I know that Nigel and JC sent in a petition to race and they were accepted. Did any A class sailors send in a petition? It is not all about who won what class. All the sailors in the Alter Cup have to be paid up members of US Sailing. Performance did not send or pay for any national champs to go that I know of. Nigel could have gone as area D-N for getting 2nd place since first place could not go. It ended up that Jake and Chris ended up going for getting a 3rd in area D-N.