Rolex Block Island Race Week will bring four fleets of sail racers together for a week of spirited competition and will see the first US-IRC National Championship.

Part of the 2007 World of Rolex Racing, the Block Island Race Week will boost the small population of Block Island with 2,000 sailors and some 200 vessels. Scheduled for June 17 to the 22nd, the Storm Trysail Club sponsors this biennial event and Rolex is one of the most well-liked sailing race weeks found in the United States. Racing encompasses IRC-rated, PHRF-handicap and One-Design vessels competing in four fleets over four different courses. A distance race is also in the mix.

Block Island Race Week will roll out the first ever US-IRC National Championship. IRC, which really just stands for IRC, is a measurement rule originally developed in France by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and Union National pour la Course au Large (UNCL) to handicap sailing yachts from different countries. Yacht ratings are calculated from measurements of hull, rigging and weight, which removes subjective factors found in other handicapping systems. IRC is an internationally recognized rule of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and is just beginning to be used in the United States. IRC handicap ratings allow different types of sail vessels to race on an equal basis.

Steve De Voe of Stamford, Connecticut, sailing his Swan 45 Devocean says of the Block Island event, "Having the Nationals as part of Block Island Race Week proves that the IRC rating has come of age in the U.S. Before, handicapping had driven a lot of sailors to a single-class boat, but the IRC, for us in our 45-foot boat, is very fair and encourages us to race handicap. I anticipate the same kind of close racing and a representative showing of good IRC boats in all classes."

During the 2005 Block Island Race Week, $18,000 was raised to support charities on the island like the Block Island Rescue Squad and Block Island Maritime Institute. Storm Trysail Club plans to raffle a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Submariner timepiece and other substantial prizes provided by corporate race week sponsors. Trysail Club Commodore John Fisher says, "Block Island, like many summer destinations, recognizes the importance of tourism to its local economy and embraces the economic contributions of Block Island Race Week, Conversely, we recognize the importance of Block Island to our club's heritage and want to give something back."

The Oar Restaurant of Block Island Boat Basin will be Race Week's headquarters. Sponsors have organized social events for each evening, will host informational displays and plan for other special events to occur during race week. Rolex is providing daily video feeds of each day's races through T2Productions of Annapolis.