SAILING SHORTS

* Kingston, ONT (August 16, 2012) – CORK International Regatta completed today for the 281 youth entrants from Canada, USA, Mexico, and Bermuda competing in four events. Winners were Alexander Burke (Laser), Kalin Hillier (Laser Radial), Charlotte Leclue (Laser 4.7), and Allie Surrette/ Ali ten Hove (Club 420). Racing continues for Olympic and elite development classes (Aug. 18-22), and will include North American Championships for the 29er, 49er, and Finn. Details here: http://www.cork.org/results/2012-results-resultats-2012/

* Cascade Locks, OR (August 16, 2012) – No changes at the top after the second day at US Sailing’s 2012 Youth Championships on the Columbia River Gorge. All fleets are now discarding a drop race, with leaders continuing as Mitchell Kiss (Laser Radial), Greg Martinez (Laser), Scott Buckstaff/ James Moody (29er), and Max Simmons/ Riley Legault (Club 420). Racing continues through Saturday. Event website: http://championships.ussailing.org/Youth/US_Youth_Champs.htm

* By the end of the month, ORACLE TEAM USA expects to have tested and launched the first of its two AC72 wingsail catamarans planned for the defense of the 2013 America’s Cup. Weather conditions will set the agenda for the week Aug. 27. Day 1 will see boat in the water for structural load-testing and systems checks on design features. If all signed-off by the engineers and boatbuilders, Day 2 will be the yacht’s first scheduled sail on San Francisco Bay. It will become the first AC72 to sail on the waters of the host city. — Full report: http://tinyurl.com/O-T-USA-081612

* With fewer than 13 months remaining to the start of the 2013 America’s Cup Finals, the event has launched a new website to better suit the needs of the teams and fans. Details here:
http://tinyurl.com/ACUP-081612

* The ISAF World Sailing Rankings has released their latest Olympic fleet racing update (Aug. 15) which now includes the results from the 2012 Olympic Games. The rankings, which accounts for a sailor’s performance over 24 months, finds the top ranked sailor as also a medalist in 8 of the 9 events. — Full report: http://www.sailing.org/news/32060.php

* Newport, RI (August 16, 2012) – The historic Ida Lewis Yacht Club was a beehive of activity today as competitors readied for the eighth edition of the Ida Lewis Distance Race (ILDR) which is set to get underway at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, August 17. Three starts will dispatch approximately 26 boats ranging from 30-56′ on courses between 104 and 177 nm. In its third year, the Youth Challenge has attracted four boats which have met the requirement that more than 40% of the crew must have reached their 14th birthday but not turn 20 prior to August 17, 2012. — Race website: http://www.ildistancerace.org/2012/index.php

* The St. Thomas Yacht Club’s International Rolex Regatta is scheduled one week earlier in 2013 (March 22-24) to accommodate holistic shifts on the Caribbean regatta calendar that have been planned jointly by various event organizers to give sailors a better flow to their Spring racing vacations in the Islands. Also, the 40th Anniversary of the event finds the Melges 32 class has made the event a destination for its new three-event Caribbean series in 2013. — Full report: http://www.rolexcupregatta.com/press/prread.php?prid=68