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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 570 - May 16, 2000STAR WORLDS - Report by Dave GendellFour months ago, childhood friends Gavin Brady and Jamie Gale had never taken a close-up view of a Star boat. But on Monday evening, the New Zealand national flag was flying from the yardarm at the Annapolis YC clubhouse after the pair sailed to victory in the second race of the Nautica 2000 Star Class World Championship Regatta. "This is a bit of a surprise really," said Brady, 27, after the race. "We didn't expect to win any of these races. Our philosophy going into the regatta was to sail ultra-conservatively and just finish in the top 20." Brady and Gale in are Annapolis sailing to earn New Zealand a spot on the starting line at the 2000 Summer Olympics set for September in Sydney (six national spots will be determined this week in Annapolis). A top 20 finish in the regatta should not only guarantee a spot on the line in Australia, it should also ensure that Brady and Gale will be on the line with the full support of the New Zealand yachting establishment. The duo were fifth Sunday, having ground through 29 places between the first windward mark and the finish. And today, they started, according to Brady, "in the 40s or 50s" but quickly moved forward. "It was a magic beat," Brady said. Of course staying in front of a fleet packed with some of the planet's finest sailors, including 12 Olympic Medal Winners, is enough to challenge even the most confident young sailors. The Kiwi victory was solid. They rounded the first turning mark in second on the heels of Staartjes/Vandenberg (BEL) and soon thereafter established a lead they would not relinquish. There were points in shifts and lulls where they might not have been the furthest along on a given leg but they were never crossed. The Nautica 2000 Star Class World Championship Regatta is hosted by the Annapolis Yacht Club. Racing continues through Friday May 19. Six races are scheduled. - Dave Gendell REGATTA LEADERS: 1. USA 7995 Mark Reynolds/Magnus Liljedahl 1-3 4 points; 2. NZL 7939 Gavin Brady/Jamie Gale 5-1 6; 3. USA 7425 Douglas Schofield/Robert Schofield, Jr. 7-6 13; 4. USA 7996 John MacCausland/Phil Trinter 3-12 15; 5. ITA 7879 Pietro D'Ali/Ferdinando Colandinno 11-5 16; 6. CAN 7876 Ross MacDonald/Kai Bjorn 16-2 18; 7. NED 7981 Mark Neeleman/Jos Schrier 17-9 26; 8. SWE 7855 Mats Johansson/Leif Moller 2-25 27; 9. IRL 7763 Mark Mansfield/David O'Brien 10-17 27; 10. BER 7988 Peter Bromby/Lee White 9-20 29. Event website - http://www.annapolisyc.com WORRELL 1000 Leg 7 of the Worrell 1000 turned into an endurance test as light winds dogged the fleet for most of the night. The wind was 12 knots from the Northeast at last night's start, but it died altogether between 1 and 3 AM and the fleet sailed in a very light Northwesterly through the night. Smyth and Struble of team Blockade runner extended their overall lead, winning this leg by 3 minutes and 40 seconds over Rudee's Restaurant, sailed by Brett Dryland and Rod Waterhouse. Brian Lambert and Jamie Livingston of Alexander's on the Bay were third, followed by Team Holland, and then one hour later by Team Sunnucks. After the lead pack finished, the breeze kicked in hard from the Northwest at 25-32 knots. It got extremely cold and the waves offshore looked like a sawblade from the beach. Most of the sailors wore drysuits, but several were caught unprepared. Brad Cavanaugh of Van Dyke Racing was wearing a pair of board shorts and a cotton sweatshirt. He was cold, but happy that his boat was able to finish after the beating they took on the rocks the previous night. Scott Klodowski of Team California looked a little ragged after he finished. He spent most of the night "calling the dolphins". He was seasick 6 or 7 times and got cold from inactivity in the lighter air. "We each spent a little time wrapped in the spinnaker for warmth," said Kodlowski's teammate Brendan Busch. "Once the breeze filled in I got back into it and felt a little better," said the dazed Kodlowski. The English team of William Sunnucks and Mark Self sailed the whole race in the top group only to run afoul of navigational problems in the last few miles. A frustrated Mark Self described their problems, "We were doing well and it went pear shaped. We had the wrong waypoints in our GPS. We sailed around in circles for an hour, then we stopped and asked a fisherman where we were. We couldn't figure out if we were here or not." Quite an existential navigation problem. - Zack Leonard THE LEADERS: 1. Blockade Runner Beach Resort, Randy L. Smyth & Matt H. Struble 2. Rudee's Rest., Brett A. Dryland & Rod J. Waterhouse (00:34:52 Behind leader) 3. Alexander's on the Bay, Brian J. Lambert & Jamie B. Livingston (01:29:32) Full story and results: http://www.worrell1000.com/ MONSTER BOATS Steve Fossett's Maxi Catamaran PlayStation crossed Ambrose Light in New York Harbour and headed across the Atlantic. Skipper Fossett and his total crew of 13 will aim at the 10 year old TransAtlantic record (held by Serge Madec on Jet Services V 1990 6 days 13 hours 3 mins 32 secs) - and at the unfinished business of last December's TransAt - when a 60 kt squall 8 hours out broke 4 mainsail battens and forced a retreat to Newport, Rhode Island. After 10 1/2 hours (report 10.05 GMT Monday 15.5.00) a total of 191 miles had been covered - average 18.2 kts. 10.05 GMT 40.26.850 N 69.36.250 W Current Spd 21.6 kts. Meteorologist Chris Bedford on Monday morning: "It is looking pretty good - we'll see a big hurdle late on Day 2 when they'll have to weave through a trough around 60 degrees W (in the area SE of Sable Island off Nova Scotia) to avoid being becalmed in the central Atlantic by high pressure. They've got to go north of the trough but south of any ice. After that, the long range forecast is improving for good winds on to the UK." Website: http://www.fossettchallenge.com/ LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (leweck@earthlink.net) Letters selected to be printed are routinely edited for clarity, space (250 words max) and to exclude personal attacks or irresponsible statements. This is not a chat room. You only get one letter per subject, so give it your best shot and don't whine if people disagree. -- From Jamie & Lou McWilliam - Morgan Larson's letter regarding "pretty boring sailing" in the Star and Soling classes and his aversion for "these slow, lumbersome boats with not always fit athletes" is at best ridiculous and at worst offensive. His suggestion that in order to move into the future all Olympic sailing must be in skiffs exposes an almost unbelievable lack of understanding of what it is that makes sailing a lifelong fascination for its participants. The tactical and technical aspects of winning yacht races are at least as important as your recovery rate or bench press ability. It is this that makes sailing, like golf, a game that is hugely enjoyable for people of all ages, shapes and sizes. As for the suggestion that retaining these keelboats in the Olympics may contribute to the demise of our sport because he does not see them on TV, is he suggesting that we can anticipate today's generation of teenagers perming their hair, rubbing themselves down with body oil and heading down the park to compete in the local wrestling tournament? Who cares if champion sailors aren't built like Olga Korbut or Steve Redgrave? -- From Mark Herrmann (In reply to Morgan Larson's comments on 5/15) - I have to agree with Morgan that taking the 49'er out of the Olympics would be a big mistake. In my opinion, the Olympic Classes should be composed of boats that are challenging both physically and mentally AND that cover a variety of weight categories. The 49'er is obviously challenging and it appears to allow men in the light to middle weight ranges to sail on equal terms given similar levels of skill and conditioning. It makes me wonder, however, why the Men's 470 class is not under more scrutiny. The US Fleet could not even turn out a separate men and women's division for the Olympic Trials, and when combined that total was less than 15 boats. I do not doubt the quality of sailors who competed at the Olympic Trials. I only question the inclusion in the Olympics of two boats, both double handed, that cover the same weight range. Perhaps it is time to reevaluate the Olympic Classes based on the weight categories of the sailors (i.e., light, middle and heavyweight) like they do in other Olympic sports where weight does play a significant role in creating a level playing field. -- From Chris Caswell - Regarding the comments on the laws against using foreign-built boats for PR purposes, I can assure 'Butt readers that the Coast Guard takes great interest in enforcing those rules. At the last A-Cup in San Diego, Yachting Magazine chartered what turned out to be a foreign-built boat to carry several dozen of their very best advertisers out to watch the racing. Returning to the dock, they were met by a horde of Coasties with clipboards, who informed everyone that they were aboard an illegal charter and the proceeded to interview each and every person aboard, who had to produce identification and provide full details of their relationship with Yachting. Besides being an incredibly embarrassing moment for Yachting and it's ad staff, the fines were said to be substantial. -- From Peter Holmberg - Regarding the restrictions of sailing foreign built IACC yachts for marketing and training purposes, there are US built IACC yachts available, notably the legendary and indestructible USA 11 from Team Caribbean. -- From Chuck Skewes - I have sat back and listened (read) all of the AC Seattle hoopla knowing that a lot of it was a bad rumor but now I know that almost all of it is a bad rumor. As a person very into the Seattle racing scene I can tell you that Craig McCaw has not been on the race course and as far as my knowledge does not have a sail boat of any size in Seattle. John McCaw however the brother of Craig McCaw does often have a sailboat here in seattle and had a large day sailor (125' Sloop) named Extrabeat. This is also the same boat that was at Bill Kochs 1995 compound. Since the reports have the wrong person owning the wrong boat interested in the Americas Cup I would tend not believe any of these rumors and tend to agree with Morgan Larson that the Kiwis are using these rumors as a bargaining chip. -- From Russ Lenarz - In regards to the recent comments concerning Americap. It is my opinion that US Sailing has not done a very good job in promoting this system at all. There is a definite need for an intermediate system that fits in between PHRF at the local level and IMS as the grand prix level. For the gentleman in Newfoundland my suggestion is to look into the IRC concept under the IR 2000 Rule developed by the RORC if US Sailing will not allow the use of Americap in your area. CURMUDGEON'S COMMENT: Scuttlebutt has given Dan Nowlan, Offshore Director, US SAILING an opportunity to respond to Russ Lenarz's concerns, as well as to views previously expressed on these pages: - I agree with both of Russ Lenarz's observations. There is a definite need for an intermediate system between IMS and PHRF and US SAILING did not do a good job promoting AMERICAP. Ten months into this job as Offshore Director I have found that in the realm of handicap racing there is one inexorable fact. That fleet is divided between those that trust only in measurement rules and those that mistrust them and demand the simplicity and inexpensiveness of PHRF. Hence, US SAILING is pursuing an intermediate rule tailored for each group. AMERICAP II and RATINGS PLUS. The AMERICAP concept presents the opportunity to have a more user-friendly VPP based measurement rule. Now improvements have been made to the rating model, inequities and errors in boat data are being resolved, races are being dual-scored to highlight problem areas and, most important, a working party of racers is guiding the efforts. This revitalized effort is termed AMERICAP II. PHRF was developed when almost all boats had similar characteristics. The world has changed, and the fleets are now populated with "one-way" boats that don't get the fairest ratings under traditional PHRF. Working with the US SAILING PHRF Committee, the Offshore Office, actually the Research Director, Jim Teeters, has developed a VPP based system named RATINGS PLUS. Using only the information found on the typical PHRF certificate it can calculate the change in base rating for different courses and differentiate between light and heavy winds. This concept is in the check out process and should be on line later this racing season. - For Bruce Parsons in Newfoundland. AMERICAP II is not in a form suitable for export. However, US SAILING would be pleased to issue certificates for your fleet. Contact me at DanNowlan@ussailing.org for information. - For Tucker Strasser. The Board of Directors of US SAILING concurs with your view that its resources should not be spent on administration of IMS or AMERICAP II. Consequently, I have direction to insure they are self supporting. However, there is historical disagreement with your position regarding non-involvement in the development of measurement rating rules. Members, through donations of their time and money, have been contributing to the development and evolution of rating rules for years. - Dan Nowlan, Offshore Director, US SAILING. CORRECTION In my America's Cup story in the NY Times on Sunday, a portion of which appeared in 'Butt 569, I made a significant error and would like to set the record straight. In the story, I said that Charlie Barr and Russell Coutts were the winningest cup skippers in history. While those two skippers do hold the record for consecutive victories in cup competition (nine), the winningest skipper is, of course, Dennis Conner. Dennis was the starting helmsman in '74 (record 4-0), and skippered the winning boats in '80 (4-1), '87 (4-0), and '88 (2-0). And he chocked up three more wins in the '83 series in which Australia II ultimately prevailed. My sincere apologies to all readers, and especially to DC... - Herb McCormick ROLEX IMS OFFSHORE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP With preparations for this July's Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship 2000 getting underway around the world, it has been confirmed that two of the winning Italian yachts from the 1999 event, Vittorio Rava's 39-foot Frers design Winterthur Yah Man, and Raul Marinuzzi Ronconi's Beneteau 40.7 Drake, will be traveling to America to compete. A third Italian entry, Vincent Onorato's new Farr 43 Mascalzone Latino, also has been confirmed. The Rolex IMS Offshore World Championship 2000 will be hosted July 14-19 by the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) at its Newport, Rhode Island station known as Harbour Court. Sponsored by Rolex, the regatta is organized by NYYC together with last year's event host Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) under the authority of the Offshore Racing Council, and it is sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation. The competition, which will award a World Championship Trophy and a Rolex timepiece to the winning yacht in the Racer Division and the winning yacht in the Cruiser/Racer Division, will be a part of the second biennial New York Yacht Club Race Week. According to Tommaso Chieffi, who won the 1999 event's Middle Boat Division with Winterthur Yah Man, he will skipper the boat again with many of last year's crew returning." - Barby MacGowan Notices and entry forms: http://www.nyyc.org MATCH RACING Rolex has expanded its sailing activities to include title sponsorship of the Rolex 2000 ISAF Women's World Match Racing Championship, scheduled for November 25-December 2 in St. Petersburg, Fla. In its third year, the annual event, organized by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), makes its North American debut at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club (SPYC), having been held previously in Dubai and Italy. For the competitors--24 international teams of four women each--SPYC will provide two fleets of Sonars. The club also will provide race management for a round-robin series and "knockout" rounds for quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, which will include on-the-water umpiring for up to 218 matches over seven competition days. The regatta will be headquartered at the St. Petersburg Sailing Center, a city-owned facility operated by SPYC. "This will be the first women's world match racing championships at which the competitors officially are preparing for an Olympic medal event," said SPYC Vice Commodore and Event Co-Chair Pat Seidenspinner, referencing the resolution recommended by ISAF to the International Olympic Committee that a women's match racing event be included in the 2004 Olympic Regatta. A Rolex timepiece will be awarded to the winning skipper. The ISAF will invite the regatta's entrants based primarily on world match race rankings as of this summer. "The top eight sailors on the list will be invited, and then ISAF will select the other representatives from many different countries," said Event Co-Chair Tom Farquhar. As of April 11, Rolex Yachtswomen of the Year Betsy Alison (Newport, R.I.) and Cory Sertl (Rochester, N.Y.) were second and tenth, respectively, in the world match race rankings for women, while another high-profile sailor, Dru Slattery (Marblehead, Mass.), was sixth. Ranked first was Great Britain's Shirley Robertson, with the event's defending champion, Denmark's Dorte Jensen, and The Netherlands' Klaartje Zuiderbaan ranked third and fourth, respectively. - Barby MacGowan Website: http://www.spyc.org INDUSTRY NEWS The Olympic Sailing Committee of US SAILING, national governing body for the sport, has announced that Yale Cordage of Biddeford, Maine, is the official line supplier of the US Sailing Team through the year 2004. The US Sailing Team, named annually, is comprised of sailors ranked top-five nationally in each of the 11 Olympic events. - Jan Harley, http://www.ussailing.org DISASTER "Climax," SWYC's Alec Oberschmitt's Barnett 52 became disabled in the waters off Cabo Falso near Cabo San Lucas on the night of May 12, 2000, and is reportedly in pieces on the beach. The boat was returning home from the San Diego to Puerto Vallarta and MEXORC races and had recently been fitted with a new keel in Acapulco. According to sources, the rudder allegedly detached, and the new keel ruptured the hull. The well-known Southern California local racing boat is, as far as is known, unsalvageable. All crewmembers were reported safe. - http://www.sdsailing.com CALENDAR June 19-23, Boatscape.com Block Island Race Week, http://www.Premiere-Racing.com THE CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground. |
