Reports from all three days: Day One – Day Two – Day Three

Brian and Stephen Tedeschi and crew of Tastes Like Chicken celebrate at finish

J/109 North American Championships

Oct. 26 – 28, 2007

Final Day - Oct. 28, 2007

Tedeschi’s are new J/109 champs

LONG BEACH, Calif.---“We plan to keep sailing consistently. That is how we win regattas.”

Those words as spoken by Stephen Tedeschi on Saturday now seem prophetic as he and co-skipper/father Brian did just that Sunday, sailing their boat Tastes Like Chicken, Newport, R.I., to win the second annual J/109 North American Championships in the waters off Long Beach.

Going into the day, Tedeschi knew there were only two or three boats they had to watch: Gary Mozer’s Current Obsession, Long Beach, John Shulze’s Linstar, Newport Beach, and Tony Wetherbee’s Commotion, Dana Point.

In heavy winds of 14-16 knots, some boats had miscues and Current Obsession tore its jib. But the Tedeschi crew of Tony Tedeschi, Mark Ploch, Mark “Gonzo” Gonzales, Alex Millet, Melody Schleusner, and Peter Hamm persevered with fifth- and second-place finishes Sunday to clinch the crown for the championship.

“I noticed in the first race that Linstar and [Current] Obsession were match racing,” Tedeschi said, “so we dropped in behind and were very comfortable being there knowing that the big picture was to finish the regatta ahead of them on points. We knew we could do that by following them.

“We have learned it’s more important to win the regatta than to win individual races.”

Their consistency was quite apparent to their competitors, including Wetherbee, who finished second in the regatta, and Shulze, who came in third.

“Chicken had a game plan and they stuck to it,” Wetherbee said. “They really deserve this. They came the farthest and sailed the fastest.”

Shulze said, “Consistency is what won the regatta for them. We think we put in the best effort we could and are happy to be among the top finishers.”

Coming into Sunday’s racing, Gary Mozer’s local team had third place and was looking to move up, but a torn jib at the start of the second race dashed their hopes as they retired for the day.

Last year’s champion, Jon Halbert’s Vitesse, Dallas, Tex., had challenges throughout the event but looked back in the groove with first-place finish in the first race Sunday, but a miscue at a leeward gate rounding in the second race caused their spinnaker to get away and flap in the breeze while boats passed by, leaving them to finish seventh.

Disappointed but philosophical, Halbert said, “Hey, that’s yacht racing.”

Smiling on the dock after the day’s racing, Brian Tedeschi said, “This was a great regatta… but ya know any regatta is great!”

Final Standings

1. Brian & Stephen Tedeschi, Tastes Like Chicken, Storm Trisail Club,

1-2-3-2-2-(5)-2, 12 points

2. Tony Wetherbee, Commotion, Balboa YC,

3-6-4-1-(7)-3-1, 18

3. John Shulze, Linstar, Balboa Yacht Club,

2-5-1-(6)-1-6-5, 20

4. Gary Mozer, Current Obsession, LBYC,

5-1-2-4-4-4-(9)DNF, 20

5. Tom Brott, Electra, Seal Beach YC,

(6)-4-5-3-5-2-3, 22

6. Jon Halbert, Vitesse, Dallas, Tx.,

4-3-7-(9)RAF-3-1-7, 25

7. Bryce Benjamin, Persistence, California YC,

7-7-6-5-6-(8)-6, 37

8. Chris Mewes, Shadowfax, Navy YC Long Beach,

(8)-8-8-7-8-7-4, 42

Race information and official standings at:

www.lbyc.org

PRESS OFFICER

Rick Roberts

310.834.6682

cell: 367.9079

ricksoffice@sbcglobal.net

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Stephen Tedeschi at the helm of Tastes Like Chicken (c) keeps the overall lead

J/109 North American Championships

Oct. 26 – 28, 2007

Second Day - Oct. 27, 2007

Local boats close in on East Coast leader

LONG BEACH, Calif.---Still on top of the leader board after the second day of racing is Brian and Stephen Tedeschi’s Tastes Like Chicken, Newport, R.I., but after Saturday’s fluky winds and weird weather in the J/109 North American Championships, the local boats of John Shulze’s Linstar, Newport Beach, and Gary Mozer’s Current Obsession, Long Beach, are challenging for the lead.

Three races were run Saturday with an hour and a half postponement for lack of wind before racing began, causing the last race of the day to almost finish in the dark. When racing did start in 4-5 knots of wind no one expected rain and wind of 15-17 knots by the end of the day.

Linstar had first-, seventh- and first-place finishes for the day vaulting them into second place overall.

“We expected to race in light conditions,” said Shulze, “but when the breeze came up in the second race, we weren’t ready for windy conditions. After the second race we adjusted and came back.”

Stephen Tedeschi agreed on the challenging conditions. “It was a very fluky day,” he said. “We kept jibing on shifts downwind. Our last race we came back from a bad start leaving us in last place to come back and finish second. Not bad.”

There was a protest involving Tony Wetherbee’s Commotion, Newport Beach, and Jon Halbert’s Vitesse, Dallas, Tex., regarding a starboard-port encounter. The jury ruled in favor of Commotion keeping them in fourth place overall.

“Our goal is to get down to match racing tomorrow,” Shulze said, “because we do well at that.”

“We plan to keep sailing consistently,” Tedeschi said. “That is how we win regattas.”

Racing concludes Sunday with two races scheduled, conditions permitting. Racing starts at 12:55 p.m..

Current Standings

1. Brian & Stephen Tedeschi, Tastes Like Chicken, Storm Trisail Club,

1-2-3-2-2, 10 points

2. John Shulze, Linstar, Balboa Yacht Club,

2-5-1-6-1, 15

3. Gary Mozer, Current Obsession, LBYC,

5-1-2-4-4, 16

4. Tony Wetherbee, Commotion, Balboa YC,

3-6-4-1-7, 21

5. Tom Brott, Electra, Seal Beach YC,

6-4-5-3-5, 23

6. Jon Halbert, Vitesse, Dallas, Tx.,

4-3-7-8-3, 25

7. Bryce Benjamin, Persistence, California YC,

7-7-6-5-6, 31

8. Chris Mewes, Shadowfax, Navy YC Long Beach,

8-88-7-8, 39

Race information and official standings at:

www.lbyc.org

PRESS OFFICER

Rick Roberts

310.834.6682

cell: 367.9079

ricksoffice@sbcglobal.net

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Stephen Tedeschi at the helm of Tastes Like Chicken takes win in first race Friday

J/109 North American Championships

Oct. 26 – 28, 2007

First Day - Oct. 26, 2007

East Coast boat holds its own against locals

LONG BEACH, Calif.---Brian and Stephen Tedeschi’s J/109, Tastes Like Chicken, Newport, R.I., got off to a great start Friday to lead the first day of racing by posting first- and second-place finishes in the J/109 North American Championships, leading five local boats and two out-of-towners.

The regatta, hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club, may have only eight boats entered (a disappointing number of entries for the J/109 Class Association) but represents the top boats in the class.

“It was very competitive, tough racing today,” Stephen Tedeschi said. “The numbers may be low, but the competition is high. These are some of the top boats in California. We won major regattas on the East Coast, but some of these California boats like Current Obsession are going to be tough.”

Tedeschi was referring to the current second-place boat of Gary Mozer, from Long Beach Yacht Club. Mozer finished fifth in the first race but came back to finish first in the second.

“The first race, we didn’t work as a team,” said Mozer. “But the second race we came together and it really gelled. With this fleet, there is a lot of competition, but we’re also having a lot of fun.

“Chicken is a great boat and they’re really nice guys. We just have a lot of local knowledge with three of our crew from either LBYC or Alamitos Bay Yacht Club and that will really help us.”

Tedeschi agreed, “We learned quickly today that when the wind starts to fill it shifts to the right,” referring to Friday’s relatively light 5-7 knots. “We tried to sail conservatively today, not wanting to make any mistakes and played the shifts.”

Mozer added, “We plan on being consistent tomorrow and keep working as a team.”

Tastes Like Chicken should keep an eye out for the locals Saturday. In California, some are obsessed with eating chicken.

Racing continues Saturday with three races scheduled followed by two on Sunday, conditions permitting. Racing starts at 12:55 p.m. each day.

Current Standings

1. Brian & Stephen Tedeschi, Tastes Like Chicken, Storm Trisail Club, 1-2, 3 points

2. Gary Mozer, Current Obsession, LBYC, 5-1, 6

3. John Shulze, Linstar, Balboa Yacht Club, 2-5, 7

4. Jon Halbert, Vitesse, Dallas, Tx., 4-3, 7

5. Tony Wetherbee, Commotion, Balboa YC, 3-6, 9

6. Tom Brott, Electra, Seal Beach YC, 6-4, 10

7. Bryce Benjamin, Persistence, California YC, 7-7, 14

8. Chris Mewes, Shadowfax, Navy YC Long Beach, 8-8, 16