsorships, including Acura Key West, National Safe Boating Council and Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regattas. For more information, please visit sperrytopsider.com.

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