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SCUTTLEBUTT 2190 - September 28, 2006Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk, with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt isdistributed each weekday, with America's Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt brought to you by UBS (http://www.ubs.com/sailing). STRENGTHENING THE EMPIRE There seems little argument that Team GBR is presently at the top of the Olympic sailing pyramid, and the infrastructure that the Brits have in place continues to develop a plethora of talented youngsters. There will be a preview of the future this weekend - a huge preview -- as junior sailors from across England gather at six venues to compete in the RYA Zone Championships. From September 30 to October 1 each of the RYA Zones will host a Championship that attracts the best young sailors and windsurfers to compete against their peers. The RYA Zone Championships have always been the biggest RYA Junior Racing event of the season, but this year organizers expect to see another massive turnout with around 800 boats and nearly 1000 sailors due to compete across the country. This year the numbers have continued to grow, especially in the windsurfing fleets where 116 sailors will compete across the zones, indicating that the RYA's recent push to strengthen UK windsurfing is showing positive returns. "These regattas form a key part of selection for the prestigious RYA Zone Squad programmes and to have a record number of sailors attending the event and applying to the squad in 2006 bodes very well for the future of our sport," said John Derbyshire, RYA Performance Director. "This year I shall be involved with the RYA South Zone Championship at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy, where I'll be looking forward to seeing some excellent competition from some of our future sailing stars." THE REST OF THE STORY ANNAPOLIS, MD, September 27th, 2006 - The board of directors of the Quantum Sail Design Group confirmed today that founder and managing partner Larry Leonard is stepping down and relinquishing his role in the day to day operations of the company. He will continue to be a minority share holder. Leonard and his partners started Quantum in 1996. Today the company is the second largest sailmaker in the world, with more than 60 locations in 22 countries. "This was a very difficult decision," said Ed Reynolds, president and a founding partner. Reynolds was named president of Quantum in 2005. "Over the past three years our structure has changed from a collection of sole proprietorships to a unified, global corporate entity. Quite simply, we have been unable to come up with a way to redefine Larry's role within the company that is acceptable to all parties." Co-founder and partner Farley Fontenot said: "We acknowledge and appreciate all the contributions Larry has made in helping create the Quantum Sail Design Group. It is due in part to his original vision that we owe the strength of our current position. Quantum has gone through a period of unprecedented growth and is today enjoying a period of financial and market success that would have been impossible without the groundwork he helped lay. We look forward to continuing growth and innovation in the years ahead." AROUND AND AROUND THEY GO The oldest skipper taking part in the Velux 5 Oceans singlehanded round the world race, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 67, and the youngest skipper, Alex Thomson, 32, left the UK together, heading for the staring line in Bilbao, Spain. Unfortunately, due to a "minor technical problem with the mast," Sir Robin decided to return to Gosport and is expected to leave for Spain again on Thursday. It will take the sailors about three days to reach Bilbao in their Open 60s, depending on the weather, and both will use the trip to check vital systems and equipment onboard. Once in Bilbao, a mixture of final preparations and in-port racing will keep the skippers busy while they prepare for the race which starts on October 22. And when the Velux 5 Oceans Race has ended, Thompson will not take much of a break. Instead, he will race around the planet again. Thompson will co-skipper a new Hugo Boss-sponsored boat in the two-handed Barcelona World Race with Australian sailing veteran Andrew Cape. This race stars on November 11, 2007. Thomson, holds the current 24 hour solo monohull World Speed Record onboard these yachts and has a new state of the art Open 60 currently under construction and due out of the shed in April 2007. -- http://www.velux5oceans.com / http://www.barcelonaworldrace.com/ GO GLOBAL ... GO JOE Does your brand fit a solo, 'round-the-world entry in the 2007/8 Global Ocean Challenge Race? Will you be the corporate partner who leads the way with high-profile promotions? Your sponsorship will yield more than a 20x ROI in media and publicity alone. Joe Harris, owner of Gryphon Solo - the fastest Open Class 50 on the planet - promises top performance at the highest level of solo sailing. Joe's global campaign includes preliminary events and a post-race lecture tour. Ask for details. You won't be disappointed. Contact Joe Harris (mailto:Joe@gryphonsolo.com) or view online: http://www.gryphonsolo.com/mailtjoe@gryphonsolo.com WHO DID THE BEST JOB? Throughout the busy 2006 sailing season, many U.S. sailors have achieved impressive regatta results at home and abroad, but who do you think did the best job? Made up your mind? Good, because US Sailing is now accepting nominations for its Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year awards, considered the highest individual sailing honors in the USA. Through November 30, 2006, US Sailing members can nominate the male and female sailors who they think have turned in the most outstanding performances on the water in this calendar year and have earned their places in the history books. US Sailing's Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Awards are presented annually to the individual U.S. sailors who demonstrate excellence through outstanding on-the-water achievement at national and/or international events during the calendar year. Nick Scandone and Sally Barkow won this prestigious distinction in 2005, joining a long list of sailing legends, including Betsy Alison, Ed Baird, Paul Cayard, Dennis Conner, Paul Foerster, Steve Fossett, JJ Isler, John Kostecki, Dawn Riley, Cory Sertl, Jody Swanson and Ted Turner. At the conclusion of the nomination period, a shortlist of nominees is presented to a panel of noted sailing journalists who discuss the merits of each and vote by secret ballot to determine the award winners. In February 2007, the winners each will be presented with a specially-engraved Rolex timepiece and the perpetual Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year Trophy: a Steuben crystal interpretation of the yacht America. Nominations are accepted online at: http://www.ussailing.org/awards/rolex CRITICAL YEAR When we look back at the 32nd America's Cup following the Match in June next year, it is very likely that the calendar year 2006 will be seen as the most important period for each of the 12 America's Cup teams. It is in 2006 that the bigger teams designed and built their second race boats and this is the year when the smaller teams have built their only new boat. Training and testing days in 2006 will have been converted into extra speed on the race course in 2007. For many teams, the quality of their work in 2006 will determine their final destiny in 2007. The 2006 Louis Vuitton Acts were an opportunity for many of the teams to measure their progress. The winner of the 2006 Louis Vuitton ACC Championship, Emirates Team New Zealand, can point to hard fought battles against BMW Oracle Racing, Luna Rossa and Alinghi in Act 12 as high notes on a successful season. Although tactician Terry Hutchinson was quick to point out that while winning is nice, it doesn't mean too much, yet. "For us, we feel very good about the progress that the team has made but we're also very mindful of the fact that Alinghi was sailing a three year old boat.It would be a huge mistake to look much beyond the fact that we beat a guy in a three year old boat, barely." Although racing ended at the beginning of July this year, the work for the 12 teams has only begun. From testing and training in Valencia, to building new boats in the country of their challenge, to competing in other classes and events around the world, each America's Cup team has been hard at work since the last day of racing in Act 12. And this will continue through to the beginning of Louis Vuitton Act 13 on the 3rd April next year. Time is a precious resource in the America's Cup, particularly so as the 2007 races loom ever closer. -- America's Cup website, full story: http://tinyurl.com/fes2k IFDS BLIND SAILING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. For the final day of racing at the IFDS Blind Sailing World Championship being contested on Narragansett Bay, a dying northeasterly briefly kept competitors ashore at NYYC's clubhouse, Harbour Court, as clouds conspired to delay the hoped-for sea breeze. Faced with a 500 meter exclusion zone around two cruise ships anchored close to the preferred race area, and flooding tide until late morning, race organizers sent the teams north of the Newport Bridge and, ultimately, three races were successfully completed in a light east-southeasterly. New Zealand was presented The Squadron Cup that rewards the team with the best overall performance across the three divisions: blind (B1), visually impaired (B2) and least visually impaired (B3). B1 Division (6 Sonars): 1. NOR - Thomas Johannesen, Jostein Stenevik, Stian Soltvedt, Jon Lystrup;; 26 points. 2. NZL - Rob Aislabie, Dave Allerton, Wayne Holdt, Simon Holdt; 31. 3. USA-Mass - Sengil Inkiala, Deborah Keating, Ken Legler, Lisa O'Connor; 39. B2 Division (7 Sonars): 1. NZL - Paulien Eitjes, Dick Lancaster, Gary Smith, Scott Burling; 18. 2. GBR - Lucy Hodges, John Simpson, Chris Sinclair, Gary Butler; 27. 3. USA-Mass - Matt Chao, Nina Kagan, Bill Rapp, Peter Frisch; 40. B3 Division (6 J/22s): 1. USA-Florida - J.P. Creignou, Jan Bartleson, Colin Park, Patty Forrestel; 16. 2. GBR - Gary Kirby, Toby Davey, Martin Moody, Ian Shirra; 35. 3. NZL - Eddie Moree, Shannon Leslie, Brian Trubovich, Tony Poolman, 36. http://nyyc.org/index.cfm?menu=12&openitem=12 DO YOU "ONE DESIGN?" WE DO! Tornado, Melges 24, Sabot, Martin 242, Yngling, 470, J/105, Beneteau 40.7, Etchells, Acat, Farr 40, 505, Cal 20, Coronado 15, Fireball, J/24, CFJ, 420, Europe Dinghy, Harbor 20, International 14, J/22, Holder 20, Flying Scot, Lido 14, Lehman 12, Lightning, Optimist, Snipe, Thistle, Cal 25, Soling, Sonar, Santana 20, Santana 30/30, Capri 14.2, Melges 32, El Toro, Ultimate 20, Flying Junior, J/80, Hobie 21, San Juan 24, Nacra, Prindle, J/120, Antrim 27, Olson 30, Mumm 30, J/109. Ullman Sails has been one designing for 35+ years; give your local loft a call or visit us at http://www.ullmansails.com SAILING SHORTS * Here's a twist - because many sailboat manufacturers are testing the waters in the long-range cruiser arena, this year's Strictly Sail Boat Show in St. Peterburg, Florida ( November 2-5, 2006) will have some trawlers and power cruisers on display for the first time. The all-new Trawler and Power Cruiser Expo is sponsored by Power Cruising magazine. Additionally, over 150 exhibitors with the latest sailing gear and accessories will be displayed. More than 100 seminars will include deliberations from global sailors, authors and experts in navigation, software and marine equipment. -- http://www.strictlysail.com/shows/stpete.asp?show=sp * With six former world champions in attendance, and a veritable boatload of talented sailors from 15 countries, the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina Sunfish World Championships (October 2- 6) promises to be a very competitive affair. The 100-strong field would appear to be led by three-time Sunfish World Champion Malcolm Smith of Bermuda. At 47, Smith qualifies as a Master sailor (45 and older), and he'll definitely have a battle on his hands with sailors like Donnie Martinborough (47) of the Bahamas - another three time world champion- and former world champions Paul-Jon Patin (38) and Charlestonian David Loring. Event website: http://www.sunfishworlds-2006.com * Twelve junior Opti sailors ages 13-15 from Australia, Finland, France, Denmark, Great Britain, New Zealand, Switzerland, the U.S. and Uruguay are being flown to Bermuda by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and hosted by local families for the fourth annual Renaissance Reinsurance Junior Gold Cup, Oct. 12-15. They will race up to 25 Bermudian entrants and also gain an insight into Bermuda culture by spending a day in school with their hosts. The Junior Gold Cup will run concurrently with the 58th annual King Edward VII Gold Cup (Oct. 11-15), Stage 4 of the 2006-'07 World Match Racing Tour. * The 157-foot Pride of Baltimore II, a 1988-commissioned replica of 1812-era topsail schooners, is coming back to New York City on Monday, October 2 and docking in slip S1 at Dennis Conner's North Cove. -- http://www.intandem.com/NewPrideSite/PrideHome.html / http://www.TheNorthCove.com * There was very light wind on Wednesday in Palamos, Spain for the single race of the 67-boat Finn European Championship -- a race that was shortened at top of the second beat when the wind dropped to four knots. Standings after five races with a discard: 1. Edward Wright (GBR) 12pts; 2. Jonas Høgh-Christensen (DEN) 18pts; 3. Guillaume Florent (FRA) 20pts; 4. Marin Mi¹ura (CRO) 20pts; 5. Gasper Vincec (SLO) 20pts; 16. Chris Cook (CAN) 64pts; 29. Zack Railey (USA) 89pts. -- http://www.cvpalamos.org/finneuropean/ * The inaugural Estrella Galicia Platu 25 World Championship, organized by the Real Club N?utico de Vigo and Triente, gets underway in Vigo, Spain Wednesday, with over 400 sailors and 84 boats from 13 nations. The fleet includes crews from Galicia, Valencia, Andalucia, Balearic Islands and Basque Country. There are also crews from Italy, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Croatia, Brazil, Finland, France, Switzerland, and Thailand. After competing in two separate teams (blue and yellow), each one with 41 boats, the results show the "Movistar Vilagarc?a", sailed by the Spanish Olympic sailors Anton Paz and Fernando Echavarri as the leaders.-- http://www.platu25.net/wc2006/ * Paul Forester won the Sunfish Pan Am Games Trials last weekend hosted by Sayville Yacht Club, Blue Point, NY. Paul-Jon Patin finished second with Dave Mendelblatt taking third in the 22-boat event. http://www.sayvilleyachtclub.org/SailingDocs/PanAm%20FINAL.pdf * Correction -- Leslie Valmadre was the crew member of Alan Bond's 1974 America's Cup challenge who wrote the great letter we carried in Scuttlebutt 2189. Unfortunately, we credited that letter to Alessio Di Biaggio, who was the author of the quote used by Mr. Valmadre in his letter. Sorry about that. PRODUCT EVALUATION The Curmudgeon recently wrapped up a two week trip on the east coast to visit with friends and racers, beginning at the Farr 40 Worlds in Newport, RI, then working his way south to Annapolis where he cruised the Chesapeake. Along the way, he also tried out a new pair of hybrid sandal/ shoes from Sebago. Kind of like a shoe with a sunroof, or a sandal with sides. Anyway, he raved about them, so now we are looking for any confirming opinions, or if you feel there are some equally savvy hybrid footwear available. Read the Curmudgeon's review on the Forums, and then post your own comments: http://tinyurl.com/lsjhq CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATION One of the great mysteries of life is how that idiot who married your daughter can be the father of the smartest grandchildren in the world. Special thanks to Gryphon Solo / Joe Harris and Ullman Sails. America's Cup coverage in Scuttlebutt is brought to you by UBS. |
