Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week goes 3-day weekend

Long Beach, CA (June 26, 2013) – “Race with the champions” is the lure for Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week running Friday through Sunday, with the prospect that if you do it often enough you’ll become one.

It worked for Larry Spencer, who recalled his first Olson 30 Nationals in 1990 when “I didn’t do very well. There were 27 boats and I finished 26th.”

But persistence paid off. Now, at age 55, he has won seven Nationals, including last year when his Blue Star swept all seven races in this competition.

“We’ll just see if we can do it one more time,” he said.

The Oxnard sailor from Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club is among 153 current entries and all 14 monohull winners returning this year to the West Coast’s largest keelboat regatta. Online entry has expired but late entries may be filed in person at the Long Beach Yacht Club on Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. or Friday from 8 until 10 a.m.

The regatta is co-hosted by the adjacent LBYC and Alamitos Bay Yacht Clubs.

Prominent are six J/Boat one-design classes, including the local J/70s debut; the aggressive Farr 40s led by Jeff Janov’s Dark Star, the three-time West Coast class champion; ocean racers like Peter Tong’s OEX, a Santa Cruz 68, and Bob Lane’s Medicine Man, an Andrews 63, in the Random Leg distance class, and feisty small-boat groups of 25 Vipers and a dozen Open 5.70s.

Among the titles at stake: the Open 5.70 North American championship, Catalina 37 national championship, Olson 30 national championship, Farr 40 West Coast championship and Viper 640 Pan-American championship qualifier. Also, the regatta is part of the Southern California High Point Series for the J/80, J/105, J/109 and J/120 classes.

All 10 of the Long Beach Sailing Foundation’s Catalina 37s, better known for world-class Congressional Cup match racing, have been chartered for fleet racing by teams from Arizona, Washington state and throughout California. Chuck Clay’s ABYC team is defending champion.

Spencer heads the seven-boat Olson 30 fleet, with veteran big boat racer Todd Downey on board for tactics and other tips. He’s not counting on repeating his sweep.

“It was the first time a boat in the Olson 30 Nationals swept every race,” he said. “Every year a sleeper shows up.”

Racing will be on three courses in the Long Beach outer harbor set inside and outside the port’s Federal breakwater. Each day’s competition will be followed by onshore parties hosted by the yacht clubs with free shuttle boat service across Alamitos Bay between the two clubs. Parties will be at ABYC Friday night and LBYC the next two nights.

The forecast fits the onset of summer with temperatures warming to as high as 86F. and moderate southwest winds of 7 to 9 knots.

Regatta website

Any questions? See Notice of Race

Current entry list

Alamitos Bay Marina aerial guide

Ullman Sails Inshore Championship

2012 class winners
(7 races; no discards)

CATALINA 37 (9 boats)—Team ABYC*, Chuck Clay, ABYC, 1-3-4-1-2-4-3, 18 points.
FARR 40 (7)—Dark Star*, Jeff Janov, California YC, 1-1-1-1-1-2-1, 8.
J/105 (12)—Current Obsession*, Gary Mozer, LBYC, 2-2-2-1-1-3-1, 13.
J/120 (8)—Caper*, John Laun, San Diego YC, 1-2-1-1-1, 6.
J/80 (6)—Avet*, Curt Johnson, California YC, 3-1-3-1-1-1-1, 11.
OLSON 30 (8)—Blue Star*, Larry Spencer, Pacific Corinthian YC, 1-1-1-1-1-1-1, 7.
OPEN 5.70 (21)—Mor Shenanigans*, Tracey Kenney, South Coast Corinthian YC, 3-1-5-2-1-1-1, 14.
PHRF-1 (6)—Margaritavillle (Custom 52)*, Jay Steinbeck, Shoreline YC, 1-2-1-1-1-2-2, 10.
PHRF-2 (5)—Derivative (J/125)*, Mark Surber, Coronado YC, 1-1-1-1-1-1-1, 7.
PHRF-3 (8)—eXigent (Columbia 32)*, 1-6-1-1-1-4-1, 15.
PHRF-4 (8)—Tie between Lugano (40.7)*, Mark Stratton, South Bay Yacht Racing Club, 2-1-3-1-1-2-1, 11 (won tiebreaker vs. Rival (J/35)*, Dick Velthoen/David Boatner, Ventura YC, 1-2-1-2-2-1-2, 8).
PHRF-5 (8)—Sugar (J/109)*, Steven C. Crooke, LBYC, 1-3-1-1-1-4-1, 12.
VIPER 640 (15)—The F.N.G.*, James Sears, ABYC, 1-4-1-3-2-2-2, 15.
RANDOM LEG 1 (7)—Gladstone’s Long Beach (Morelli ProSail 40 catamaran), John Sangmeister, California YC, 1-1-1, 3.
RANDOM LEG 2 (5)—Victoire (40.7 monohull)*, Robert Atkins, LBYC, 1-2-1, 4.
*—Re-entered this year.

Complete 2012 results
2012 Race Week action
2012 awards photos

Ullman Sails LBRW is again associated with the Sailors for the Sea program for Clean Regattas.  Sailors for the Sea, based in Newport, R.I., is the only ocean conservation nonprofit focused on the sailing and boating community.  Its program assists and certifies yacht clubs and regatta organizers as providing clean events that minimize impacts upon our oceans.

Ullman Sails mission statement: For over 40 years, Ullman Sails has been devoted to helping our customers reach their sailing goals. Whether you aspire to win an Olympic medal, dominate local fleet racing or spend your summer cruising, we provide the highest quality sails and service to make it happen. The Ullman Sails group is proudly unique, bringing together individual sail lofts from all over the world that specialize in serving their local markets. With a rich combination of skilled designers and master sailmakers, we work together to ensure every Ullman Sails customer benefits from our international collaboration. Ullman Sails was founded in 1968 by David Ullman, one of the world’s greatest competitive sailors and still an integral part of the Ullman Sails group. Serving as president of Ullman Sails International, he also directs the Ullman design team—a select group of sailors with equally impressive credentials.

Other sponsors and supporters are Swinerton Renewable Energy. Trimble Water, West Marine, Team Campbell Logistics, Beneteau Yachts, Anchor Sailing Gloves, Ayres Hotel Seal Beach, Mount Gay Rum, Naples Rib Co., Gelson’s Supermarket, Pirates Lair, Z Blok sunscreen and the Long Beach Parks, Recreation and Marine Dept.

MEDIA CONTACT
Rich Roberts
Press officer
310.835.2526
cell 310.766.6547
richsail@earthlink.net