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SCUTTLEBUTT #212 -- November 4, 1998WORLD SAILORS OF THE YEARPalma de Mallorca, Spain -- The ISAF announced the "1998 ISAF/Sperry Top-Sider World Sailor of the Year Award -- Carolijn Brouwer (NED won the Female Award and Ben Ainslie (GBR) won the Male Award. Carolijn Brouwer (NED) - was recognized for her outstanding successes in the Europe Class. Over the past year, she has finished in the top three of every ISAF graded event in which she has competed, with just one exception. Titles claimed include 1998 Europe Class World Champion and a 1st at the 1998 Pre-pre Olympic Regatta. Carolijn«s Gold in Sydney secured Holland«s qualification on the starting line of the Europe Class at the 2000 Olympic Regatta. Ben Ainslie (GBR) - was presented with the male award in recognition of his domination of the Laser Class. From the beginning of the year, Ben claimed pole position on the ISAF World Sailing Rankings, and from that auspicious start went on to claim golds at many Championships, including the ISAF World Sailing Championship, British Laser National Championships and Laser European Championships. Ben's win in Dubai, with a race to spare, was two-fold. Not only was he crowned 1998 Laser Class World Champion, but he also qualified Great Britain for a place on the starting line for the Laser Class at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The other female nominees for the ISAF/Sperry Top-Sider World Sailor of the Year Awards 1998 were Betsy Alison (USA; the multi-national crew of EF Education; and the multi-national crew of Royal Sun Alliance. The male nominees included Male Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA); the multi-national crew of EF Language; and Mateusz Kusznierwicz (POL). At the same time, past ISAF President Peter Tallberg (FIN) was presented with the Beppe Croce Trophy in recognition of his contribution to the sport of sailing. In 1968 Peter started to contribute to the International Yacht Racing Union by becoming a Member of the Technical Smallboat Committee. From then until Presidency he was also a member of the Centerboard Boat Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Class Policy and Organization Committee, Chairman of the Olympic Classes Subcommittee, and Vice-President from 1978-1986. Peter was President of the International Sailing Federation from 1986-1994. Event website: http://www.sailing.org J/24 EAST COAST CHAMPIONSHIPS Sailed this past weekend from the Severn Sailing Association in Annapolis. 78 entrants: 1. Terry Hutchinson 31 2. Borges / Read 66 3. Steven Hunt 73 4. Chris Larson 79 5. Chris Zaleski 81 Complete Results at: http://www.clark.net/pub/ssa/LobbyArt/archive/1998J24EastCoastChampionship/ ST. PETERBURG TROPHY The Cedar Point Yacht Club of Westport (Conn.) was awarded US Sailing's St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy. CPYC was recognized for its outstanding race management at the U.S. Team Race Championship for the George R. Hinman Trophy. This regatta-held in Vanguard 15 dinghies, September 19-21, 1997-signifies the national team race championship. The regatta drew 14, three-boat teams and a total of 84 participants. For the full story: http://www.ussailing.org/news/main.html AMERICA'S CUP First contacted in August by Yaka (La Rochelle), the builder Multiplast got the nod and obtained the contract last week to build and deliver 'keys in hand' [a French phrase meaning everything ready to go]. This ACC boat will fly the French colours in New Zealand during the America's Cup 2000. Construction of the high tech boat will start on November 15, with delivery to the team scheduled for June 1999. Multiplast has previously built two America's Cup yachts: F1 in 1989, and the first 'Ville de Paris.' -- Excerpt from DEFENCE 2000 which is available from John@roake.gen.nz for US$48 per year. UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL The curmudgeon recently got an unsolicited letter from Cliff Thompson in San Diego who said, "I would like to put in a plug for Frank (Whitton), who did the shirts for the Schock 35 National Championships, AND in the process, helped our class make a few bucks." Frank's Pacific Embroidery can do the same for your regatta. Give him a call to learn the details. Frank delivers! Pacyacht@aol.com / 619-226-8033 LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON >> From Peter Holmberg -- In reply to your query about the ramifications of Paul Bogataj leaving Team Caribbean, we actually ended our contract with him back in June, so no need to spook the cattle. >> From Steve Glassman -- As long as US Sailing holds the monopoly on ruling the roost, I don't think it will make any difference to them whether or not their communications effort is "A+" or "F-". It is their ball. I suspect they really don't care what you or I or the collective "WE" in the sailing community think. Maybe the best that can be hoped for is a competing organization, perhaps made up of one-design sailors and constructors (almost like the FOCA -- Formula One Constructors Association) and a new handicap group (without getting into WHICH measurement system that ought to be) to rise up to challenge. With the increased interest in one-design sailing, the advertising dollars being poured into that form of racing on the national level, and the likelihood that, as a group, they can survive very well, thank you, without the blessing of US Sailing, that might be the viable alternative. Whenever the 8000 pound gorilla gets upset, it usually takes a 9000 pound gorilla to straighten it out. In this case, taking the most visible racing form where the most money is being invested out on its own may be the 9000 pound solution. >> From Ali Meller -- I don't know why US Sailing was not able to put out reports... My guess is that they did not have someone tasked to do it, and no one "volunteered" to give up hours every evening to do it. It does take a lot of time, when you would prefer to be eating dinner and having a drink with your friends. I'm not quite sure why I do it for the 505 class, probably because I believe it is important, and it looks like it wouldn't happen if I didn't do it. Fortunately I was not doing it alone for the recent 505 events. Two other 505 class members, Dennis Burroughs and Allan Freedman, also spent hours each evening getting the reports written and distributed. >> From Dobbs Davis -- Once again, Peter Huston's comments spur me to respond: He and other advocates of Appendix R-restricted sailing continually invoke their interest in expanding the sport to be inclusive of all sailors, to broaden the enjoyment for more racers at more levels, and other such nobly-phrased endeavors. Good on them for putting their time and talents to work in an attempt to help grow the sport. However, I have an important question: how long has the classification scheme been in place now? Three, maybe four years? I put it to Peter, Dave Irish, and others to please provide some quantitative evidence that the policy has worked, i.e., that there's been progress made towards these lofty goals (which, by the way, we all share!). I know measuring progress of this sort may be difficult, but certainly there must be some measure of success. Is 3 or 4 years enough time, or is 3 or 4 more needed while we continue to wrangle over this issue? >> From Chris Ericksen -- Re hand-held radios in one-design classes: I was astonished to read a pargraph in the SI's for the Etchells NA's in October that prohibited radios of any kind--VHF, cell phones, pagers, AM/FM, weather radios, everything. I thought this to be a peculiarity of The San Francisco Yacht Club, who hosted the regatta; but it is a rule in the Etchells class for World Championships, and SFYC used it. At Alamitos Bay Yacht Club we prefer the ISAF recommended paragraph: "A boat shall neither make radio transmissions while racing nor receive radio communications not available to all boats." This covers any objection anyone could possibly have: it permits carrying and use of AM/FM radios, weather radios and VHF's but precludes private-channel walkie-talkies, cell phones and pagers and any transmissions of any kind while the boat is still racing. I think all one-design classes ought to accept this in the interest of safety. >> From Jeff Madrigali -- Rolex Yachtsman of the Year: Paul Cayard, Vince Brun, Doug McLean; Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year: Betsy Alison, JJ Isler, Hannah Swett >> From Keith Grzelak -- I have to agree, whether you like the guy or not, Terry Hutchinson has had one remarkable year. He has been so close for so long. To truly compare these guys, you need to evaluate the opportunities with which each candidate has been presented (from both a financial and luck of the draw perspective - since most of these candidates don't pay their way), and then compare what each has done with their opportunities. I personally felt that Vince's win in the J/24 Worlds last year was tarnished by the fact that Terry was in top form, but was absent from the regatta (rumors were that Terry couldn't come up with the estimated $25K+ cost to compete). This guy is just too damn good not to get a shot, ...whether you like him or not (and I sense that many southern Cal. guys don't). I think Cayard's perfomance was stellar, but this was just one "spotlight" event. This award is meant to reward an individual for a "season" of performance, not a single race that lasts an entire season. >> From Bob Merrick -- As far as I know Nick Trotman is the only US Sailor to win two World Championships this year, 505 and Team Racing. The Rolex (Award) should be cut and dry this year. >> From Bruce Monro -- The Rolex Yachtsman of the Year is Paul Cayard - hands down. Nothing compares to winning a race that requires you to sail the fastest all the way around the world. This is especially so when you consider the caliber of the competition and the margin of victory. >> Chuck Simmons -- From Rolex Yachtsman of the Year is a very close affair this year indeed. Terry Hutchinson and Paul Cayard have already been mentioned and it looks as if Terry is getting the lobbying it takes to win the award. Another person I believe has a shot at it would be Vince Brun. Second in the J-24 Worlds and won the Melges 24 Worlds, first in the J-24 North Americans. I believe the award will be handed out to one of these three and now it is actually whoever mounts the best lobbying campaign, not the best racing record. Curmudgeon's comment: Lobbying will be important, but I don't think you should overlook the fact that two of the candidates you mentioned are from the West Coast. And some people will tell you that West Coast nominees have had a tough time overcoming the bias of the East Coast yachting establishment when it comes time to award the watch. Could the fact that virtually all of the major national yachting publications are headquartered on the East Coast have something to do with that bias? >> From Michael Levitt (concerning yesterday's correction on the number viewer who watched the 1995 America's Cup) -- Yeah, But who's Counting? I guess I've seen too many Formula 1 (auto-racing) numbers lately. "It is estimated that the seventeen Grand Prix races of the 1997 season attracted over 50 billion television viewers." (From the Fˇdˇration Internationale del'Automobile (FIA) web site: http://www.fia.com/homepage/selection-a.html) Obviously sailing has room for improvement. >> From Jordan J. Dobrikin -- Measurement based handicap Rules pretty much always produce type-forming boats, be they public/published, or "secret"/reverse engineered. If the IMS model is flawed, as Mr. Johstone implies, beyond a J/125-Farr 40 anomaly; then IMS, and IMS derivatives are in "trouble" What the world needs, and probably wants, IMHO, is an evolutionary upgrade of "observed performance" Handicap Rules; AND some improvements, ("user friendly"), to the Race Scoring/Management procedures; AND a really good , very "user friendly" computer program to run/operate said procedures. Hopefully on a laptop, on board the committee boat enroute to shore; or onshore in the "club house" I think the Portsmouth Yardstick Scheme is a bit of a dark horse/"sleeper" with it's statistical data collection/reduction and, a mechanism for issuing corrected, improved accuracy ratings relatively quickly. Improved, more sophisticated statistical data reduction mechanisms would probably be needed to get the Portsmouth Scheme to be seriously considered by the "Big Boat" population. I would suggest that PHRF, and others, look more seriously at statistical data collection/reduction techniques for evolutionary improvements to their current handicapping methods. There is some activity already; i.e. the Schell Regression Formula, (http://www.well.com/user/pk/YRAphrf-sf.html) and in the Chesapeake Bay, as gleaned from conversations at the recent US Sailing, Annual Convention, in Seattle. The "technology" has been used before in top level sports, i.e. The Statistical Ranking of Player's Scouting Reports. The first system was developed in the early 70's, for the 49ers, Cowboys, Rams and Saints in the NFL as well as the Blues in the NHL; it was also the subject of a Sports Illustrated article AROUND ALONE This morning, Robin Davie is beginning his fifth day of racing without a rudder aboard his Class II yacht South Carolina. At this morning's 0944 GMT update, he was averaging a better-than-respectable six-plus knots. But the handicap was also beginning to take its toll. Davie today had dropped to fifth place behind American George Stricker and his 50-footer Rapscallion III. He has just under 2,000 difficult miles still stretched before his bow. Class II leader J.P. Mouligne left that 2,000-mile waypoint behind many, many days ago. At the latest update, he was just a shade over 400 miles away from joining Mike Golding in the winner's circle for the opening leg of the round-the-world race. With 608 and 636 miles to sail, respectively, Brad Van Liew and Mike Garside had little hope of taking the top prize. But Garside has made huge strides to catch Van Liew in recent days, and the race for second is once again wide open. CLASS II 1. Mouligne 0401 2. Van Liew 608 3. Garside 636 4. Stricker 840 5. Davie 843 Event website http://www.aroundalone.com ISAF CONFERENCE INSIGHT (The following is a special "non-official" report to the 'Butt-heads from the ISAF Annual Conference currently underway in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Canadian Steve Tupper reporting.) Tuesday was Events Committee Day. While they considered other ISAF events the major focus was on the Olympics both the 2000 and 2004. 2000 GAMES - All classes will be required to display their National Flag on their Sails. -The Soling fleet racing will be used only to seed participants so there will be 16 instead of 12 in the match racing. - Coach boats will be permitted. -49ers will be built by any licensed builder but will have to be built after a date to be decided. 2004 The 2004 Olympic events were decided and they will be in: (Gender Equipment # Crew) Female Dinghy Double Female Dinghy Single Female Keel boat Female Windsurfer Male Dinghy Double Male Dinghy Single Male Keel boat Male Windsurfer Open Dinghy Open Keel boat Open Multi hull -The classes for these events will be decided in 2000. - There will be an observation trial for the open dinghy event in 1999. - There is a proposal for a multi hull observation event in 1999. - The classes bidding to be used for the events will be required to sign an agreement with ISAF. COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS The first list of Nominees for the Committee positions was posted today. While these lists can change up to the Council meeting next Saturday it is more than likely that the named Canadians will fill the positions below John Tinker Chairman, Constitution Claude Poirier-Defoy Chairman, Training and Development Fiona Kidd Vice Chairman, Youth Steve Tupper Vice Chairman, Events David Sprague Centerboard Graeme Hayward Racing Rules Livius Sherwood Review Board Lynn Watters Review Board Peter Hall Sailing Committee OUTTA HERE The lingering Indian Summer here in SoCal is all the excuse the curmudgeon needs to head over to Catalina Island. I'll be long before many of you finish reading this issue of 'Butt. See you next week· THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere. |
