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SCUTTLEBUTT 1307 - April 14, 2003Powered by SAIC (www.saic.com), an employee-owned company. Scuttlebutt is adigest of major yacht racing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases, constructive criticism and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome, but save your bashing and personal attacks for elsewhere. SWEDISH MATCH TOUR - Congressional Cup American Ken Read overcame a slow start earlier in the week, and the regatta's hottest skipper, to win the famed "Crimson Blazer" at the 2003 Congressional Cup, the Swedish Match Tour's first event following the America's Cup, in an exciting, penalty-filled and momentum-fueled final on Long Beach's Outer Harbor. Read, returning to competition following a brief hiatus after leading Team Dennis Conner's challenge for America's Cup 2003, frequently refers to the racing on the Swedish Match Tour as "hand-to-hand combat" and he proved himself to be the heavyweight champion today, out-punching and outlasting his opponent, New Zealand's Gavin Brady of Team Beau Geste, who was part of the Prada Challenge's afterguard. Brady entered the championship round as the favorite, having won 18 of his 20 matches this week. The 2-1 victory was Read's first in an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Grade 1 event and first on the Swedish Match Tour. It came at the end of a week that started with him jumping the gun in the first race and losing four of five on opening day. Even on Saturday, he lost his last round robin match to Sweden's Magnus Holmberg before dispatching Australia's James Spithill, 2-0, in the semifinals and winning the first and third races against Brady - dramatically, after being black-flagged from the Race 2 for fouling Brady three times during a leeward mark rounding right out of a Demolition Derby. Five of those Stars & Stripes sailors - tactician Terry Hutchinson, bowman Jerry Kirby, mainsail trimmer Moose McClintock, trimmer Morgan Trubovich and pitman Andrew Scott---were with Read this week, sailing as Team Saucony. - Shawn McBride and Rich Roberts, - www.lbyc.org / www.swedishmatchtour.com Final Round Robin Standings (18 flights): 1. Brady, 16-2; 2. Spithill, 13-5; 3. tie between Cian and Read, 10-8; 5. Holmberg, 8-10; 6. Gram-Hansen, 8-10; 7. Law, 7-11; 8. Dickson, 7-11; 9. Radich, 6-12; 10. Pillot, 5-13. Final Standings: 1. Ken Read, USA/Saucony Racing Team, $6,000 2. Gavin Brady, NZ/Team Beau Geste, $4,500 3. James Spithill, AUS/Team Spithill, $3,000 4. Paolo Cian, ITA/Riviera di Rimini Sailing Team, $2,500 5. Magnus Holmberg, SWE/Team Holmberg, $2,000 6. Jes Gram-Hansen, DEN/Team Victory Lane, $1,800 7. Scott Dickson, USA/Dickson Racing Team, $1,600 8. Chris Law, GBR/ "The Outlaws," $1,400 9. Jesper Radich, DEN/Team Radich, $1,200 10. Luc Pillot, FRA/Team Luc Pillot, $1,000 Swedish Match Tour Standings: 1 .Jes Gram-Hansen, DEN/Team Victory Lane,72 2. Jesper Radich, DEN/Team Radich, 53 3. James Spithill, OneWorld Challenge, 45 4. Chris Law, GBR/"The Outlaws," 35 Ken Read, USA/Saucony Racing, 35 6. Ed Baird, USA/Team Musto, 30 7. Gavin Brady, NZ/Team Beau Geste, 28 8. Karol Jablonski, POL/Team MK Café, 24 Paolo Cian, ITA/Riviera di Rimini Sailing Team, 24 CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: Action photos of Ken Read and Team Saucony are posted on the Scuttlebutt website. - http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/photos/ WHAT HAVE ELLEN AND THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE GOT IN COMMON? The best foul weather gear in the world. Ellen has always chosen Musto Technical Clothing for all her campaigns, and has worked hard with the Musto Development Team to ensure she has the best. The Volvo Ocean Race chose Musto as their Official Supplier for the 2001-2002 race, and were so pleased they have re appointed Musto for the 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race. Whether you are sailing America's Cup, Cowes Week, or the Twilight Series on the Chesapeake, Musto has the right product for you. http://www.musto.co.uk US SAILING TEAM The Olympic Sailing Committee (OSC) of US Sailing has named the members of its 2003 US Sailing Team. Membership on the US Sailing Team identifies sailors as strong contenders for an Olympic berth and provides them with coaching, training opportunities and financial assistance in addition to national recognition. Europe class: 2000 Europe World Bronze Medallist Meg Gaillard (Pelham, N.Y./Jamestown, R.I.); '01 US Coast Guard Athlete of the Year Krysia Pohl (Alameda, Calif.); ICSA All-American Christin Feldman (Grosse Pointe, Mich.); Lauren Maxam (Coronado, Calif.); and Tanya Haddad (Portland, Ore.). Finn class: Mo Hart (Santa Cruz, Calif./S. Portland, Maine); ICSA All-American Geoff Ewenson (Annapolis, Md./Newport, R.I.); '98 Finn National Champion Darrell Peck (Gresham, Ore.); Greg Skidmore (Riverside, Conn.); and Bryan Boyd (Edgewater, Md.). 470 men's class (skipper and crew): Olympic Pre-Trials Champions Steven Hunt (Poquoson, Va.) and Michael Miller (Fairport, N.Y.); Olympic Medallists Paul Foerster (Rockwall, Texas) and Kevin Burnham (Miami, Fla.); '99 ICSA College Sailor of the Year Mark Ivey (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and ICSA All-American Howard Cromwell (New Orleans, La.); Thomas Hall (Scarborough, Maine) and Dave Hughes (S. Portland, Maine); and David Dabney and Brock Schmidt (both Mount Pleasant, S.C.). 470 women's class (skipper and crew): Olympic Pre-Trials Champions Katie McDowell (Barrington, R.I.) and Isabelle Kinsolving (New York, N.Y.); '02 470 National Champions Erin Maxwell (Stonington, Conn.) and Jen Morgan (Shoreline, Wash.); ICSA All-American Amanda Clark (Shelter Island, N.Y.) and Sarah Mergenthaler (Colt's Neck, N.J.); '88 Olympic Gold Medallists Allison Jolly (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and Lynne Shore (Newport, R.I.); and ICSA All-Americans Molly O'Bryan (San Diego, Calif./Kaneohe, Hawaii) and Annelise Moore (Monterey, Calif./Kaneohe, Hawaii). 49er class (skipper and crew): '97 ICSA College Sailor of the Year Tim Wadlow (San Diego, Calif ) and ICSA All-American Pete Spaulding (Coral Gables, Fla.); Andy Mack (Seattle, Wash.) and ICSA All-American Adam Lowry (San Francisco, Calif.); '00 ICSA College Sailor of the Year Dalton Bergan (Seattle, Wash.) and Zach Maxam (Coronado, Calif.); ICSA All-American David Fagen (St. Petersburg, Fla.) and Bora Gulari (Detroit, Mich.); and Mike Karas (Kirkland, Wash.) and Anthony Boscolo (Seattle, Wash.). Laser class: 2002 ISAF Youth Sailing World Champion Andrew Campbell (San Diego, Calif.); Andrew Lewis (Honolulu, Hawaii); '03 Laser Midwinters West Champion Zach Railey (Clearwater, Fla.); ICSA All-American Brad Funk (Largo, Fla.); and ICSA All-American Brett Davis (Largo, Fla.). Mistral men's class: Olympic Pre-Trials Champion Peter Wells (La Canada, Calif.); Ben Barger (St. Petersburg, Fla.); ICSA All-American Kevin Jewett (Deephaven, Minn.); Phillip Muller (Ft. Pierce, Fla.); and Steve Bodner (Toledo, Ohio/San Francisco, Calif.). Mistral women's class: four-time Olympian Lanee Butler (Aliso Viejo, Calif.); Beth Winkler (Cocoa Beach, Fla.); Taylor Duch (Savannah, Ga.); Laura Chambers Lewandowski (Indialantic, Fla.); and Farrah Hall (Annapolis, Md.). Star class (skipper and crew): '98 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Paul Cayard (Kentfield, Calif.) and '93 Star World Champion Phil Trinter (Lorain, Ohio); two-time ICSA College Sailor of the Year ('89, '90) Terry Hutchinson and Andrew Scott (both Annapolis, Md.); '91 ICSA College Sailor of the Year Andy Lovell (New Orleans, La.) and '94 Goodwill Games Finn Silver Medallist Eric Oetgen (Savannah, Ga.); Howie Shiebler (San Francisco, Calif.) and Rick Peters (Venice Beach, Calif.); '98 ICSA College Sailor of the Year Bill Hardesty (San Diego, Calif.) and ICSA All-American Will Stout (Houston, Texas). Tornado class (skipper and crew): Olympic Pre-Trials Champions Robbie Daniel and Eric Jacobsen (Clearwater, Fla./Annapolis, Md.); two-time Olympians ('00, '96) John Lovell (New Orleans, La.) and Charlie Ogletree (Houston, Texas); "01 Tornado National Champions Lars Guck (Bristol, R.I.) and Jonathan Farrar (Miami, Fla.); ICSA All-American Stan Schreyer (Newport, R.I.) and Forbes Durdin (Houston, Texas); and Doug Camp (Boerne, Texas), and Kenny Pierce (Miami, Fla.). Yngling class (skipper and two crew): 2002 Yngling World Bronze Medallists Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.), Suzy Leech (Avon, Conn./Annapolis, Md.) and Lee Icyda (Stuart, Fla.); ICSA All-American Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wisc.), Carrie Howe (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) and Debbie Capozzi (Bayport, N.Y.); Carol Cronin (Jamestown, R.I.), Liz Filter (Stevensville, Md.) and Bridget Hallawell (Coronado, Calif.); Olympic Pre-Trials Champions Hannah Swett (Jamestown, R.I.), Joan Touchette (Newport, R.I.) and Melissa Purdy (Tiburon, Calif.); and '89 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Jody Swanson (Buffalo, N.Y.), two-time Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year ('95, '01) Cory Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.) and Elizabeth Kratzig (Corpus Christi, Texas). - Jan Harley, www.ussailing.org NEWS BRIEFS * The J/24 Silver Anniversary Regatta is raffling off Hull #5300 to benefit this special reunion, the J/24 Class and Sail Newport. The biggest J/24 event ever will be July 15-19, 2003 in Newport, RI, with three classes of racing, giant raft-up, parties and great family activities. More information at: http://www.j24silver.org * Entries for the 2003 ISAF World Sailing Championship in Cadiz are already approaching 1000 boats from 75 countries. - ISAF website, www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=4272 * Steve Fossett and Einar Enevoldson's Perlan Project glider flight Saturday was intended to target the 17 year old glider world altitude record, but a lack of lift forced the pair to abandon the attempt after 2 hours and land at Inyokern airport. The weather models over the past several days had predicted great 'mountain wave' conditions here in the California high desert in the Sierra Nevada range - but this time the models were wrong. www.fossettchallenge.com/ ALTER CUP Matt Struble and WF Oliver have been crowned U.S. Multihull Champions and awarded the coveted Alter Cup Trophy. The event was hosted by the Clearwater Community Sailing Center and the Clearwater Yacht Club and sailed on Bimare Javelin 2s. As defending champion, Struble, with crew Oliver, dominated the event, winning all of his races, except for race 16 when his boat was holed and one hull submerged. The redress from that incident added another bullet to his total. "This was another good year," said Matt Struble. "I think downwind we had a clear advantage, and tactically upwind we sailed real well. The biggest advantage we had was I had a fair amount of time on the boat and it's very similar to the 'A' upwind and the Inter-20 downwind, both of which I sail often." Final results: 1. Matt Struble & WF Oliver, 8; 2. Brian Lambert & Jamie Livingston, 16; 3. Bob Hodges & Jason Sneed, 18; 4. Nigel Pitt & Alex Shafer, 21; 5. Tom Korzeniewski & Kevin Smith, 28. - www.ussailing.org/alter/. AROUND ALONE After 24,000 miles of solo ocean racing around the globe, only two points and a matter of 10 hours and 50 minutes on elapsed time separates the leading two contenders for overall Class 1 victory in Around Alone 2002-03 before the restart of the fifth and final 4,000 mile leg from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil to Newport, RI. Current Class 1 leader Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm on Open 60 Bobst Group-Armor Lux is psyched up for the 'ultimate fight', two words his closest rival Frenchman Thierry Dubois has written on the cabin wall of Solidaires. Stamm is nothing but totally focused: Leg 5 of Around Alone got underway at 13:00hrs local time (17:00 GMT) Sunday and after a long and restful stop over in Salvador, Brazil the nine skippers have finally set sail for Newport, RI some 4,000 miles away. The weather was warm and muggy with a 15-knot easterly wind blowing and slightly overcast skies kept the temperature from being scorching hot. A large spectator fleet turned out to send the sailors on their way and they were treated to a spectacular sight. The only boat missing from the line-up was Derek Hatfield on Spirit of Canada, who started his own race at 01:52 GMT Sunday morning, rejoining Leg 4 in a race to complete Leg 4. With fireworks marking the occasion, Bernard Stamm sailed through the final gateway of the inshore course with a good 8 boat length lead over Solidaires. Not long after all the Class 1 boats rounded, Brad Van Liew on Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America rounded the turning mark off the Farol da Barra lighthouse and he too headed out to sea. - Mary Ambler, www.aroundalone.com STANDINGS: 2200 UTC April 13 CLASS 1. Bobst Group-Armor Lux, Bernard Stamm, 3998 miles from finish; 2.Solidaires, Thierry Dubois, 1 mile from leader; 3. Pindar, Emma Richards, 2.5 mfl; 4. Tiscali, Simone Bianchetti, 5.5 mfl; 5. Ocean Planet, Bruce Schwab, 6.2 mfl. CLASS 2: 1. Tommy Hilfiger, Brad Van Liew, 4007 miles from finish; 2. Spirit of yukoh, Kojiro Shiraishi, .7 mfl; 3. Everest Horizontal, Tim Kent, 1.5 mfl; 4. BTC Velocity, Alan Paris, 5 mfl; 5. Spirit of Canada, Derek Hatfield, still sailing leg 4. THE OCKAM ADVANTAGE Ockam's Tryad system combines the cabling weight advantage of the Ockam bus with further weight savings in multiplex interfaces and high performance switching power supply in the T1 CPU. And Ockam places no limits on where or how cabling is run, with no "warranty voiding" limitations on cable lengths. When putting together your Ockam system, you'll be able to pick from a much wider selection of sensor brands and types to interface with the system. Selections are made based on the right balance between performance and price. For more, visit www.ockam.com. LIGHTNING WORLDS Biscayne Bay YC and Coral Reef C, Miami, Florida -- Master Skipper Jim Crane of Connecticut won the 2003 Lightning International Masters with crew Larry Bone and Kip Hamblet. His finishes of 2,1,2,2 gave him a 13 point lead over Bill Mauk of Miami. Jack Elfman of New Jersey in third. Sixty 60 boats from eleven countries, the Lightning World Championship regatta started Sunday in light air. A number of protests kept the results from being posted until the wee hours of Sunday evening. Racing continues Monday. Standings: 1. T. Gonzalez, J. Lutz & C. Engel, CHI; 2. B. Healy, J. Jones & N. Mercier, USA; 3, D. Starck, J. Starck & H. Thoma, USA; 4. L. Lebreiro, M. Maia & B. Lebriero, BRA, 5. G. Fisher, G. Fisher & R. Bernstein USA. - Amy Smith Linton, www.lighningclass.org ROLEX WOMEN'S MATCH - ST. PETERSBURG St. Petersburg YC - The RC ran a complete round-robin of 9 flights in challenging NW winds, which varied from 4 to 14 knots. It was a picture-perfect sunny Florida day, One flight of round-robin 2 was sailed on Sunday morning, and then the shifty Northwesterly died. The RC waited for the sea breeze to fill in, but it did not. All racing was abandoned at approximately 1345. - Tom Farquhar. - www.spyc.org/Womens/RolexWomen%27sMatch/Frontpage.html Final results: 1. Elizabeth Kratzig, 2. Sarah Buckley, 3. Rachael Silversteen, 4. Nancy Zangerle. LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com) (Letters selected for publication must include the writer's name and may be edited for clarity or space - 250 words max. This is not a chat room or a bulletin board - you only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if others disagree.) * From Geoffrey Emanuel: I am encouraged by the progress being made to develop a globally acceptable grand prix racing rule. My one observation about any handicap system is that intrinsically handicaps serve as alibis for poor performance. Sailors who choose not to accept personal responsibility for poor results have only one tangible alibi where they themselves can be held blameless- their handicap. Or, they can rationalize defeat by accusing the victors of sailing with preferential handicaps. I have confidence that the powers that be will recognize that pleasing such people is an impossible task. Successful handicap systems such as PHRF have appeal processes that allow thoughtful people to reassess particular handicaps that for whatever reason prove to be ineffective. Despite the advancements in technology, any new rule should build in an appeal process to allow human judgment to prevail when technology occasionally lets the system down. CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: Just because we printed this letter does not mean we have opened the door for another discussion of the relative merits of PHRF. * From Clark Chapin: Although the ISAF website provides all of the Racing Rules of Sailing, including the changes since 2001, downloading the "rules" from that site will not include the US Sailing Prescriptions, which can be pretty important on this side of the big pond. Similarly, the rules interpretation books by folks who have longitudes east of the prime meridian usually don't include the US Sailing Prescriptions. * From Chris Freeman: Having done the Transpac once, albeit on the Alaska Eagle, I long for those days again. Unfortunately now I am confined to a wheelchair and cannot enjoy "Adventureland" on the bow will surfing down at 20 plus knots, only to have freeze-dried food waiting below. Hats off to the Challenged America group who is doing the race with a bunch of sailors with disabilities! Members of Transpac Anonymous should consider the benefits of the Transpac - a break from cell phones, fax machines, the office, and other such distractions. Enjoy what you can. THE CURMUDGEON'S CONUNDRUM Do pediatricians play miniature golf on Wednesdays? |
