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SCUTTLEBUTT No. 772 - March 14, 2001Scuttlebutt is a digest of yacht racing news of major significance; commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American emphasis. Corrections, contributions, press releases and contrasting viewpoints are always welcome. COMMENTARY (Ken) Morrison's statement begs the question why the Americans did not raise these objections earlier. RORC's decision to drop the IMS 50 rating band in favour of a more affordable one-design in the form of the IC45 was a brave one, but one that needed doing to boost an ailing event. To be competitive in the Admiral's Cup required a latest generation IMS 50 - the boats built two years earlier were markedly slower, and the ones built two years before that off the pace altogether. There is no indication from past events that retaining the IMS big boat category would have done any more for the Admiral's Cup this time. Morrison's reasons for the US withdrawal are also at odds with those given to madforsailing by Don Genitempo, manager of the US Admiral's Cup team since 1985. He was unequivocal about the reasons for not attending - the unpopularity of the Sydney 40. "The Sydney 40 is not popular anywhere in the world. There is not one boat in the US, and campaigning costs for it would be just short of half a million dollars. It is a boat that is not fun to sail, has no future, and an owner would not bring it back to the US - that's a big motivation for not doing the event." Genitempo also confirmed that an IC45 had been lined up to compete in the Admiral's Cup, Heatwave owned by Sal Giordano. But Giordano had been reluctant to compete in a team without a professionally-backed, financially secure Sydney 40 campaign. One of the Farr 40 owners who was unsuccessful in the Farr 40 trials had offered to step in and fund a chartered Sydney 40 campaign, on the proviso that he was to steer the boat, but this was still an unsatisfactory option in the eyes of some parties. - Ed Gorman and Andy Rice, Madforsailing website. Full story: http://www.madforsailing.com/ MORE INTERNATIONAL REACTION * The Admiral's Cup, due to be held in Cowes in July, is in serious danger of not taking place after the United States confirmed yesterday that they will not be sending a team. As yet, the event has only three definite entries. This will be only the second time since the event's inception in 1957 that the United States have not sent a team to the Admiral's Cup, which is generally accepted as being the world championship of offshore racing. Indeed the original idea behind the event was to provide a team event between British yachts and those from America which had crossed the Atlantic to compete in the biannual Fastnet Race * Britain, France and Italy have confirmed that they will enter three-boat teams for the cup while Australia and a rather shadowy European team remain possibilities but Holland, the current trophy holder, and New Zealand will definitely not enter. There is no official minimum number of teams but most people involved hold the view that it would be pointless to hold the event unless at least five teams were involved. The cut-off date is April 2. Full story: STEINLAGER LINE 7 CUP After a long, tough day on the water, Cameron Appleton commented, "I'm frizzled, it's been an extremely testy day, we just had to take each race as a step, not as a jump." The best of the non-Kiwis is Rod Davis, representing Italy's Prada America's Cup Challenge with six (6) wins and four (4) losses. Also on six wins, but with five losses is Chris Dickson, representing the United States and the Oracle Racing America's Cup Challenge. Event Director Harold Bennett said "It's been an interesting day's racing. A good wind started in the North/Northeast and then shifted to the Northwest, which meant the bulk of the activity occurred directly in front of Hobson Wharf. It was great viewing for spectators. Tomorrow's weather is forecast for south-westerlies, which will shift action into the current." - Shawn McBride OVERALL STANDINGS: Cameron Appleton (NZ) 8-3; Bertrand Pace (NZ) 8-3; Dean
Barker (NZ) 7-4; Rod Davis (ITA) 6-4; Chris Dickson (USA) 6-5; Gavin Brady
(ITA) 5-3; Magnus Holmberg (SWE) 5-5; Jesper Radich (DEN) 5-5; Andy Green
(GBR) 4-7; Jes Gram-Hansen 3-7; Nicola Celon 3-7; Bjorn Hansen 1-8. - MORE FUNCTIONAL THAN DUCT TAPE. BT GLOBAL CHALLENGE Smith, the more severely injured of the two, has had treatment to a
fractured left femur, a compound fracture to the right ankle, his left
tibia has been pinned and he has also sustained a fractured left elbow. He
is out of surgery and is under observation in an Intensive Care Unit. His
stats and vital signs are reported to be good. Event website: www.btchallenge.com
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON leweck@earthlink.net * From: Philip Crebbin U2CanRace1@aol.com There are also a number of IC45s available, delivered to the UK after their Palma series and ready to race. Charter fees are not very expensive and then all that is needed is a USA crew. Race 1 will be happy to help get a good boat at a good price if help is needed. No shipping boats across the Atlantic is needed when chartering and there is nothing complicated about it. I am sure there are several good USA big boat one-design teams, for example in the Farr 40 fleet, that would be capable and willing to sail the IC45 as part of the USA AC team. The USA is the home of good one-design racing in big boats. Are you going to duck out of the Admiral's Cup, for reasons that are easy to overcome, on the first occasion that it is being held in 3 one-design classes? I simply do not believe that sailors in the USA will let that happen. * From: Stephen White stephenwhiteoz@yahoo.com.au How many countries could field a two-boat team on this basis? It would not be a great stretch to imagine between fifteen and twenty teams entering. Numbers are generally the basis of judging the success of an event combined with the quality of racing - there can be little arguement over the quality of the fleets being assembled in these two classes. To continue the event on the basis of three boat teams will logically require the success of a third international one design class - perhaps the one design 35 is the closest to the mark although I cannot remember seeing even one in Australia. Ken Morrison suggests the IMS50 is still the way to go, however to include the 50s and ensure the ongoing success of the event will require a sensational improvement in depth of this class. Lets hope it is not too late to save the Admirals Cup from becoming a European event. * From: "Mike Broughton" mike@sjyachting.co.uk After experiencing the fantastic 'one design' fleets of Key West, I can only wonder if the team organisers are talking to the right people, for what is now a 'one design' event? * From Geoffrey Scott yachtracer@lycos.com * From: Chris Gillum cgillum@hotmail.com In at least one of these cases, the offending boats flew their "I" flags to take their 20% penalty. There were countless other collisions and minor contacts throughout the regatta. Maybe the class should consider a rule similar to the sled's, where, if there is contact, at least one of the boats will be disqualified. Also, some of the drivers, and tactitions, should be more sportsmanlike, and retire after clearly fouling and causing serious damage to another boat. * From: Peta Stuart-Hunt, Lymington peta.prworks@virgin.net Those production teams which are involved in producing sailing footage and commentary for broadcast on our national and regional networks are working very hard to make the sport of sailing, and yacht racing in particular, more accessible and more entertaining for the viewers. Take, for example, the occasion of Ben Ainslie's Gold medal-winning last race at the Sydney Olympics - so thrilling because of his extraordinary boat handling skills as much as anything else. As is the case with sailing commentator Richard Simmonds, the enthusiastic and knowledgeable delivery of the commentary was, and is, so vital- knowing when to let the action speak for itself. Recently, we shared in Ellen MacArthurs's fantastic highs and lows during the Vendee, via the BBC film 'Sailing through Heaven and Hell'. Ellen's sailing prowess, together with her sheer guts and determination, is recognised and applauded throughout the world of yachting. However, the mainstream media, and hence the general public, have taken her to their hearts because her's is a remarkable human-interest story which doesn't need any hype to make it watchable. * From: "Steve Moore" SMoore@MinkusMarketing.com Secondly, one of the key drawbacks to Americap was the good, old, almighty dollar, or more to the point, what would have happened to the treasuries of the regional YRAs if the income generated by each of their PHRF Committees were to dry up. * From: "Peter Godfrey" pgodfrey@glenvilleassociates.com $$$$$$$$$$$$$ Since the Yngling's selection last November by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) as the equipment for a new women's Olympic fleet racing event, numerous inquiries from U.S. women sailors have been received by the OSC. Armed with funding from the U.S. Olympic Committee (Colorado Springs, Colo.) the OSC was able to make available the grants that the recipients were then required to apply to the purchase of a new Yngling. It is hoped that the new boats will be delivered in time for the 2001 Yngling World Championships making possible a strong turnout of U.S. women's teams at that event scheduled for July 15-21 in Newport, R.I. The three skippers were required to accept the terms and conditions of the OSC, which also included an agreement to compete in the Yngling 2001, 2002 and 2003 ranking events for the U.S. Sailing Team, as well as the world championships in 2001, 2002 and 2003. In addition to the grants, a fourth skipper, Ellie Field (Little Compton, R.I.), will receive the use of an OSC-chartered Yngling for the 2001 World Championship. A dozen U.S. women's teams submitted applications seeking the grant money, with requests for consideration reviewed by a four-person panel appointed by the OSC. The panel, which included representatives from US SAILING's Board of Directors and Women's Committee, based their selections on the strength of the skipper's racing history. Emphasis was also placed on a strong four-year plan from the skipper. - Jan Harley THE RACE SEATTLE TO KEY WEST AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN CALENDAR OF MAJOR EVENTS ETCHELLS MIDWINTERS SUNFISH MASTERS Final results (64 boats): 1. Charlie Clifton, 44, 2. Don Bergman, 59, 3. Jean Bergman, 62, 4. Lee Parks, 71, 5. Art Littleton, 73, 6. Ron McHenry, 74, 7. Chris Williams, 76, 8. Gail Heausler, 79, 9. John Spray, 86, 10. Tony Elliott, 91. Supreme Grand Master (age 70+): Don Bergman, Grand Master (age 60-69) and top women: Jean Bergman, Masters(age 50-59): Charlie Clifton, Apprentice Master (age 40-49): Lee Parks. THE CURMUDGEON'S COUNSEL |
