From The Archives: Ainslie, Railey, and the Kiss of Death

Here are some moments in sailing history stored in the Scuttlebutt archives…

2010- 5 years ago: Britain’s Ben Ainslie (GBR) TEAMORIGIN has won his first ISAF Match Racing World Championship title by winning the Monsoon Cup on a day of high drama in Malaysia. The three-time Olympic gold medalist was in imperious form at the deciding regatta having staged a stunning late season charge to snatch the title from the clutches of long time series leader Mathieu Richard (FRA) French Match Racing Team.

2005- 10 years ago: 18-year-old Paige Railey from Clearwater Florida is the new Laser Radial World Champion, cruising to victory in Fortaleza, Brazil with a race to spare. The 18 year old American completes an incredible first year on the ISAF Graded circuit, adding the World title to the European and ISAF Youth Worlds crowns, winning six out of the eight events she entered and topping the ISAF World Sailing Rankings.

2000- 15 years ago: “The Boat of the Year award seems to me to be the Kiss of Death in the boating industry,” declared Bill Carey. “Just look at the Aerodyne 38, the Synergy, and the 405 – all recent winners. Farr 40 didn’t get it, Mumm 30 didn’t get it, and the Vanguard 15 didn’t get it – and look at their popularity. The only exception I can think of is the Melges 24, which I think won in ’93. It’s too bad that Sailing World bestowed its Kiss of Death (aka Boat of the year Award) to the Schock 40 – it’s really a pretty neat boat.”